There are two categories of eligible recipients:
- Wounded, injured, and ill service members on ordinary leave may be given a round-trip airline ticket for a trip from the medical center to their home or to attend an authorized event, if they are not eligible for government funded airfare.
- Wounded, injured and ill service members may be given a round-trip airline ticket to enable their family or close friends to visit them while they are undergoing treatment at an authorized medical center.
Fisher House Foundation has administered the Hero Miles program since 2005, in accordance with the 2005 Defense Authorization Act. The program is specific in that wounded, injured, and ill service members and their families are eligible. One exception to this is the provision of airline tickets to family members attending the funeral or dignified transfer of remains of a service member killed in overseas post 9/11 contingency operations, when coordinated with the casualty assistance officer.
“Service member” is defined as: An active duty member of the military, to include activated National Guard and reservists receiving treatment at an authorized medical treatment facility.
