The Senate recently approved a measure that will allow military Space-A travel to veterans with a VA disability rating of 100 percent.
Prior to the passing of this provision, only military retirees with a blue DD Form 2 and current service members qualified for Space-A flights, Connecting Vets reported. The bill was merged into the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which was signed into law on Monday.
Veteran Tim Britt and his wife Lanna said in a joint statement: “We are so excited and appreciative that this bill made it across the finish line.”
Sweet deal coming way for disabled Veterans. https://t.co/buAw3A0pDQ https://t.co/buAw3A0pDQ
— UF CVSC (@UF_CVSC) August 8, 2018
Tim Britt was injured in Baghdad, Iraq in 2006 when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) exploded near his convoy.
Britt was given a 100 percent disability rating last year so now his military flights will be easier to access and without charge.
The bill, the Disabled Veterans Access to Space-A Travel Act, made it into the annual defense authorization bill.
Lanna has been rallying for the bill to be passed and then she received an email from the Senate Armed Services committee that said the bill had been passed.
“I emailed a staffer on the Senate Armed Services committee to see what I could do to push the bill along and she wrote back to tell me that it was in the NDAA and that the Senate had overwhelmingly passed it a few hours prior,” Lanna said.
“I almost let out a scream when I read that email!” she added.
The provision was designed without a date of enactment, thus becoming effective immediately after the NDAA was signed into law. President Trump signed the bill at a Fort Drum ceremony on Monday.
The couple plans to use the Space-A flight during their vacation sometime in November.
“We won’t be picky—we’ll be fine to wait around the terminal to see what flights we can get on,” Lanna said.
