As a prospective participant, you must read all details about eligibility, how to participate and arrange services, and other participant requirements on this page.
Operation Open Arms is open to U.S. service men and women on leave specific to the following criteria:
- Army and Air Force: active duty military on temporary leave from a foreign duty station, returning home with orders to return to their foreign duty station after their brief R&R.
- Navy, Marines and Coast Guard memebers: who serve a continuous tour at a foreign duty station are eligible for OOA services with orders and valid ID within 30 days of returning stateside.
- Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and Coast Guard: Active Duty or deployed reserve are eligible for Operation Open Arms after completion of their deployment to a foreign duty station and subsequent return to the United States. Deployments must be a minimum of 180 days. (Please do not ask if Hawaii or Alaska are considered foreign duty stations!)
The service member must provide a valid Military I.D. and Official Orders directing the service member to return to their foreign assigned post. The leave form is an official Government document labeled DA-31. Upon presenting proof of service and temporary leave documents, Operation Open Arms extends free or discounted benefits through a network of supporting cast members.
Our mission is to provide every possible benefit through a variety of sponsors before our service men and women have to return to Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, or other foreign duty stations.
How to Participate
Operation Open Arms is a self administering program. It is not an entitlement program. The responsibility of making all hotel, golf, fishing, restaurant, and other reservations rests solely with the individual military participant or their immediate family. All OOA participants will be as punctual and cooperative as your days in basic training.
The founders of the program work to find contributors and to post the offers on the website – they are not actively involved when it comes to detailed arrangements. Contact information is posted with each offer and military personnel and/or their families are expected to use that information to make their arrangements.
The only way to take advantage of the offers is by contacting the contributors directly. Offers by contributors are always subject to availability. For example, professional fishing guides will work around their scheduled charters as best as they can and lodging accommodations are based on availability at the time of the request. Gift certificates are sometimes limited to a fixed number each month.
Are there limitations?
Benefits are generally limited to one of each type of contribution during your visit. For example, a single fishing trip with one of the captains/guides in the list. This allows the contributors to continue providing the service to many more visitors.
What about gratuities?
Tips or gratuities are encouraged where they are customarily offered. They are not usually included in the donation.
Press Releases & Media
The continued success of this program depends on the excellent coverage and cooperation we have received from our local media. In many cases there will be media coverage of a visit and we ask that the recipient be willing to cooperate for interviews or appearances.
No US Service man or woman is expected to answer any question which could place our national security at risk. Do not discuss the location of your unit, mission, or offer insight into your MOS. However, all OOA participants will fully cooperate with our media on all matters relating to Operation Open Arms. You will be respectful, cordial, and bring credit to the branch of service you represent. Benefits will terminate immediately upon any violation of this policy.
Scheduling & Cancellations
In many cases our contributors have to shuffle their schedules to accommodate trips and other benefits. Additionally, they may have already made arrangements with the media for interviews or stories about the visit. If you have to change your plans, please let them know as far ahead as possible.
In some cases, a benefit, such as a fishing trip or hotel/condo offer may not be available due to previous bookings. Our contributors do everything they can to accommodate the visitors but sometimes just can’t make it happen.
Weddings
Appropriate military attire will be the uniform of the day at all Operation Open Arms weddings. There will be no exceptions to this policy. Read more about our Weddings policies here.
Thank You
Thank you for your service and we hope you and your family enjoy the services offered by our contributors.
