Does the military pay for your plane ticket home?

To make things a little easier on your pocketbook for stateside visits, the Defense Department does pay for flights home — but they are through Space-A. Yes, that’s unpredictable, but it is a paid-for flight.

How much does the military pay for boot camp?

Pay for BMT depends upon your rank. Every enlisted recruit starts out as an E1, and can expect an annual salary of around $20,170.80. BMT is 10 weeks, so the average E1 payment for basic training is around $3,800 plus meals and housing.

Can military fly standby for free?

Commercial Airlines Standby Policies American Airlines allows active U.S. military personnel and dependents traveling on orders or personal travel to fly standby at no additional charge. A military passenger whose standby request cannot be fulfilled will be bumped to the top of the standby list for the next flight.

How much is pay in basic training?

Effective January 1, 2021, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service explains that Army basic training pay starts at $1,785 per month for E-1 privates.

Do service members get free flights?

Service members and their families can use Space-A flights to travel around the country and world at little to no cost. Though sometimes unpredictable, military flights are perfect for families with flexible plans and limited travel budgets.

How long do you have to be in military to get benefits?

Troops now on active duty become eligible after 90 days of service for as long as they remain on active duty. Reserve and National Guard members become eligible after six creditable years in service.

Can veterans stay at military bases?

Service members, veterans with a service-connected disability, retirees, and their family members can stay in military billeting on a space-available basis on most U.S. military bases around the world. The DoD Lodging website has links to the Air Force, Army, and Navy lodging policies.

How does the military pay for travel expenses?

The military has access to SATO, the government’s travel agent. They can book flights for the service member. Whether it is for official travel or personal travel, the service member traveling pays for the flight. If official, the government pays them back. If personal, the service member pays for it.

Does the military pay for lodging during basic training?

However, most units only cover lodging for certain days, usually the night before training (if you live outside the commuting area), and after the first drill day. They may only cover one night of lodging if you live within a certain distance.

Do soldiers have to pay for their own flights home?

Soldiers deployed overseas are responsible to pay for their own flights home. If a soldier was stationed in Germany with his family and had not been home in two years, he would have to pay for him and his family to fly back to the United States.

How does the military transport you to and from deployment?

When you deploy or come back, they will either have you ride their plane or pay for a commercial (Delta, United, etc.) ticket for you. If you need a ride across the state for training, they will put you in a bus.