Mileage Schemer

I just found out that I will be shipping out to Iraq in May... Although I do have lots of other things weighing on my mind these days, believe it or not, I am a SPG fanatic and my Plat status is something I do highly value since I've worked hard to maintain it over the past three years, purely through leisure travel while serving active duty! As I will be bouncing around Iraq for one year as a military advisor to the Iraqi Army, I will surely be making some runs but "mattress" runs will be out of the question.

Have any other service members out there had any luck having Starwood maintain their status until your return?

Letisko

I'm a military spouse so I can take a crack at this one. First off, I'm sorry to hear that you're going, and I wish you the best of luck over there. Having dealt with updating and maintaining all of his records while my hubby was there, my advice is that it's definitely worth a try, but it really varies by who's answering the phone and what their mood is. I didn't try to keep hotel status but I dealt with a lot of financial service companies and found that most were very understanding of the unique situation and tried to make exceptions to help (with the exception of Discover, who I had to send a copy of the Soldiers and Sailors relief act!). I had much better luck when talking to a supervisor, so I'd call the plat line, ask for a supervisor, and say what you've written here. It can't hurt.

Thank you for your service.

AZ Travels the World

I suggest writing a letter to the highest-level name you can at SPG. I would be surprised if a person at that level would not be sympathetic to your situation, especially since you are a Plat several years running.

Perhaps William can suggest who is near the top of the SPG org chart that might be a good person to write. I recommend sending him an e-mail or Private Message with your situation and request, though. In my experience, things like this are most appropriately addressed, and successfully achieved, when handled discretely.

mtacchi

Sheraton Towers in Kuwait city... Been there. Nice property. Convenient for Iraqi mattress runs.

choptliva

Best of luck to you. Keep well.

clover

I agree with AZ's suggestion. I have to (want to?) believe that SPG will extend your status while you are there helping defend our country. I'm hoping William (Lurker) will see this thread and make it happen. What a wonderful policy it would be for Starwood to announce to its program members.

Thanks so much for your service. Stay safe and keep in touch with us while you are gone.

welookgood.com

i thought they already had this policy?

ldsant

Thank you for serving our country. If you get a chance while you're there and find that there are things we can do to make life more comfortable, post to Community - I think you'll find that as a whole, FTers are very generous and giving.

Again, best of luck; return home safely.

FatBoyYVR

huh?

AZ Travels the World

Going down this path would be a signficant diversion from anything relevant to this forum. Please, folks, don't take the bait. Let's stay on topic.

AZ Travels the World
Moderator

mtacchi

LDSADT and YVRFATBOY's post are both going somewhere this doesn't need to go

AZ Travels the World

I see those two posts as very differently. Nonetheless, we're going to keep this thread on the topic at hand -- starting now.

FatBoyYVR

Good to see two moderators in this forum remaining impartial I agree the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq has nothing to do with SPG and that any comments relating to this do not belong here, but disagree that my post was the somehow only unacceptable one on the subject.....

bigjim

Ok folks.....I'm pretty sure that I remember reading something here on Flyertalk before regarding this subject. Maybe one of our moderators can do a search for us, please? @:-)

AZ Travels the World

Ah, see what's possible when you ask nice!

It's a pretty old thread but I found it. Here's what Starwood Lurker had to say about the situation back in Feb. of 03: