Lodging procedures to improve your Unit Training Exercise experience

  • Published
  • By Helen Holm
  • March Inn general manager
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. --  Due to the elimination of the Automatic Lodging Reservation System, the March Inn is operating on Air Force Instruction 34-246, Air Force Lodging Program, while a new wing instruction is being written. Use of the ALRS was eliminated because the Air Force Lodging Fund would not support it with Non Appropriated Funds and lodging lost most of its Appropriated Funds support on October 1, 2013.

Please help lodging provide you with an easier Unit Training Assembly process. Learn the process and know the AFI guidelines. The following is in accordance with Air Force Instruction 34-246, Attachment 3:

Each unit is responsible for appointing a Unit Lodging Point of Contact (ULPOC). Do you know who yours is? Primary ULPOCs must be full-time employees, to be able to work lodging issues, and validate lodging rosters during the week. Alternate ULPOCs may be traditional Reserve or Guard personnel who will work issues on UTA weekends. Changes to ULPOCs must be forwarded, in writing, to the March Inn, whenever there is a change in designation.

The ULPOC is responsible for working all lodging requirements with the Lodging Office and the Lodging Office will provide the ULPOC with no-show listings by Wednesday, following the respective UTA.

To sign up: On the Monday following UTAs, all respective units will provide the March Inn Lodging Office with the signed, standardized, generic lodging roster listing for the following month. The roster should reflect only those members residing outside the non-commute area, and who will require lodging for the next month's UTA. The ULPOC will ensure that personnel requiring lodging sign and annotate the roster with the number of nights for lodging required.

Three (3) days prior to the scheduled UTA, the ULPOC will revalidate the roster, in writing, with any additions or deletions. Any changes after the validation will be treated as walk-ins.

Members who have signed the roster for the prior month, and whose unit is assigned to a commercial hotel, can go directly to the hotel. The payment voucher (call slip) will have been provided to the hotel. There is no need to report to the March Inn.

Members who are on Mandays will be given equal status for on base rooms. Members will "roll" into a UTA need to ensure their ULPOC notifies lodging of the correct status of their orders, as soon as possible. The dates and status changes are necessary to avoid "double booking" for the same individual. Every effort will be made to leave the individual in place for the duration of their tours. The ULPOCs will validate the no-show listing and advise lodging of any errors.
Off-base hotel rooms are guaranteed with the exception of those rooms canceled by the ULPOC or lodging, by 6 p.m. on Friday night.

Saturday night reservations are guaranteed, but only held until 6 p.m. Members desiring a late (after 6 p.m.) check-in must contact lodging or contract hotel and guarantee late arrival with his/her personal credit card. Upon check-in, the room reservation will convert to "unit pay." However, should an individual, after extending a room reservation with a personal credit card fail to show, lodging/contract hotel will charge that individual's credit card with no expectation of reimbursement.

"Double buy-outs" are not permitted during UTAs. A "Double buy-out" occurs when one person scheduled to share a room with another unit member, pays the hotel "out of pocket", for the second half of the room; for example, to accommodate a spouse during the UTA weekend. Double buy-outs cause the second unit member to return to lodging for alternate accommodations and it increases 452 Air Mobility Wing lodging costs.

Do not make reservations directly with commercial hotels and then report to lodging. This results in double bookings and double billing for a no-show, at one or the other locations. Individuals are not authorized to procure their own accommodations, unless at their own expense, and with prior lodging coordination.

Members who do not sign the Unit Lodging Roster or have not had their ULPOC validate the member's UTA intentions three (3) days prior to the respective UTA are considered walk-ins. Per AFI 34-246, para 3.1, Air Force Reserve Command(AFRC) members are required to make advanced lodging reservations. Members who walk in without making reservations may still utilize government quarters, however, the wing/unit of assignment will not pay for lodging of members who fail to comply with this directive. (Exception: New recruits, members returning from long deployments, etc). It is the wing lodging POCs responsibility to ensure that all members are aware of and in compliance with this policy. Walk-in members will be housed after 2 p.m. on the day of arrival.

With the exception of the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing, all members who are not included on the unit roster and who are scheduled for the UTA will need to appear physically at the March Inn front desk after 2 p.m. on Friday of the UTA weekend.

Rescheduled UTAs require a signed Air Force Form 40A, Record of Individual Inactive Duty Training be presented prior to any room assignment being offered by the desk. The only exception to this policy is a newcomer attending his or her first UTA. In this case, every attempt will be made to accommodate the newcomer on base.

The Lodging Office will provide the ULPOC with no-show listings by Wednesday following the respective UTA. The ULPOC will validate the no-show listing and advise the Lodging Office of any errors.

The 452nd AMW, Headquarters, Fourth Air Force and 163rd RW will be responsible in most cases, for paying for rooms not used, as a result of no-shows. (Exception: If a member called to ensure a Saturday night hotel extension, with their personal credit card and failed to show, his or her personal credit card would be billed.)

It is the member's responsibility to cancel his or her reservations through the respective ULPOC prior to a scheduled UTA. If the ULPOC is not available, please e-mail lodging at lodging.cancellations@march.af.mil before 4 p.m. on UTA Fridays.

Rescheduled UTA reservations should be requested through your ULPOC. Verification from the unit is required.

March Inn front desk numbers are 951-655-5241 and 951-653-3174. Lodging Worldwide phone number is 888-AFLODGE (1-888-235-6343). Follow the instructions on the voice message to reach any base.

It can happen that non-availability or call slips can be misplaced or transmission errors may have occurred, so it would be wise to call the hotel and check on your reservations and call slip prior to leaving home.