Military Hops

I'm headed back to Scotland in a little under two months.  (Hallelujah!)  The current plan is for my girls to stay on w/my folks for approximately one month after that in order to give me some time to set up housing, schooling, a job, etc.  Now I'm looking at how to get them over to me once that month is up!  My dad is retired air force....active duty, then reserves.  We're considering having him fly over w/the girls on a commercial flight, then try to get a military hop back to the states.  I've read a bit about them online, but first-hand experience is great.  Anyone here ever returned to the states on a military hop?  How feasible is it really for him to do this?  Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks,
c.e

I have had ten years experience TRYING to get hops. A lot of big US bases abroad have weekly cargo flights to the USA. You would have to call base ops to find out when they fly. There is always a waiting list and even if you are number one on the list chances are slim to none you (he) would get on especially being retired status. Obviously they take active duty/dependents first. In ten years I was able to get only one short hop on a C141 (they furnished earplugs) from Osan Korea to Yokota Japan.
To me it wouldnt be worth the grief or hassle to tell you the truth. But you can try calling Mildenhall or Lakenheath base ops to ask about hops. Im not sure any other large bases in the UK that would have hops. I know if he can get to Germany he may have a better chance getting one out of Ramstein. But again, HASSLE!
Good luck and let us know how it goes!

If he is considering hopping...he should go ahead and sign up now.  He can get on the list to hop 60 days in advance and that will help move him higher on the list when he actually wants to attempt to fly.  As for getting back to the US from England, Pepples is right - Mildenhall is his only choice from England and he has a better chance of getting a hop over to Ramstein and then hopping back to the US from there.  My parents just hopped over last month from Texas and were able to get over pretty quickly, but landed at Ramstein and then bought a Ryanair ticket to London and then we drove from Birmingham to pick them up.  As for flying back to the US, we decided it was much easier for them to buy a real ticket.  We were able to find a one-way ticket out of Birmingham to San Antonio for around $700 for September.  We decided that was a very good price.  So you really might suggest he look for a one-way - go to www.kayak.com and get all your choices that way.  As for hopping, it could take him a bit of time and money depending on hotel stays and meals and transportation that could add up to more than a one-way ticket price.  But on the other hand if he has plenty of time, the fall time is a good time to attempt to hop since the business of summer is over.  Good luck!

Ok, thanks guys.  That is exactly the kind of information I needed!

I'm retired USAF as well.  Best advice -- have him sign up for the flight back as soon as he arrives.  Then when he gets ready to go, he can check his status on the list.  If his "number" has been passed over (he wasn't in the terminal when he was called), that puts him at the top.  If his number hasn't come up yet, he just has a bit more waiting.  Best, though, is to waiting in the terminal during the day (most flights come in then), and then returning to your house to sleep.  They (clerks at terminal) might tell him it looks like another day before his number will come up, but suddenly a flight can divert from elsewhere and there are lots of open seats, so staying in the terminal as much as possible (when he's ready to go) is his best bet.

I've had good (quick) waits, and very long waits.  The worst was sitting at the terminal in Rhein Main for . . . (drum roll) . . . seven days.  By the end of it, I wanted to have my mail forwarded and take a class or something.  Argh.  Had nowhere to sleep (billeting was full), and when I finally got my seat, I slept the entire flight back to Philadelphia.

Best of luck!

Unfortunately, my house will be FAR away from anywhere he can get a hop.  Is it possible for retired USAF personnel to stay on base anywhere?  (In general, I mean...I'm not asking you to check for me! )

Unfortunately, my house will be FAR away from anywhere he can get a hop.  Is it possible for retired USAF personnel to stay on base anywhere?  (In general, I mean...I'm not asking you to check for me! )

As far as I know all bases have some sort of billeting office so just find the base he would be trying to 'hop' out of and give the billeting office a call and check for availability.

Ok, thanks Pebbles! 

Another option (besides staying in billetting) is to go sign-up for the return hop upon arrival . . . then hopefully when he's ready to go back, his number will be at the top of the list.