The 11th Airborne Division announced the local enactment of a Department of Defense policy, authorizing one trip home for every Arctic Angel through the end of the year, via posts on social media, June 13. 

Currently, the policy covers soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division and its subordinate units, 1-25 Attack Battalion and 1-52 General Support Aviation Battalion, and is effective immediately.

“It’s already in the Joint Travel Regulations, so we’re just informing our soldiers of the entitlement now, ahead of the summer block leave period,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division. “Traveling to and from Alaska is expensive, and with a flight home already accounted for, hopefully no soldier has to choose between seeing Alaska this summer, and seeing their family over the holidays.” 

The policy also states that authorized flights will be scheduled and paid for through local travel offices, freeing soldiers from paying upfront travel costs to their homes of record, whether Grand Rapids, Michigan, or Guam, without exception.

And for those soldiers who have already traveled home, or bought their tickets, airfare is reimbursable from Dec. 23, 2022, provided their travel meets the requirements of the policy.

This is just the latest financial incentive for those serving in Alaska. Since February 2020, Soldiers who serve in Alaska have been eligible for a one-time, lump sum payment of up to $4,000, depending on duty station and dependents.

The DoD and Army continue to make quality of life improvements at both Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright, and enacting the policy locally is just another way the 11th Airborne Division is taking care of their soldiers in one of the toughest climates on Earth.

“Part of being successful in Alaska is being innovative and adaptive to the environment, and that includes the ways we take care of soldiers,” said Eifler. “We enforced the policy early so they don’t have to wait to seize their chosen opportunity now.”