Find Your Ride Home

Apply for Jack Daniel’s Operation Ride Home

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

Eligibility Limitations

Before applying, review the 1) FAQs below and 2) verify that the military installation is served by a local Armed Services YMCA Branch. Download the 2024 ORH Participating Installations Table

To apply, scroll down and find the ASYMCA Branch location that serves your installation, view application open dates and click the link to apply – if a link is not available that means applications are not being accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

If we have not addressed a question you may have, please read 2024 ORH FAQ or contact your local ASYMCA Branch.

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 13 ASYMCA Branches.

Unfortunately, Operation Ride Home is not available to members of the National Guard or those based at duty stations outside of ASYMCA Branches’ service areas.

Due to limited funding, Operation Ride Home is only available to E1-E5 service members and their immediate family members at duty stations served by one of ASYMCA’s 13 local Branches. See 2024 ORH Participating Installations Table

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 13 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, 2024 to January 31, 2025.

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, dates and contact info for each participating location is by contacting one of the 13 ASYMCA Branches serving your installation. See 2024 ORH Participating Installations Table.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online using the link provided for each Branch. As part of the application process, if the service member is travelling, a completed and signed Leave Dates Approval Form us be uploaded to submit a completed application.

Download the Leave Dates Approval Form

Find Your Branch to Apply

Select the Armed Services YMCA Branch to apply for Jack Daniel’s Operation Ride Home.

ASYMCA ALASKA

Application Period:
August 26 – September 20, 2024
Serving installations across the state of Alaska only

Apply at Alaska

ASYMCA CAMP PENDLETON

Application Period:
September 15 – November 15, 2024
Serving Camp Pendleton only

Apply to MCBCP

ASYMCA EL PASO

Application Period:
August 19 – October 4, 2024
Serving Fort Bliss, Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range only

Apply at El Paso

ASYMCA FORT LIBERTY

Application Period:
September 16 – November 1, 2024
Serving Fort Liberty and Pope Field only

Apply to Fort Liberty

ASYMCA FORT CAMPBELL

Application Period:
September 13 – October 25, 2024
Serving Fort Campbell only

Apply to Fort Campbell

ASYMCA FORT LEONARD WOOD

Application Period:
September 11 – November 15, 2024
Serving Fort Leonard Wood only

Apply to FLW

ASYMCA HAMPTON ROADS

Application Period:
September 16 – November 30, 2024
Serving installations across the Hampton Roads region only

Apply to Hampton Roads

ASYMCA HAWAII

Application Period:
September 9 – October 11, 2024
Serving installations across the state of Hawaii only

Apply at Hawaii

ASYMCA KILLEEN

Application Period:
September 3 – December 1, 2024
Serving Fort Cavazos only

Apply at Killeen

ASYMCA Oklahoma

Application Period:
September 23 – November 23, 2024
Serving Fort Sill and Altus Air Force Base only

ASYMCA Pacific Northwest

Application Period:
September 15 – November 15, 2024
Serving Joint Base Lewis-McChord only

Apply to Pacific NW

ASYMCA SAN DIEGO

Application Period:
October 11 – November 15, 2024
Serving installations in the San Diego area only
(NOT Camp Pendleton)

ASYMCA TWENTYNINE PALMS

Application Period:
October 15 – November 15, 2024
Serving Twentynine Palms only