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Support the Troops Announcements |
 
 
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| If you have friends or family members, civilian or military, who are away from home helping to keep the world a safer place to live, post a note and let them, and the rest of the world, know how you feel about them. The Southern Maryland Wall of Heroes that was built at the start of hostilities in Iraq is also still on-line for your perusal. |
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Operation Hero Miles
Posted By: somd.com Staff
Date: Sunday, 14 December 2003, at 5:44 p.m.
In September 2003, the Pentagon started giving soldiers stationed in Iraq two-week leaves in the largest R & R program since the Vietnam War. Soldiers on R & R or Emergency Leave are flown by the military to Germany or three airports in the United States, Baltimore/Washington, (BWI), Dallas/FortWorth, (DFW), or Atlanta, (ATL ) for free.
The soldiers have been responsible for flights the rest of the way in the U.S. to their destinations, until Congress provided funding for this purpose on November 3, 2003. However, this funding is not yet available and may not be sufficient for all the troops or troops on "Emergency Leave".
Many soldiers on R&R leave must purchase high-priced last minute airfares to connect to their hometowns once their military flights land at the airports in Baltimore, Dallas or Atlanta. Soldiers on "Emergency Leave" must still pay the full cost of their domestic travel when they are rushed home for the family death, birth, illness or other emergency. The military does not pay the cost of their travel in the United States. But, now you can help by donating some or all of your Frequent Flyer Miles. Just visit http://www.heromiles.org/ to find out more and donate or visit your airline's website. Most major airlines are now participating.
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