Donate plane ticket to U.S. Soldiers on Holiday leave

11/15/04 | Sunnyside

[SunnySide]

Many soldiers on leave for the holidays can not afford the airfare nor can their families. It would be nice for many of the wealthy citizens in this country to make a donation in the form of airline tickets to soldiers who are unable purchase a ticket or get a seat on military planes coming in for the Holidays this year. Please check your local organizations for information.

[ClintonBeGone]

Or you can donate frequent flyer miles.

[groanup]

What a fantastic idea. Need help Freepers, with local organizations. If none exists we need Freepers who will take the ball and run with it. Anybody?

[Jeff Gordon]

you can donate frequent flyer miles

How does one do this?

[CWOJackson]

Another thing you can do is make a donation to the USO. Among many other things, the USO operates facilities in most major airports for our troops; a place where they can go to relax and get some sleep outside of the terminal atmosphere.

Donations are always welcomed.

[ClintonBeGone]

http://www.heromiles.org/

[Jeff Gordon]

I have found the answer to how one can (and can not) donate miles.

Operation Hero Miles

"Donations are currently being accepted from the following airlines: Delta, Northwest, and Southwest. The following airlines are participating in Operation Hero Miles by providing free flights to soldiers and their families, but are not accepting airline mile donations: American, Independence, Pan-Am, US Airways."

Damn! I have a few hundred thousand AA miles I will probably never use.

[finallyatexan]

We tried to give our Northwest miles but they don't participate - Northwest needs Freeping big time!!!

[dc27]

My luck United isn't a member.

[finallyatexan]

I will try to give my Northwest miles again - last time they said they didn't participate in hero miles. We have at least enough miles for 1 round trip.

[ClintonBeGone]

It said on the heromiles link that NWA did participate. I think you have to click thru a few links to find it.

[KSCITYBOY]

Wife donated flyer miles - everyone should.

[finallyatexan]

I was just going there to try again. Thanks

[cgk]

I have them in my profile - GREAT GREAT idea - and President Bush just signed Operation Hero Miles into LAW!!!

Signed Into Law

Operation Hero Miles was signed into law by President Bush on October 28, 2004 as part of the 2005 Defense Appropriations Bill.

Operations Hero Miles Law

---

Operation Hero Miles Authorized as Law

The Hero Miles Program is authorized as part of the 2005 Defense Appropriations Bill, and was signed into law by President Bush on October 28, 2004.

Operation Hero Miles Law

SEC. 585. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT DONATION OF FREQUENT TRAVELER MILES, CREDITS, AND TICKETS TO FACILITATE REST AND RECUPERATION TRAVEL OF DEPLOYED MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

(a) OPERATION HERO MILES.-(1) Chapter 155 of 8 title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

§ 2613. Acceptance of frequent traveler miles, credits, and tickets; use to facilitate rest and recuperation travel of deployed members and their families

(a) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT DONATION OF TRAVEL BENEFITS.-Subject to subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense may accept from any person or government agency the donation of travel benefits for the purposes of use under subsection (d).

(b) TRAVEL BENEFIT DEFINED.-In the section, the term 'travel benefit' means frequent traveler miles, credits for tickets, or tickets for air or surface transportation issued by an air carrier or a surface carrier, respectively, that serves the public.

(c) CONDITION ON AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT DONATION.-The Secretary may accept a donation of a travel benefit under this section only if the air or surface carrier that is the source of the benefit consents to such donation. Any such donation shall be under such terms and conditions as the surface carrier may specify, and the travel benefit so donated may be used only in accordance with the rules established by the carrier.

(d) USE OF DONATED TRAVEL BENEFITS.-A travel benefit accepted under this section may be used only for the purpose of-

(1) facilitating the travel of a member of the armed forces who-

(A) is deployed on active duty outside the United States away from the permanent duty station of the member in support of a contingency operation; and

(B) is granted, during such deployment, rest and recuperative leave, emergency leave, convalescent leave, or another form of leave authorized for the member; or

(2) in the case of a member of the armed forces recuperating from an injury or illness incurred or aggravated in the line of duty during such a deployment, facilitating the travel of family members of the member in order to be reunited with the member.

(e) ADMINISTRATION.-

(1) The Secretary shall designate a single office in the Department of Defense to carry out this section. That office shall develop rules and procedures to facilitate the acceptance and distribution of travel benefits under this section.

(2) For the use of travel benefits under subsection (d)(2) by family members of a member of the armed forces, the Secretary may, as the Secretary determines appropriate, limit-

(A) eligibility to family members who, by reason of affinity, degree of consanguinity, or otherwise, are sufficiently close in relationship to the member of the armed forces to justify the travel assistance;

(B) the number of family members who may travel; and

(C) the number of trips that family members may take.

(3) The Secretary of Defense may, in an exceptional case, authorize a person not described in subsection (d)(2) to use a travel benefit accepted under this subsection to visit a member of the armed forces described in subsection (d)(1) if that person has a notably close relationship with the member. The travel benefit may be used by such person only in accordance with such conditions and restrictions as the Secretary determines appropriate and the rules established by the air carrier or surface carrier that is the source of the travel benefit.

(f) SERVICES OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.-The Secretary of Defense may enter into an agreement with a nonprofit organization to use the services of the organization-

(1) to promote the donation of travel benefits under this section, except that amounts appropriated to the Department of Defense may not be expended for this purpose; and

(2) to assist in administering the collection, distribution, and use of travel benefits under this section.

(g) FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.-In this section, the term 'family member' has the meaning given that term in section 411h(b)(1) of title 37.'.

The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following 21 new item: 22

§ 2613. Acceptance of frequent traveler miles, credits, and tickets; use to facilitate rest and recuperation travel of deployed members and their families.'.

(b) TAX TREATMENT OF TRAVEL BENEFITS DONATED FOR OPERATION HERO MILES.

(1) EXCLUSION FROM GROSS INCOME.-Sub- 1 section (b) of section 134 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (defining qualified military benefit) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(5) TRAVEL BENEFITS UNDER OPERATION

HERO MILES.-The term 'qualified military benefit' includes a travel benefit provided under section 2613 of title 10, United States Code (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this paragraph).'

(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.-

(A) Section 134(b)(3)(A) of such Code is 12amended by striking 'paragraph (4)' and inserting 'paragraphs (4) and (5)'.

(B) Section 3121(a)(18) of such Code is amended by striking ''or 134(b)(4)' and inserting '134(b)(4), or 134(b)(5)'.

(C) Section 3306(b)(13) of such Code is 18 amended by striking 'or 134(b)(4)' and inserting '134(b)(4), or 134(b)(5)'.

(D) Section 3401(a)(18) of such Code is amended by striking 'or 134(b)(4)' and inserting '134(b)(4), or 134(b)(5)'

(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.-The amendments made by this subsection shall apply to travel benefits provided after the date of the enactment of this Act.

[Hotdog]

I used to fly Northwest to the tune of 200,000 miles a year. As a matter of fact I flew them on 9-11-2001 early AM to Baltimore...they have really gone down hill...to the point that 70% of my travel is by automobile...it's faster in the long run and I don't have to put up with the attitudes! I do have a lot of hotel points I can give away to that special military couple that just wants to be alone...

[mystery-ak]

There is no need for this....the R&R program gives the trooper a ticket to their home of record.....

[groanup]

Thank-you for that link. My daughter and I will donate all of our unused miles. Thanks.

[philetus]

Wouldn't AA be gone if not bailed out by the FedGov with Taxpayer's money?

[daguberment]

Done. 25K on Delta. Should do a bit. Thanks for the direction.

[groanup]

"There is no need for this....the R&R program gives the trooper a ticket to their home of record....."

I disagree. When I was in the Mediterranean in 1970 I had an opportunity to fly home for Christmas. It was on my own dime and was not part of any R&R program.