Where Soldiers Get a Little R& R

The Department of Defense offers a variety of leisure travel services and deals for military families. For example, the Armed Forces Vacation Club allows military families to rent, for $209 a week, condominiums in 3,500 timeshare resorts worldwide. The condos, which typically cost up to $1,500 a week on the open market, are most often available outside prime season. Many military families, especially newcomers, short-timers and members of the National Guard, are unaware of those and other deals, says Dan Yount, chief of Army Leisure Travel Services.

To rent a condo, pick up a voucher for the Armed Forces Vacation Club at any military morale, welfare and recreation office. For details on other discounts: http://www.offdutytravel.com.

The DOD also owns four top-notch, self-supporting resorts for members of the armed forces and their families, including the National Guard, and for retirees and widows. DOD contractors and their families are also eligible to stay at the resorts. Rates vary by rank; the lowest-paid troops are charged the least.

Shades of Green (1950 W. Magnolia Palm Dr., Lake Buena Vista, Fla.,http://www.shadesofgreen.org, 888-593-2242), on the grounds of Walt Disney World in Orlando, features extra-large rooms, two heated pools, tennis courts and golf. The recently expanded and renovated property has 586 rooms and suites. Rates begin at $80 a night for ranks E-1 to E-5 and $111 for the highest-ranking officers and DOD civilians. Sometimes special R&R packages are offered to military personnel coming off a deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.