Take advantage of some of these FREE offers....they're unbelievable!

AIRLINE TICKETS

Operation Hero Miles was created by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger in cooperation with close to a dozen United States Airlines in October, 2003. When started, the program allowed troops stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan to fly home on leave for free. It now gives family members of wounded servicemen and women free plane tickets to visit their loved ones recovering at military hospitals across the country. Operation Hero Miles gives ordinary citizens an opportunity to help our troops in a very direct way that makes a real difference in their lives.

CHILD CARE

PCS PROGRAM The Air Force Aid Society will pay for up to 20 hours of child care (per child) in on-base licensed Family Child Care homes for Air Force families who are departing & arriving base. Call 828-7760 or 828-2721.

GIVE PARENTS A BREAK - Free day care once a month for up to 4 hours, during the active duty member’s deployment. Family members with children 6 months to 12 years can come by and pick up a referral to take to the Child Development Center (CDC). If not currently enrolled in the CDC, they are still eligible as long as you bring in their shot records.

FAMILY FUN!

"HERE’S TO THE HEROS" PROGRAM CONTINUES FOR ANHEUSER-BUSCH ADVENTURE PARKS! One free single-day admission per person, per year, to one of the following Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks: SeaWorld Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Williamsburg, Sesame Place, Water Country USA, Adventure Island. Any active duty, active reserve, ready reserve service member or National Guardsman is entitled to free admission. Register, either by submitting information at www.herosalute.com/states/overview.html or in the entrance plaza of participating parks, and show a DoD photo ID. As many as three direct dependents of military personnel also are entitled to free admission. Dependents may take advantage of the offer without their service member, though an adult must accompany minor dependents.                                                                              

FINANCIAL& CONSUMER INTEREST

  • FREE TurboTax is offered  through Military OneSource. Any service member can go to www.militaryonesource.com and enter user id: military/password: onesource. The reader chooses their branch of service that will take them to their branch specific web site... for example Air Force OneSource or MCCS OneSource. To the right, there is a link to Turbo Tax. Late filers can still access TurboTax to do their State and Federal returns at no-cost when they access the software via the Military OneSource website, this offer will continue for late filers until October.
  • FREE CARFAX REPORT The MacDill Family Support Center provides free CARFAX reports (normally costs about $25.00). Provide the VIN number of the car you are thinking of buying and the MacDill FSC will email you the report if it isn't convenient to stop by the office.

                                        

LAWN CARE Free Lawn Help for Families Military families who need assistance with lawn care and landscaping services can turn to Project EverGreen. "GreenCare for Troops" will provide free lawn care for the families of armed forces personnel whose major breadwinner is serving in the Middle East. Families interested in participating can receive an application by calling toll-free 1-877-758-4835 or visit www.projectevergreen.com and completing an online application. We will refer your application to a participating lawn and landscape contractor in your area.

 

PHONE CARDS Operation Uplink is a unique program that keeps military personnel and hospitalized veterans in touch with their families and loved ones by providing them with a free phone cards.

 

POSTAGE Free US Postal Service (USPS) Packaging for Family and Friends of Service members .The US Postal Service is providing military family members and friends with packaging materials to send packages to service members. Call 1 (800) 610-8734, and select option #1, then #1 again, and ask for the "Military Pack." Up to four packing kits can be ordered (boxes, tape, packaging materials, and labels) will be mailed to those who call. They will also provide an I.D. number to re-order. Please allow four to 10 days to receive the materials. Take advantage of this great opportunity to show support to your far away loved ones.

RETAILER DISCOUNTS  (these aren't free but I thought you should know about   

  • AMC Movie Theater - matinee pricing all the time
  • Regal CitrusParkTheater - matinee pricing all the time
  • Barnes & Noble Bookstores - 6% Discount and FREE SHIPPING (online purchases only, not valid in stores
  • Home Depot on Dale Mabry 10% Discount
  • Lowe's on Dale Mabry  10% Discount
  • Sprint/Nextel Cell Phones - 15% Discount Monthly

TRANSPORTATION

MEAL MOBILE

Free Lunchtime shut-tle service has six stops, 11am-2pm at SOCOM, Bldg #149 (Finance), CENT-COM (Zemke Way at Harline Bus Stop & S. MacDill Ave across street from Com-missary), the Bowling Center, Officers Club, and Enlisted Club. This could be a fun way for the spouse and kids to hop on the bus at the commissary bus stop and joint the military member and go to lunch together on base. For schedule call 828-3802, www.macdillservices.com

FREE BASE TAXI SERVICE for active duty members and DoD civilians who need transportation on base to complete job duties. Hours are Mon-Fri 5am-12:59pm, Sat-Sun 7am- 12:59pm The rides must be business related, no rides to or from lunch or for other recrea-tional purposes are allowed. Call 828-5281 or 828-5282 for a ride, response time is around 10 minutes.

FREE HARTline Bus Pass is available from the base finance office for mili-tary or DoD personnel. www.hartline.org for bus stops and schedules.