Helping Veterans reconnect with their families through donated resort stays, IHOOT helps heroes rest, reconnect, and share meaningful moments—a privilege made possible by generous donors. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: All you need to know about our program
- Are retired service members or discharged veterans eligible for the Vacations for Vets Program? Copy of DD214 (black out SSN).
- What do I need for proof of Active Duty Military? You may provide your official email address.
- Are family members allowed to accompany me? You may invite whomever you choose to accompany you to the destination with the understanding that you are responsible for their conduct and/or damages.
- Can family members apply for individual vacations? Spouses may complete the application for the service member. However, the actual service member’s name and email address must also be on the application and only the Active Duty member or Veteran with proper identification can check into the Resort.
- Are widows of service members eligible to apply for the Program? Widows are eligible to apply for the Program as DoD civilians, but must provide the DD214 and a copy of the death certificate. Children of active or deceased members are not eligible to apply.
- Are National Guard or Reserves eligible to apply? Yes , but only if they have served on active duty. If not currently on active duty, proof of honorable service (DD214) must be provided.
- Is the service complete free? No, There is an Application Processing Fee which is non-refundable because they are used to pay for work in progress or work completed.
- Can the Program Manager tell me if a resort and/or dates are available before I submit the application? No, IHOOT is NOT a travel agency. The Program Manager can NOT determine availability before the application process has been completed and submitted because the request contains all of the information needed to acquire a confirmation. Applicants are advised that applying on or during holiday periods is not recommended because free lodging is usually not available then. Applying during holiday periods should only be done if you already have personally funded reservations and are only hoping that Vacations for Vets can provide a cost savings.
- If I cancel after receiving a confirmation number and/or certificate of confirmation, am still eligible for Vacations for Vets? Yes, however you must complete the entire online process or manual application again including submitting a new processing fee. Depending on the circumstances, you may be classified as “high risk” and be required to submit a $300 deposit. Applicants who cancel a second time may be ineligible to reapply.
- How long will it be before I know the status of my application? Please allow at least four (12) weeks from the date you submitted the application for initial processing. High demand locations may take longer to process, so please consider this when applying. If you have not heard from the Vacations for Vets Program after 12 weeks, contact the Program Manager by email at [email protected] or click on Contact Us to see more options. Constantly requesting updates will not expedite the confirmation process.
- Can I call the Resort for status of a Request directly? Your ONLY Point-of-Contact is the Vacations for Vets Program Manager. Free and Paid accommodations have different account and confirmation numbers. Contacting the Resort on your own can delay or cancel your request entirely. If that occurs, you may be charged for a cancellation that could result in the loss of the Processing Fee and/or your eligibility being permanently revoked.
- Can I purchase travel-related after submitting my application? IHOOT has no control over availability. DO NOT purchase travel-related before being issued a confirmation unless you've secured personally funded reservations and are hoping for the cost-savings if free accommodations are available. That way, if you receive a confirmation for free lodging for the dates and/or locations you requested, you can cancel the paid reservations enjoy thousands of dollars of savings. Even if your Vacations for Vets locations are not available, you'll have 365 days to submit new locations and/or dates using the existing processing fee for your next vacation request so you won't lose it.
