No. Confirmations are issued when the Resort Reps are able to exactly match the destinations, dates and family requirements requested in your application. Availability varies by location, season, and occupancy. Flexibility greatly increases the chances of receiving a confirmation. Availability during holiday periods is especially limited.

Stays are donated by resort and timeshare owners supporting IHOOT’s mission: “Helping Active-Duty Military and Veterans reconnect with their families.”

To give Veterans, Active Duty Military, DoD personnel, and widows a meaningful opportunity to rest, reconnect, and rebuild family bonds through rest & recuperation.

Applications are reviewed in order of submission and evaluated based on:
• Eligibility
• Completeness of documentation
• Compliance with Guidelines and Terms & Conditions 

Rank, status, branch of service, and disability rating are not considered in the selection process.

Yes. Veterans who have been honorably retired or discharged from service are eligible to apply, provided they meet all program requirements and submit the required documentation.

DD214 with SSN redacted must be provided as Proof of Honorable Service.

Official .mil email address.

Yes, but only if they have served on Active Duty.
If not currently serving, a DD214 is required.

Yes. Widows who haven’t remarried may apply. Copies of the Veteran’s DD214 and death certificate must be provided. 

Children of active duty or deceased members are not eligible to apply.

Yes. You may choose whoever you please to accompany you. You are responsible for the conduct and actions of your guests.

No.
A spouse may complete the application for the Veteran. However, only the Active-Duty member or Veteran must present a valid ID listed for check-in at the Resort.

Accommodations are fully free. Applicants are responsible for travel-related services such as transportation, food & beverage, resort fees, taxes, etc. 

Application fees pay upfront for work in progress, therefore are non-refundable.

You may submit up to two applications every 365 days per program following receipt of the testimony and family photo of your previous vacation.

No. One destination may be selected per application. However, you may select three optional date ranges when applying for the Standard Program.

If the destination isn’t available, the resort brand (not IHOOT) may provide an alternate location within a 5-mile radius for the same dates.

No.
IHOOT is not a travel agency. Only the Resorts control availability and/or approvals. Only the Holiday Inn Program has the available locations and dates published on our website.

Your application status (confirmation or non-availability) is based on the travel dates you selected, not the date you applied.

In most cases, resort partners review and respond to requests about 2–3 months before the requested travel dates. Because of this, it’s normal not to receive updates immediately after applying.

If your travel dates are still several months away, you may not hear back until closer to your planned trip.

Only the Standard Program allows date or location changes; Holiday Inn Programs and Special Promotions cannot be changed once submitted. If canceled, fees are forfeited.

• Changes are only allowed before a reservation is confirmed.
• Your position in the queue may be adjusted.
• A $30 fee per change. Click here to pay the fee.

The application fee will be forfeited. In order to reapply, a new application and a new application fee must be submitted.

Depending on the circumstances, you may be labeled “high risk” and required to pay a $300 deposit.
Two cancellations will result in loss of eligibility.

No.
Free lodging and paid reservation systems are not compatible. Calling the resort can delay and may cancel your request altogether. Your only point of contact is the V4V Team.

We strongly recommend waiting.
If you choose to book travel early, only do so if you already have paid reservations you can cancel later should your donated stay be confirmed.

You may use your existing application fee to resubmit new dates or destinations within 365 days by emailing applications@ihoot.org.

If you prefer to keep your travel dates, you may explore discounted options with our trusted partners:

Gov Vacation Rewards  →

Armed Forces Vacation Club  →

No. Application fees are non-refundable. These fees are used to cover work in progress, including application review, verification, coordination with resort partners, and administrative expenses.

If you cancel a reservation at your request, application fees will be forfeited.

Refund requests are not permitted. Any request for a refund—whether before or after a reservation is confirmed—will result in revocation of eligibility for the Vacations for Vets (V4V) Program.

Application fees pay for services already performed and ongoing administrative work. Because these costs are incurred immediately, refunds cannot be issued under any circumstances.