US SOUTHCOM – Southern Command Lodging

SOUTHCOM Lodging in Miami

Billeting is unavailable at the United States Southern Command Headquarters (US SOUTHCOM) in Miami, forcing government and military personnel to stay in off base accommodations like a hotel or extended stay.  TDY Lodging has several extended stay hotels in Miami at the per diem rate that are in close proximity to Southern Command Headquarters.  Because of the lack of government quarters or a temporary lodging facility on base, hotel rooms should generally be booked in advance prior to arrival.  Our SOUTHCOM Lodging in Miami is available throughout the city and we have a couple of extended stay hotel options near the airport for travelers interested accommodations with more space than a standard hotel rom.

If traveling to the Miami area for a vacation and interested in reserving a room at the government rate, most of our hotels in the Miami area offer Military Vacation Discounts if a military issued ID card is presented upon arrival.  TDY Lodging offers hundreds of government rate hotels and military vacation rentals with more than 100 featured locations nationwide.  Browse all of our lodging options in Miami, as well as our other locations in Florida including Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Tampa Florida.  Our featured MacDill AFB Lodging includes Tampa Corporate housing, hotels, and fully furnished condos in the Tampa Bay area.  Check out all of our accommodations today for your next official travel assignment or off duty vacation.

Twenty Nine Palms Marine Corps Lodging

Twenty Nine Palms Marine Corps Base Lodging can be extremely limited depending on the time of year and training cycles.  Also known as the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), 29 Palms is the United States Marine Corps’ largest base with regard to land area and is currently used to prepare and train many Marine units prior to deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan.  Because of the large training area and it’s location in California’s Mojave Desert, the training area is widely used for a number of purposes including aviation training and ground maneuver exercises.  See our other blog for more information on the Marine Base and to find out more information on the Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Lodging facilities.

TDY Lodging has a featured temporary housing provider in the Twenty Nine Palms area which can accommodate travelers in need of a furnished apartment for 30 nights or longer.  The Smoke Tree Villas provided by Western Homebuilders Inc offers fully furnished apartments and include all utilities with cable and Internet provided.  Our featured provider’s furnished apartments offer a cost effective interim housing solution for travel to 29 Palms, and are probably the best alternative to hotels or Twenty Nine Palms Marine Corps lodging options on base.  For more information on the area and more photos be sure to browse our Twenty-Nine Palms Marine Lodging page on the TDY Lodging website.

The Marine Corps base at 29 Palms is not only the largest U.S. military installation in the world as far as land space, but it also has a very interesting history linking the base to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton just north of San Diego.  In fact the base was initially founded by Marines from Camp Pendleton to be used as a training area around the middle of the last century.

Extended Stay Hotels at Military Per Diem Rates

TDY Lodging recently added 83 Extended Stay Hotels offering Military per diem rates near many of our featured DoD installations.  The Extended Stay Hotels brand includes Extended Stay America, Extended Stay Deluxe, Crossland, Homestead Studio Suites, and Studio Plus.  The addition of 83 long term stay hotels to the TDYLodging.com DoD Lodging Reservations website has expanded the inventory at many DoD installations for government and military travelers.  Three of the largest markets that were expanded include MacDill Air Force Base, Fort Benning, and the greater military district of Washington DC.

MacDill Air Force Base – Tampa Corporate Housing & Hotels

As one of the largest joint military bases in the United States, which has assignments for all of the DoD Services including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps personnel, MacDill AFB Lodging is available through the TDY Lodging reservations website.  Short term accommodations include per diem rate hotels, furnished apartments, and Tampa Corporate Housing for personnel on assignment to Special Operations Command Headquarters or to the Air Force Garrison on MacDill AFB.  The joint installation covers all command and doctrine responsibilities for the Department of Defense, and oversees many of the current U.S Military operations abroad including Afghanistan and Iraq.

Fort Benning Army Lodging and Housing

Ft Benning is known as the home of the Infantry, which encompasses the US Army Infantry Training Center, Basic Combat Training and Airborne schools among many others.  As one of the largest Army bases, Fort Benning Lodging is available on post through the Army lodging facility at Olsen Hall, or through our many featured off post lodging options.  Most travelers on short term TDY or PCS relocation orders prefer to stay in hotels or furnished apartments in Columbus, Georgia.  Temporary duty travelers and families generally stay in Columbus hotels or extended stays which are available at discounted government rates for military personnel and families through the TDY Lodging website.  DoD travelers and Soldiers on reassignment orders for a permanent change of station (PCS) move may choose to stay in some of TDY Lodging’s furnished apartments for the first several weeks or months while house hunting, looking for an apartment, or while on the Fort Benning housing wait list.

Pentagon Housing and Washington DC Military Lodging

Government and DoD lodging within the Military District of Washington is available through TDY Lodging for military and government travelers in need of hotels and extended stay accommodations.  Temporary lodging options include furnished apartments and Washington DC Corporate Housing.  Per diem rate corporate lodging is available within the metro area as well as many of the outlying towns in Northern Virginia including Alexandria and Arlington near the Pentagon and Joint Base Fort Myer Henderson Hall (JBMHH), which oversees operations at Arlington National Cemetery.  Many of our furnished corporate housing providers and hotels in Washington DC have years of experience in working with military and government travelers from every major branch of service or government department.  Check out all of our listings on our website today and book with confidence!  We offer the widest range of corporate housing options and hotels for travel nationwide.

Fort Campbell Lodging & Housing

Fort Campbell lodging on post is available through the Turner Army MWR lodging facility.  For temporary duty travelers and newly assigned personnel looking for short term accommodations or extended stays while awaiting post housing, TDY Lodging features hotels and fully furnished apartments and corporate housing near the Ft Campbell Army installation.

Fort Campbell Housing

The Ft Campbell Housing office can place incoming personnel on the waiting list once orders have been received.  Newly assigned Army personnel to the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault unit and incoming Soldiers being assigned to Fort Campbell Army Garrison Headquarters can either get placed on the housing waiting list, or stay in off post housing or apartments in Hopkinsville, Oak Grove, or Clarksville.  TDY travelers and soldiers receiving dislocation allowance (DLA) for a PCS move, may want to browse some of our Fort Campbell Lodging options which include furnished apartments, condo rentals, and hotels while arranging permanent housing.

Fort Campbell Army MWR Lodging

The Turner Army Lodging facility on Ft Campbell offers short term accommodations similar to a hotel or motel for temporary duty travelers.  If the post lodging reservations line states that Army lodging is full or if staying off base is the preferred option, our featured extended stays and furnished apartments and corporate housing may be the best option while house hunting or waiting for post housing.  The Fort Campbell housing wait list status may take several months until an opening is available.  Our short term furnished apartment providers near Fort Campbell include Horizon Corporate Housing in Clarksville, Tennessee and our furnished condo and townhome provider in Clarksville is AAA Extended Stay furnished at Condor Court.  Browse all of our lodging options for your next assignment to Fort Campbell, or our more than 100 featured locations nationwide and overseas.

2012 Per Diem Rates Military & Government

The 2011 Per Diem Rate drop was one of the largest experienced in the last decade.  With many of the current budget woes still being ironed out, the federal government saw the 2011 GSA travel schedule as a large area of the budget where money could be saved.  The reduction in 2011 per diem rates affected nearly every major government travel location in major cities and towns surrounding DoD installations.  In all, roughly 75% of the locations saw a reduction in overall rates.

GSA & DOD Per Diem Lodging Rates

Per diem lodging rates greatly affect both government travelers, and the lodging providers that cater to federal civilians and DoD personnel or contractors operating under the guidelines of the GSA travel schedule.  Government and military personnel receive a maximum per diem rate for lodging which is has a cap based on the geographic location.  A per diem rate calculator provided on the GSA website allows travelers to check the per diem rate by zip code in order to find out the maximum allowance for both meals and lodging.  The 2011 Per Diem Rates drop in many cities has forced hotels and corporate housing companies to reduce many of the amenities and incentives previously offered to the government travel community.  Unfortunately in areas where the per diem rate dropped 5-10 percent, many hotels and extended stay providers were forced to cut amenities like free newspapers, wireless Internet, and complimentary breakfast, so really no one wins in the event of a per diem rate decrease.

Per Diem Rates for 2012, Increase or Drop?

The 2012 per diem rates will be released on or before the beginning of the new fiscal year for the federal government beginning October 1, 2011.  The rates can either change or stay the same, but after the large dip in the travel allowance last year, government travelers and the lodging providers that cater to them hope for a 2012 per diem rate increase in many of the locations.  There’s a lot of buzz going around within the military and government communities as to whether there will be a significant 2012 Per Diem Rate Increase or Drop.  In the end it helps both our military and federal government personnel as well as the local economy when there is an increase.  Let’s see what happens…

Washington DC Military Housing

The Washington DC region has many military installations and government assignment locations.  The Military District of Washington includes Fort Belvoir, Bolling Air Force Base, the Pentagon, and Joint Base Fort Myer Henderson Hall Marine Corps Base.  Travelers to the DC metro region have an unlimited number of lodging options, so it makes sense to do as much research as possible prior to embarking on a short term TDY (temporary duty) assignment to the Washington DC area.

Pentagon Lodging options are available in northern Virginia hotels and extended stays in Alexandria, and Crystal City which is an urban neighborhood located in the southeastern corner of Arlington and just south of downtown Washington, D.C.  Pentagon Housing is not available in the area around the Pentagon, therefore official government and military personnel on short term assignments are encouraged to seek Washington DC Corporate Housing options in the local area.  Pentagon Lodging for TDY assignments lasting several nights or weeks are encouraged to reserve hotels in the Washington DC area within the per diem lodging rate.  Our recent post through the TDY Lodging blog has photos and descriptions of some of our featured hotels, furnished apartments, and corporate housing options for government travelers in need of Pentagon Lodging options.

Washington DC Military Lodging is generally limited on many of the DoD installations in the area because many of the bases are either too small to construct military housing, or because the wide range of off base lodging makes it convenient enough for travelers to stay off post and commute on a daily basis.  The Fort Belvoir Lodging page on our website features hotels, furnished apartments, and corporate house rentals for short term assignments to the northern Virginia region of the Military District of Washington.  Our TDY locations nationwide offer hotels and short term corporate housing options near major cities and every major military base (with over 100 featured locations) throughout the United States.  Check us out for your next corporate or military assignment for the widest range of lodging options.

TDY Lodging adds 83 Extended Stay Hotels

Military and Corporate Lodging Program Adds Extended Stay Hotels to DoD Housing Inventory

WASHINGTON, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — TDY Lodging announced the addition of 83 hotels to the corporate lodging system designed for short term DoD housing and government travel. One of the largest nationwide providers of long-term corporate housing has added 83 new hotels near major military installations through TDY Lodging’s rapidly expanding corporate housing reservation system.

Matthew Foster, a U.S. Army veteran and founder of TDY Lodging, stated, “We’re pleased to see the expansion of extended stay hotels within our military and DoD lodging program. Extended stay hotels offer a kitchen and dining area in addition to a standard room, making this type of corporate housing a very appealing option for government and military travelers.” All 83 of the newly added extended stay hotels are now available through TDY Lodging’s DoD Lodging program in addition to hundreds of existing hotel chains and corporate housing companies currently participating. TDY Lodging connects travelers directly with per diem rate housing providers as a free service to the government, saving the DoD travel budget millions of dollars in the process. Participating hotels and corporate housing providers are able to increase government reservations, diversify their marketing campaign, and maximize exposure throughout the hotel and corporate housing industry.

Some of the featured extended stay hotel locations include MacDill AFB Lodging near Special Operations Command headquarters in Tampa, Florida; Fort Benning Lodging for travelers to the Army Infantry installation in Columbus, Georgia; and Washington DC DoD Lodging for travelers to the Pentagon and nearby locations in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Government travelers can now reserve any of the newly added 83 extended stay hotels directly through TDY Lodging.

See the full article about our Corporate Lodging News.

BAH Rates Military Basic Housing Allowance 2011

The 2011 Military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH Rates) took a dive in many locations throughout the United States.  Not only did rates drop significantly near most DoD and military installations, but many cities also saw a drop in the military BAH Rates by Zip Code.  Several factors contributed to this drop in the military BAH housing allowance which was primarily due to the overall crash in real estate and subsequent dip in the rental housing market.

Military installations often have an overflow of soldiers, airmen, and marines, who are forced to seek housing off base and are able to receive the military bah housing allowance when on post housing is unavailable.  Housing allowances authorized by DFAS and the GSA schedule vary by zip code and geographic location.  A majority of the major DoD installations throughout the continental United States experienced a significant drop in 2011 BAH housing rates.  It will be interesting to see whether the 2012 BAH rates go up or down, but regardless the members of our Armed Forces are hoping that rates increase because it’s good practice to take care of our military and the housing allowance does trickle down to the local economy at many of the major military installations and citiesthroughout the U.S.

Why is a military BAH rate increase a good thing?  Many military installations are unable to provide adequate housing for military members.  Army installations are behind on many of the privatized housing programs, and Air Force bases have limited new housing units on base at many installations.  Navy and Marine Corps personnel face similar problems with a housing shortage on base…and many of the on base housing programs are expensive to maintain.  A military BAH rate increase helps not only service members, but also the local economy; when there is a BAH rate drop like in 2011, house and apartment owners are forced to cut costs to meet their mortgage.  When there is an overall BAH rate increase in 2012 we hope, it allows for military members to find adequate DoD Housing and the money goes into the local economy whether through new home construction or through apartment communities that the local economy depends upon, including the employees and personnel that work for these housing companies.  Lets hope for a BAH Rate increase for 2012!

TDY Housing by TDY Stay Fort Huachuca

Our featured location this month is the Military Intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicle UAV training center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.  The largest company on our site for Fort Huachuca travelers is TDY Stay, a TDY housing provider in Sierra Vista.  There are many temporary housing options in the mid-sized town adjacent to the Ft Huachuca Army post, but TDY Stay has a wide variety of fully furnished accommodations at the per diem lodging rate.  Most military personnel being temporarily assigned to the Army installation for a school stay longer than 30 nights, making an apartment or house rental off post a more attractive alternative to a hotel or lodging on base.  Fort Huachuca housing for TDY travelers is generally not provided and is strictly for permanent change of station (PCS) assignments.

The Military Intelligence post has a history dating back to the Spanish American wars and was once chartered as a US Cavalry post which housed the famed Buffalo Soldier Cavalry units.  Fort Huachuca has since evolved to be the lead military intelligence installation for training and also houses the unmanned aerial vehicle training center for all UAV maintenance and operators courses.  Fort Huachuca is estimated to continue to expand over the next several years and the post has a good relationship with the City of Sierra Vista.

TDY Stay accommodates travelers to Fort Huachuca at many of their Sierra Vista TDY Housing rentals and apartments and reservations can be made directly through TDYStay.com for stays of longer than 30 nights.  Be sure to check out the TDY Stay Housing & Lodging blog as well for their updates and availability.  All of their listings are available on our TDY Lodging website which includes photos and property descriptions.  Thanks for checking out our blog and check back soon for our next featured TDY Lodging provider.

Mainsail Suites added to MacDill AFB Lodging

TDY Lodging has added the Mainsail Suites Hotel and Conference center as one of the featured MacDill Air Force Base lodging options for government and military travelers to Tampa.  Short term housing and lodging on base at MacDill is extremely limited, causing many visitors and assigned personnel to seek accommodations off base.  With our newest addition of the Mainsail Suites Hotel, TDY Lodging now offers more options in Tampa than many of the 100+ featured installations available for DoD travelers.  MacDill is by far one of the most highly transited DoD installations with a high volume of Air Force travelers and personnel being assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM).  Our selection of MacDill AFB Lodging off base includes hotels and extended stays as well as furnished apartments near the Air Force Base.

The Mainsail Suites Hotel and conference center is located in close proximity to the base, and offers rooms with a full size kitchen, living, and dining room.  One and two bedroom suites are available, and on-site amenities include a restaurant and bar, extensive fitness center, heated pool/ spa, sand volleyball, basketball and jogging trail.  The Mainsail Suites Hotel & Conference Center is located just 4 miles from Tampa International Airport.