Eligibility
Your Military Benefits
The Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRC) Resorts serve members of the U.S. Armed Forces, their families and other authorized users. The AFRCs are Category C Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) activities operated by the U.S. Army as executive agent for Department of Defense (DOD). Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) G9 directly manages the AFRCs to provide all uniformed services with high-quality, affordable resort-style facilities consistent with the Army's focus on readiness and quality of life for Service Members and their Families. Personnel eligible to use AFRC guestrooms, food and beverage, recreation, facilities and other guest services are defined below.
Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act
In January 2020 we received new Department of Defense/Army Regulations which expand authorized use at AFRC Resorts to Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war (POW), veterans with VA-documented service-connected disability ratings and Primary Family Caregivers of eligible Veterans under the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
This expanded authorization currently does not include the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort or Dragon Hill Lodge. The new law is subject to the limitations of applicable host nation law and international agreements that have not been resolved. If there is a change in policy we will update our website and social media pages.
Below are the guidelines for the new authorized users at Hale Koa Hotel and the Shades of Green Resort:
Veterans who are Purple Heart recipients, veterans who are former POWs, all veterans with VA-documented service-connected disability ratings, and individuals assessed, approved, and designated as the Primary Family Caregivers of eligible veterans under the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers are eligible users when identified as follows:
Veterans must present a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) indicating at least one of the three acceptable eligibility statuses (PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW, or SERVICE CONNECTED); paired with an acceptable credentials such as a REAL ID-compliant State driver’s license or a U.S. passport.
Note: VHICs are issued to veterans enrolled in VA health care. For information regarding eligibility please visit https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhic/ for the application process.
Primary Family Caregivers must present their letter from the VA Office of Community Care that indicates they are assessed, approved, and designated Primary Family Caregiver of an eligible Veteran under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and are eligible for these privileges paired with an acceptable credential like a REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license or a U.S. passport.
Restrictions apply for Disney’s Military Promotional Salute Tickets, Universal Orlando’s Military Promotional Ticket offers and the Stars and Stripes Length of Stay tickets.
To obtain VA forms, go online to https://www.va.gov/health-care
Category |
Eligibility |
| Armed Forces and their Families | Members on Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard and Cadets of Armed Forces Academies. ID is Common Access Card |
| Other Uniformed Services | Commissioned Corps, Public Health Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps. ID is DD Form 2, PHS 1866-1 or 1866-3 |
| Armed Forces Retirees and their Family Members | Retired from Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard with or without pay (gray area) ID is DD Form 2, 1173 or 1173-1 |
| Others Separated from the Armed Forces and their Family Members | Honorably discharged veterans with 100 percent Service-connected disability. ID is DD Form 1173 or DD Form 2765 Involuntarily separated service members under the Transition Assistance Management Program ID is DD Form 2 Personnel separated under the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI) and Special Separation Benefit (SSB) programs for two years after separation ID is DD Form 2 |
| Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 |
This expanded authorization currently does not include the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort or Dragon Hill Lodge. Below are the guidelines for the new authorized users at Hale Koa Hotel and the Shades of Green Resort: Veterans who are Purple Heart recipients, veterans who are former POWs, all veterans with VA-documented service-connected disability ratings, and individuals assessed, approved, and designated as the Primary Family Caregivers of eligible veterans under the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers are eligible Shades of Green Resort users when identified as follows: Veterans must present a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) indicating at least one of the three acceptable eligibility statuses (PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW, or SERVICE CONNECTED); paired with an acceptable credentials such as a REAL ID-compliant State driver’s license or a U.S. passport. Note: VHICs are issued to veterans enrolled in VA health care. Visit: https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhic/ for information regarding eligibility for the VHIC and the application process. Primary Family Caregivers must present their letter from the VA Office of Community Care that indicates they are assessed, approved, and designated Primary Family Caregiver of an eligible Veteran under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and are eligible for these privileges paired with an acceptable credential like a REAL ID-compliant state driver’s license or a U.S. passport. Restrictions apply for Disney’s Military Promotional Salute Tickets, Universal Orlando’s Military Promotional Ticket offers and the Stars and Stripes Length of Stay tickets. To obtain VA forms, go online to https://www.va.gov/health-care Authorized Government-issued Identification Cards : • US passport or passport card |
| Former and/or Surviving Spouses and Family Members | Unremarried surviving spouses of personnel who died while on active duty or while in retired status ID is DD Form 1173 or 1173-1 Un-remarried former spouses who were married to military members for at least 20 years while the military member was on active duty ID is DD Form 1173 |
| Other Supporters of the Department of Defense | Military personnel of foreign nations and their family members when assigned or attached to a U.S. military unit or installation or on U.S. Travel Orders. U.S. employees of firms under contract to Department of Defense working in the Pacific Region outside the U.S. on Department of Defense Government orders. ID is DD Form 1173 or 2765 |
| U.S. Department of Defense Civilians and Family Members | Current and retired (APF and NAF) Department of Defense (DoD) and Coast Guard (CG) civilian employees. DOD or CG ID card, Retired ID card, or current Leave and Earnings Statement with photo ID required for check-in. |
| Survivor Family Package Eligibility |
The Survivors' Family Program extends to eligible Family members who have suffered a loss of an Active Duty sponsor regardless of the cause. A DD Form 1173 with "AD" in the Sponsor Service/Status field in combination with "DB" (DOD Beneficiary) or CH (Child Beneficiary) in the Relationship field on identification cards is required. |
Sponsorship Policies
A. Eligible persons may sponsor friends and family who are not eligible persons. Three additional guestrooms are authorized for this purpose.
B. Sponsors must reside in the hotel during the same period as their sponsored guests and assume financial responsibility.
C. Eligible persons may also share a room with a sponsored guest.
D. If an eligible person and dependent spouse are in the hotel at the same time, they are not allowed to each sponsor additional rooms. However, if the eligible person and their spouse are both on active duty or reservists, each may sponsor additional rooms.
E. An eligible person may not sponsor a room(s) for another eligible person. Each must reserve based on their own eligibility, however they may stay in the same room.
F. Sponsored guest reservations must check in on the same day or after and must depart before or on the same day as the sponsor reservation.
G. Sponsors must accompany guests at time of check in. Sponsored guests will not be authorized to check-in without the sponsor present.
H. Sponsored rooms of Category I guests will fall in the Category II rate.
Food and Beverage Policies
Food and Beverage facilities may be used by the following categories of personnel:
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Personnel authorized to occupy rooms as outlined above. At check-in, sponsored room guests will be given a temporary Hale Koa Identification Card that will permit them to use the hotel facilities while registered at the hotel.
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Military club system members (active associate and honorary) identified by a valid photo ID and current membership card.
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Non-military ID cardholders, when sponsored and accompanied by an eligible military/DOD ID cardholder.
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Foreign National Armed Forces personnel and their family members when authorized unlimited exchange privileges.
