Military leave is basically vacation time.  This is a time to regroup and refocus on your friends and family away from the stress and strain of service life.  If you are new to the military life you may be wondering what to expect when your husband or wife gets “leave.”

Here’s what you can expect:

Each military branch offers an annual military leave of 30 days, per year, to every active service member.  In essence, this is a paid vacation.  In addition, each service member earns 2.5 days of leave, for every month they are in the service.  These days are like bonus days and can be stored up and saved.  (In most cases up to two years before the days expire)  If active duty is involved some exceptions to these “general guidelines” may apply.

What should you do with your time?

Families often make the mistake of cramming a huge list of activities into their designated leave time.  A family can find themselves exhausted, confused and frustrated by the end of military leave.  There will never be enough time or enough money to get everything on your list done.  Instead, consider choosing your priorities.  As a family unit, what is most important to you?  How do you want to interact?  Where do you like to go?  What do you like to do?  Remember, a military leave is a vacation not a “to do” list.  Make time for fun and refreshment.  Allow moments to sit in the sun and sip iced tea.  It’s the little things that will make your time together special.  Don’t make it difficult.  Enjoy the time you have with each other.

If you are located in a foreign country or in a state you have never seen, consider taking time to see the sites.  Many military families forget to travel outside the border of their base.  Pretend you are a local and really see the sites.  Experience the food, visit the museums, snap photos and collect souvenirs.  Few families are given the opportunity to see the world like military families.  Why not use your military leave as a benefit?

Where you start and finish:

Leave always starts and ends in an area near the service members duty station.  A leave can on occasion be extended in certain approved circumstances but a military officer can also be recalled to active duty if the need arises.  Remember, this is the active military and things beyond your control may happen.

What about emergencies?

Everyone has family emergencies and a military member is no different.  In the case of an emergency, such as a dying immediate family member, a death, a natural disaster which has effected the family or a major injury to the spouse, emergency leave may be allowed.  Emergency leave requires approval and is counted against normal leave time.  If emergency leave extends more than 60 days, additional considerations may be made. If the service member is stationed out of the country the military may help them with transportation to the nearest state side port.

Planning military leave is like planning an extended vacation with additional hoops along the way.  Use your time wisely and military leave can be one of the best benefits enjoyed by your service family.

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