Find Your Ride Home

Operation Ride Home is open to active duty E1-E5 Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, National Guard and Reserve Component.

The service member and family’s duty station must be located at one of the 90+ military installations in the United States served by our 12 ASYMCA Branches.

Both single and married service members, their spouses and/or dependent children ages 0-18 who may not have the full financial means to travel home for the holidays.

We only offer Operation Ride Home where the Armed Services YMCA operates Branches. See 2023 ORH Participating Installations Table

Generally, the service member travels with their immediate family. However, there may be instances where the service member may not be able to travel, but the spouse and children are still eligible to be selected for the program.

Applications for holiday travel from November 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024 may be submitted during the timeframe set by each of the 12 ASYMCA Branches. Be sure to check with your Branch website or social media channel to confirm the application deadline.

Participants will be prioritized and selected based on need, as determined by their respective installation commands and ASYMCA Branch leadership. Submitting an application does not guarantee selection. Selections are limited based on the total number of applicants and funds available per Branch.

If airfare costs exceed the stipend amount, the traveler(s) pay the difference. Payment information will be collected at the time the ticket is booked. Operation Ride Home is structured to help offset costs as much as possible but may not cover 100% of air or vehicle travel expenses. In order to ensure the optimal benefit of the donated funds, the program follows guidelines established by the ASYMCA and Jack Daniel’s.

No, if airline ticket(s) is less than the allotted cost per person flying, the traveler will not receive the difference. Less expensive fares allow more troops and family members to participate in the program. The ASYMCA or authorized travel agents will book travel and will look for the most cost-effective flights. Requests for specific airlines/routes may not be able to be accommodated; the priority is to meet the travel dates. Travelers may not book their own flights and will not be reimbursed any pre-paid travel coasts.

No, the intent of Operation Ride Home is to send service members, spouses and their dependent children from their duty station to their home destination for the holidays. Travel is not provided for family members to visit the service member.

If your application is selected, the ASYMCA Branch will contact you and connect you with the ASYMCA approved travel agent or staff booking airline tickets. If traveling by vehicle, the ASYMCA Branch will coordinate a time for the approved applicants to receive their allotted gift cards.

We also ask program participants to share photos and videos as a testimonial about their experiences to demonstrate Operation Ride Home’s value to the military community. On social media, please use #OperationRideHome.

The best way to get details on the program, dates and contact info for each participating location is by contacting one of the 12 ASYMCA Branches serving your installation. See 2023 ORH Participating Installations Table.

If you have concerns or can’t reach your local Branch, email opridehome@asymca.org. Emails to this inbox can NOT provide application status or approval information.