If you look closely, the military offers more than you can ever imagine.
I’m not talking about money for college, and programs on base. I’m talking about weird, unusual, even bizarre perks that military families have access to. Some of them, you’ve never even heard of.
Last week I stumbled across one of the more quirky benefits, though it’s limited at best.
If you are stationed in Hawaii, and you have a second POV you want to ship home without the added cost, the Navy will toss it aboard a ship – if they have room.
The Opportune Lift Program carries POVs between Hawaii and San Diego. Usually, their cargo holds are full of rough and tough Marine Corps vehicles. Every once in a while though, a soccer mom’s van can squeeze in as well.
The program was only able to carry 50 vehicles to the mainland last year. And the webpage for the program does warn that vehicle owners may be charged a crane fee to lift the vehicle on and off the ship.
But I’m guessing that’s a far cry from the more than $1,000 fee a civilian company charges for the same service.
I doubt our family jalopy will ever sail the high seas alongside a Marine Corps humvee. But I thought it was pretty cool to know the option existed.
Have you run across any unusual perks of being a military family?
Need to hitch a ride to Cali from Hawaii? Check it out for yourself!