Question regarding military travel

[BBM]

Yo, long time no see.


I have a passenger here who's taking the bus, he's going on active duty from leave. He tried to buy a bus ticket yesterday to go back to his post, but his bank card got denied. He has absolutely no cash or anything. I saw his army ID, and stuff, and the airport PD doesn't think he's AWOL. The passenger says he's going back to Afghanistan.

So with that said, I need to get one thing straight. I guess the military doesn't pay for travel expenses, even if they are going back on active? If not, I guess it's his own stupidity he couldn't manage his money.


Just unclear on that part. Thank you for the input.

[Smurfette_76]

The military paid to get him back to the US from Afghanistan, but its his responsibility to get back to the airport for the plane back to Afghanistan...least that's the way the Marines have been doing it.

[uSa4]

For the most part the Army will not pay for your travel unless you are on Orders and it is authorized. If you are on leave or just going back on Active Duty (like this kid) you are responsible for your own travel.

Its his own fault for not managing his money and if he doesn't get back to his post he will eventually be AWOL. Hope this answers it....

[JTShooter]

If he's truly stuck, call a local recruiter and see if they can help out... if anything they can put in the paperwork to get him a pay advance to get him a ticket to the airport.

[LMUcrazycagegrl]

The only time I've ever heard them pay is when you're changing duty stations. When Evan left Japan to move to Pendleton, they paid for him to fly to Washington on a military flight. Then, he had to pay for his ticket from Washington to California.

[DACP]

IF the soldier is only AWOL, the military will not have anything in the system (COPS/ NCIC) it is only when he hits Deserter status that a warrant will be entered into NCIC, there are several options 1) find the nearest red cross and see if they can help, 2) call a recruiter he might not be able to get advance pay, but he can get a DD FM 460 (provisional pass) that he can then use at greyhound to get to the airport, or where ever. He WILL have to pay that money back, it is not a free ticket.

Now then leave is at the expense of the soldier, all costs incurred are at the expense of the soldier, the Military will if deployed or for certain other instances pay for part of the travel I.E Afghanistan to New York, then anything after that is up to the soldier. I suspect that the soldier is not telling you all of the truth, but after spending years dealing with deserters and AWOL soldiers the storys are all the same...........Thank god I am out of that game.

[DACP]

One other option he can try, go to the nearest active duty Military instillation, don't matter the branch of service, but some one there can help.

[BBM]

THANK YOU for all of your answers everyone. This is sure a great help.

[David Hineline]

While I could help out someone serving the country with the cost of a bus ticket and a meal, I would need to be convinced he needed it and was not just traveling on scam money. A call to a buddy or family member and the station could easily take thier card money over the phone to get the man a ticket.

[mdrdep]

If an individual is on leave any travel is his expense/responsibility. You wouldn't expect your employer to pay for your vacation travel would you?

He would however have the right to travel MAC air. If he only needed to get to an airbase I would help him out, especially if he was a young and dumb non-rate, after the obligatory ***** chewing about financial responsibility. I know even 20+ years ago young Marines were required to take an MCI course on personal finance.