ALEXANDRIA, VA, February 4, 2026 - Service members stationed in Alaska may now receive a reimbursement for airfare when taking leave to their home of record (HOR). The new policy is authorized by the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (FY26 NDAA), Sec. 623. and Sec. 7232.
Department of War (DoW) Service members must be assigned to a Permanent Duty Station (PDS) in Alaska for at least a year and be serving an unaccompanied tour to qualify. There is no authorization to travel to an alternate location. The policy is effective from December 18, 2025, to December 31, 2027.
Coast Guard Service members serving an unaccompanied or accompanied tour in Alaska are also eligible for an airfare reimbursement. Members of the Coast Guard may elect to travel to an alternate location in the United States but may be required to justify the request to their approving official. Reimbursement for travel to an alternate location is limited to the costs of transportation to the HOR. The policy is effective from December 18, 2025 to December 31, 2029.
For both DoW and Coast Guard, this allowance may be utilized once during each tour and must be authorized by an O-6 or higher. The time used to travel from the PDS to the leave location is treated as leave travel. Government provided transportation must be used if it is available. If Government provided transportation is not available, then reimbursement is limited from the PDS in Alaska to the HOR.