From the Office of Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact Information |
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DOD Begins Paying for R & R Troop Travel |
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| Washington, DC - Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) ) today praised the U.S. Department of Defense for speedily implementing legislation approved by Congress that requires DOD to pay for domestic travel for troops on Rest and Relaxation Leave (R & R) from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Pentagon began paying for the domestic travel this week, after generous Americans had donated more than 400 million frequent flyer miles - equal to more than 16,000 free round-trip tickets - for soldiers who were required under previous law to pay their own way home from U.S. airports where military travel terminated.
"Operation Hero Miles," the innovative program created by Congressman Ruppersberger, allows travelers to donate their frequent flyer miles to the U.S. Army for soldiers to use to fly home for free. The program became a huge grass roots movement, featured in hundreds of news stories and highlighted on the DOD official website. As of today, almost 200,000 visits have been made to www.heromiles.org, where air travelers donate miles through a dozen airline frequent flyer programs. "I am pleased the Pentagon is now using the $55 million Congress appropriated to pay for domestic flights for our troops on R & R. These men and women are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for our country. It is the least we can do to pay for their flights homes so they can spend time with their loved ones in these very uncertain times," said Congressman Ruppersberger. The unprecedented R & R program is run by the U.S. Army out of Camp Champion in Kuwait, and is the first time U.S. combatants have been returned to the continental United States for R & R leave during any U.S. conflict. Ruppersberger said that senior DOD Defense officials had pledged to him that should the $55 million not be sufficient to pay for all domestic travel, the Pentagon would find the funds to continue paying for soldier's flights home, or ask Congress for more, or both. "I am willing to predict that Congress would almost unanimously approve more funding to pay for R & R travel for our men in women in combat if needed, or to authorize the use of free tickets for other travel," Ruppersberger said. Troops who are heading home on "Emergency Leave" to attend the funeral of a loved one, be present for the birth of a child, attend to a seriously ill parent, or other emergency do NOT get paid flights home through the Department of Defense. Ruppersberger announced that the U.S. Army will continue working through "Operation Hero Miles" so these soldiers can be eligible for free flights through "Operation Hero Miles". Ruppersberger said he would contact the airlines participating in "Hero Miles" to explain the continuing need and encourage them to continue their patriotic support of the effort. "Operation Hero Miles" continues to grow and give free plane tickets to troops on Emergency Leave as well as to families of troops injured in Iraq & Afghanistan. On December 30, 2003, "Operation Hero Miles" gave 680 free plane tickets that will allow family members to visit their loved ones recovering at 14 U.S. military hospitals around the country. Sometimes the love and support of family is the best medicine to help an injured troop recover from his or her injuries. |
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