What is Operation Open Arms?



Operation Open Arms is open to U.S. service men and women on leave specific to the following criteria:

Active duty military on temporary leave from a foreign duty station, returning home to Central Ohio with orders to return to their foreign duty station after their brief R&R.

Individuals or businesses may list exactly what will be extended in return for (1) Military I.D. and (2) Official Orders directing the service member a return to their foreign assigned post.

The leave form is an official DD form Government document labeled DA-31. Upon presenting proof of service and temporary leave documents, Operation Open Arms extends free or discounted benefits through a network of supporting cast members.

Our mission is to provide every possible benefit through a variety of sponsors before our service men and women have to return to Iraq, Afghanistan, Cuba, or other foreign duty stations.
Photo is Morgan Wright in Afghanistan - 2006.



Details

Operation Open Arms is a self administering program. It is not an entitlement program. The responsibility of making all hotel, golf, fishing, restaurant, and other reservations rests solely with the individual military participant or their immediate family. The founders of the program work to find contributors and to post the offers on the website - they are not actively involved when it comes to detailed arrangements. Contact information is posted with each offer and military personnel and/or their families are expected to use that information to make their arrangements. The only way to take advantage of the offers is by contacting the contributors directly. Offers by contributors are always subject to availability. Gift certificates are sometimes limited to a fixed number each month. 



Are there limitations?

Benefits are generally limited to one of each type of contribution during your visit. For example, a single camping trip is limited to one "outing". This allows the contributors to continue providing the service to many more visitors.

What about gratuities?

Tips or gratuities are encouraged where they are customarily offered. They are not usually included in the donation.

Press Releases

The continued success of this program depends on the excellent coverage and cooperation we have received from our local media. In many cases there will be media coverage of a visit and we ask that the recipient be willing to cooperate for interviews or appearances.

Scheduling & Cancellations

In many cases our contributors have to shuffle their schedules to accommodate trips and other benefits. Additionally, they may have already made arrangements with the media for interviews or stories about the visit. If you have to change your plans, please let them know as far ahead as possible.

In some cases, a benefit, such as a fishing trip or hotel/condo offer may not be available due to previous bookings. Our contributors do everything they can to accommodate the visitors but sometimes just can't make it happen.