Special leave makes travel easier, cheaper for all military personnel
Lance Cpl. Antwain J. Graham

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa (February 20, 2009) -- Service members, family members and civilians who are stationed overseas can save thousands of dollars on commercial airfares back to the states by utilizing Air Mobility Command flights.

Seats on AMC flights are offered based on space-availability. AMC uses five tiers to categorize priority. Category five is the lowest with category one as the highest. Being in a higher category can minimize chances for being bumped off of a flight.

A person wanting to get in a higher category can apply for Environmental and Morale Leave, a form of leave offered to active-duty service members, their family members and certain civilian personnel stationed overseas.

Traveling under EML will decrease a traveler's chance of being bumped from a flight on a military aircraft.

Service members authorized EML are placed at category-two status for an AMC flight. Category-one consists of service members traveling on orders or on emergency leave.

Family members can also use EML, even if they are not traveling with their military sponsor. With EML, family members are placed in category-three on space-available flights.

Civilian employees eligible for military-funded travel to the United States at the conclusion of their tour may also use EML taking them from category-five to category-four.

There are two types of EML, funded and unfunded.

Funded EML is charged as ordinary leave, authorizes travelers to use a Department of Defense-owned aircraft. They are not charged leave for travel-time to and from their destination.

With unfunded EML travelers are charged leave for the travel-time.

According to customer service information provided by AMC representatives from the Kadena Air Base passenger terminal, service members can use EML for two round-trips per year, but to apply for it, they must be stationed overseas for six or more months.

Marines and sailors can apply for EML through their unit's administration section.

The traveling member must bring the signed form with them to the flight terminal.

Once a member has submitted an EML request and it has been approved, the individual has 90 days to execute leave. The member must have an approved annual leave request to go along with the EML request.

For more information on EML, contact your company clerk, battalion S-1 or call the KAB passenger terminal at 634-0153.

For information on flights, visit http://www.usafspacea.com.

Ellie