Military Dependents: Understanding Travel Permission And Restrictions

Military dependents are generally allowed to travel, but the specific rules and regulations can vary depending on the country and the status of the military member. In the United States, for example, military dependents are subject to foreign laws and agreements when residing abroad, including the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) which outlines how legal matters are resolved in certain countries. TSA PreCheck® benefits are also not extended to non-DoD-affiliated military adult dependents age 18 and over. However, there are travel benefits available for college students who are military family members and are enrolled in colleges away from their active-duty parent's OCONUS duty station. These benefits include one round trip each fiscal year, provided that certain requirements are met, such as the student being unmarried, under the age of 23, and attending an accredited college full-time.

College students with active-duty parents can get travel benefits

There are also other benefits available to dependents of active-duty members, including scholarships, grants, and tuition assistance. For example, the Post 9/11 GI Bill allows military members to share their remaining education benefits with immediate family members, as long as the member has not used any of their benefits in the past. The Fry Scholarship is another program that provides education benefits to the surviving spouses and children of service members who have died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001.

Additionally, there are service-specific scholarships, grants, and loans available for dependents of active-duty members. For instance, the Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) offers grants, scholarships, and loans to children and spouses of active-duty Air Force members. The Coast Guard Foundation offers grants for active-duty enlisted members and their spouses, as well as scholarships for their children.

It is important to note that these are just a few examples, and there are many other benefits and resources available to support college students with active-duty parents. By taking advantage of these benefits, students can receive assistance with their education and travel expenses.

Dependents of retirees must be accompanied

Military dependents are allowed to travel, but there are some restrictions. Dependents of retirees, for example, must be accompanied by their sponsor. This means that if you are the dependent of a retired member of the military, you cannot use Space-A unaccompanied. However, retirees and their accompanied dependents can use Space-A within CONUS, OCONUS, and Overseas wherever Space-A is allowed.

If you are a dependent of an active-duty member, there are generally five situations where you can travel Space-A without your sponsor, but there are additional restrictions on travelling within CONUS unaccompanied. These situations include emergency situations, command-sponsored dependent status, unaccompanied environmental morale leave (EML), non-command sponsored dependent status, and unaccompanied dependents of deployed military members.

It's important to note that travel restrictions may apply to certain overseas destinations as determined by the appropriate unified commander. Additionally, travel within CONUS, such as hopping from Virginia to California, is typically not allowed unless you are already manifested through on the same mission/aircraft from/to an overseas location. Proper documentation, such as a command sponsor letter, is required and should be presented to air terminal personnel.

For dependents of active-duty members, it's essential to understand the specific rules and restrictions that apply to your situation. These rules can vary depending on the nature of your sponsor's service and deployment status. It's recommended to consult official military resources or speak to a military representative to clarify any travel-related questions or concerns.

Dependents can travel without a sponsor in emergency situations

Military dependents can travel without a sponsor in emergency situations. This is classified as Cat-I travel, per DoD 4515.13-RTable C6.T1., ITEM 4. This applies to dependents of active-duty members and is authorised for CONUS to overseas and overseas to CONUS travel. A modified version of a dependent Space-A Letter from the sponsor's commander is required.

There are four other situations in which dependents can travel without a sponsor:

• Command sponsored dependent stationed with their sponsor overseas utilising the command sponsored Cat-V letter obtained from the unit commander.
• Unaccompanied Environmental Morale Leave (EML) dependents stationed at some overseas locations can travel CAT-IV with the appropriate EML paperwork.
• Non-command sponsored dependent (Cat-V), not residing at the sponsor's overseas location, may travel Space-A unaccompanied to and from the sponsor's overseas location with a letter from the installation commander.
• Unaccompanied dependents of deployed military members can travel as a Cat-III (after active duty Cat-III if sponsor deployed 365 days or more) or Cat-IV (if the sponsor deployed 30 to 364 days), including Reserve and Guard personnel. The required Dependent Verification Letter is valid for the duration of the deployment and for unlimited trips.

Unaccompanied dependents of deployed military members can travel as Cat-III or Cat-IV

Unaccompanied dependents of deployed military members can travel as Category-III (Cat-III) or Category-IV (Cat-IV). This applies to unaccompanied dependents of active-duty members. There are five situations in which dependents can travel without their sponsor (i.e. their active-duty parent), with some additional restrictions on travelling within CONUS unaccompanied. These situations are:

• Emergency situations Cat-I (per DoD 4515.13-RTable C6.T1., ITEM 4)
• Command-sponsored dependents stationed with their sponsor overseas utilising the command-sponsored Cat-V letter obtained from the unit commander
• Unaccompanied Environmental Morale Leave (EML) dependents stationed at some overseas locations can travel CAT-IV with the appropriate EML paperwork
• Non-command-sponsored dependents (Cat-V), not residing at the sponsor's overseas location, may travel Space-A unaccompanied to and from the sponsor's overseas location with a letter from the installation commander
• Unaccompanied dependents of deployed military members can travel as Cat-III (after active duty Cat-III if the sponsor was deployed for 365 days or more) or Cat-IV (if the sponsor was deployed for 30 to 364 days), including Reserve and Guard personnel. The required Dependent Verification Letter is valid for the duration of the deployment and for unlimited trips.

There is no limit to the number of times that command or non-command-sponsored dependents can use Space-A travel, but command or non-command-sponsored Space-A letters are only valid for 90 days or one round trip, whichever comes first.

TSA PreCheck benefits do not extend to non-DoD-affiliated adult dependents

Military members and DoD civilians receive TSA PreCheck as a benefit of their employment and service. This benefit is applicable to all official and personal travel. TSA PreCheck is an expedited screening program offered at more than 200 airports, where about 99% of passengers wait less than 10 minutes.

Children 12 and under can accompany a parent or guardian with TSA PreCheck without restriction. Children aged 13-17 may also accompany a parent or guardian with TSA PreCheck when traveling on the same reservation, and if the TSA PreCheck indicator is on the child's boarding pass.

However, TSA PreCheck benefits do not extend to non-DoD-affiliated adult dependents aged 18 and over. These individuals will need to enroll for TSA PreCheck benefits. It is recommended that they also check credit card and loyalty programs that feature TSA PreCheck for eligible credit cards and loyalty rewards programs that offer fee reimbursement.

Frequently asked questions