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For Ariesrising: All branches of the armed services are extended the privelege of "Space A" travel. As usual there are rules and priorities set by Air Mobility Command and governed by the DTR (Defence Transportation Regulation), and DOD 4514.13R (Air Transportation Eligibility Regulation), but unless a service member has lost his privelege for mis-conduct all military, both active and reserve, can travel this way. Non-Active duty reservists have more constrained priveleges but are still eligible.
For Susymoonspider and AGDLynn: In my experience, every outfit in which I served made sure that all of its soldiers knew not only what was expected of them but what entitlements were due to them and what priveleges were available to them. I have been a platoon leader, company XO, brigade staff officer, and cav troop commander and I made sure that all my soldiers were kept very well informed on all matters that affected them, their duties, their families, and their personal development as well as their group obligations. I expected my junior officers and NCOs to teach, lead, and look out for their soldiers and would rip the hide off of any who did not measure up to these absolute requirements. In discussing matters of training, motivation, morale, and mission readiness with other officers of both senior and equal rank I have found that what was the rule in my outfit was pretty much standard across the board in other outfits. One of the very first things I learned about being a soldier was that if one day you might have to ask your men to follow you into situations where they might very well be killed you had better have earned their trust by looking out for their interests and getting the word out to each one. Train hard, play it straight, respect your soldiers and keep them in the loop (informed), expect the best of your soldiers, and give them nothing less than your best. Otherwise you don't have any business holding an officer's commission. I learned that from my Dad who was a regimental commander and senior staff officer before retiring to practice law. He taught me that if an officer did not look out for his men all the way then he had missed the whole point and would be hard pressed to demand much from those he had failed. So, I am troubled by the experiences you described in growing up as a fellow Army Brat. My experience has been very different. Yes, in very large organizations like the Army things can get lost in the shuffle but its the officer's and NCO's job to make the system work the way it is intended to work. "Don't know and didn't ask" are unacceptable in my Army where it is my job to make sure that my soldier does know and is encouraged to ask. My soldiers were always told to use their chain of command. It doesn't only run from top to bottom, it also runs from bottom to top and is for them as well as on them. When I commanded a Cav Troop my First Sergeant would have crucified any NCO who failed to take care of his troops, possibly to save that NCO from the far worse fate of having to answer to the Commander.
My two cents...
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