Traveling this summer for PCS or vacation? It's worth a stop at your closest MWR facility and a call to your vacation destination. A military discount is not always what it seems.
Last month, we headed to Clearwater, Fla., to visit the dolphins, Winter and Hope of movie fame, Dolphin Tale.
Our home MWR office said they didn't sell discount tickets, but, not to worry, a military discount was offered at the gate.
It sure was - to active duty only. My husband is a retiree.
And, retirees, national guard and reserve families had to drive an hour back to Tampa, to the nearest base, and buy discount tickets at the MWR office there.
Tickets that were less than half the cost of what the box office wanted. But, it was Sunday morning. The base office was closed. We were leaving the state that night.
So, I forked over $90 more than I would have paid at MWR in Tampa had I dropped by there on Friday.
This isn't the first travel discount snag we've encountered. Discounts are higher for military who buy online before arriving at the gate. Sometimes you can find free tickets, but only online.
And the MWR office on base always, always sells tickets for less, anywhere you want to visit.
The base in Tampa was an hour out of our way. But, lesson learned. I'll never pass up a chance to visit the nearest MWR again. And you shouldn't either.
Happy travels!