Find Your Ride Home

Operation Ride Home is open to E1-E5 Active Duty and Reserve Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard personnel, both single and married, their spouses and direct dependent children ages 0-18 who may not have the full financial means to travel home for the holidays.

The service member and family’s duty station must be located at one of the nearly 100 military installations in the United States served by our 12 ASYMCA Branches.

Unfortunately, due to limited funding, Operation Ride Home is not available to members of the National Guard or those based at duty stations outside the service area of an ASYMCA Branch.

Generally, the service member travels with their immediate family. However, if the service member is deployed or on TDY and cannot travel, the spouse and children are still eligible to apply.

Any of the following can be included on the application as a traveler:

• Service member
• The service member’s spouse
• The service member’s direct dependent children ages 0-18

Travelers who are not service members or documented direct dependents of the service member listed on the application are not eligible for Operation Ride Home.

Applications 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. The holiday travel period is from November 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026.

Before you begin your application, you will need to:

1. Read the FAQs to verify eligibility, find answers to common program questions, and review program limitations.
2. Verify that the military installation you’re stationed at is served by a local Armed Services YMCA Branch (see 2025 ORH Participating Installations Table);
3. Download and complete the required Leave Dates Approval Form for any service member who is traveling. If asked for this document during the application process, you will be required to upload this document to proceed.

When you are ready to apply:

1. Scroll down and find the ASYMCA Branch location that serves your installation. You must use the link provided there for your installation’s ASYMCA branch.
2. If the application period is open, click the provided link to get started.

Participants will be prioritized and selected based on need, as determined by 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 the 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 must 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 direct dependent children from their duty location 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, application dates, or information about each participating location is to contact the ASYMCA Branch serving your installation. See 2025 ORH Participating Installations Table.