commercial travel on leave?

[PFCPoolee]

Good afternoon Marines and happy Veterens' Day and a belated birthday!

I heard from a Marine who just graduated boot camp (he was back in town for his 10day leave) that you can travel anywhere during leave and have flight expenses reimbursed when you get to (or graduate from) MCT / MOS school. I wanted to find out more information about this but can't find anything relating to this on my own, as googling anything "travel" digs up just a bunch of irrelevant information.

Basically, I have a friend who lives out in Nevada I've wanted to visit for years, and saw this option as a possibility, but I'd be going back to Florida for the remainder of my leave after bootcamp. I would like to know if commercial air lines would honor travel on such a short notice like this, and if the travel will actually be reimbursed? If I were going just back to my home thats one thing, but expenses to visit a friend seems like another issue.

I've got less than a month before I leave for bootcamp myself so I am trying to figure out how I could manage this. Thank you!

[Apache]

If it dosent sound right ------most likely isn't .

Why would the Government pay your travel bill ?
Is your last name OBummy ?

[MOS4429]

Is your last name OBummy ?

That's pretty funny!

Things may have changed since the dark ages, but generally speaking, Uncle Sam will pay for your travel from boot camp to your next duty station (MOS training). If you elected to travel elsewhere en route to that next assignment, that's on you.

[PFCPoolee]

hah exactly, it DOESN'T sound right. If they dont that wont be so bad though I'll pay for my own ticket but I still want to find out if airlines really would allow me (or any service member for that matter) an open seat on the next available flight to wherever.

my biggest concern with this is being stranded in NV due to having to wait for flights and not be able to ship back for MCT

[Lisa 23]

My advice to you is to go home for your 10 day leave and visit with your family & friends. The cost you may wind up paying for a ticket in such short notice may be quite high.
And as far as I know with any open seat, if any is available, it's first come first serve.

Who knows after your MOS schooling is over with...you may get stationed out on the left coast, then your friend can come visit you.

[SSgtRSD]

You will get your 10 day boot leave. However, you will more than likely be required to gI back to your home of record. These will be the only flights to and from leave that are paid for. The only other times flights/travel will be covered are PCS moves or official travel. The Marine Corps also advertises free flights on standby status on military flights however I never looked into it or used it. Someone else may be able to elaborate.

[Zulu 36]

You will get your 10 day boot leave. However, you will more than likely be required to gI back to your home of record. These will be the only flights to and from leave that are paid for. The only other times flights/travel will be covered are PCS moves or official travel. The Marine Corps also advertises free flights on standby status on military flights however I never looked into it or used it. Someone else may be able to elaborate.

Military Space Available (Space A) is not a terribly reliable method of travel. The reason is flying on military aircraft means they can be re-tasked with no notice - sometimes in flight. Plus, military aircraft do not necessarily fly where you need them to go, when you need them.

Moreover, people with higher priorities for Space A can bump you with essentially no notice (although you wouldn't be at the rock bottom of the priority scale). You could spend your whole leave sitting on an airfield waiting for a seat, or bouncing from airfield to airfield.

If you get lucky and fly as scheduled, it can save you a lot of money. Personally, I would never trust Space A if you are on a time schedule or deadline (as you would be on leave).

[SSgtRSD]

Well there you heard it. Also, just thought of another scenario closer to what you are talking about. If you rate a two week R&R on a deployment (typically must be 12 months or more) you will be given a plane ticket to a destination of choice. We had a few Marines go to Australia during my first deployment.

[MOS4429]

My advice to you is to go home for your 10 day leave and visit with your family & friends.

This is good advice. The ones that should mean the most to you, and who are the most about you, are your family. Had an older brother who when he had leave spent most of it with friends, and this was painful to mom, who out of a ten-day leave was lucky to see him for a few hours.

Boot camp leave is probably one of the most important to spend with family. Perhaps there will be other opportunities to see the friend from Nevada, or perhaps this friend might make an effort to see you.

[the802]

Yes, they don't care where you go on your boot leave, and yes, they say they will reimburse you... Well, it's been a year, and I have yet to be reimbursed for my flight. It only applies for the flight/bus ride back to Geiger, or what ever the west coast equivalent is, not your travel home.