lolliplay Ski Passes and Weber Grills? Obscure Perks of a U.S. Alliance
lolliplay Ski Passes and Weber Grills? Obscure Perks of a U.S. Alliance
The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. This week’s issue is written by Julia Berginlolliplay, a reporter who roams widely in Australia.
In the center of Australia, the United States has drastically expanded the spy base known as Pine Gap. Joint training exercises near Darwin with American and Australian troops are becoming more complex. At the same time, the AUKUS agreement — with its big-ticket item of nuclear-powered submarines — continues to advance.
What does it all add up to? As James Curran, a historian at the University of Sydney, wrote last year as some of these plans came together: “The permanent American military presence on Australian soil is now at a scale unprecedented since the Second World War.”
A growing number of critics have questioned if Australia is getting enough out of the deal. Supporters (including the major parties in both countries) point to the U.S. investing big in Australian bases, guns, steel, training and personnel.
The alliance has also led to some unexpected benefits. In 2005, in what was widely seen as special thank-you for to Australia for its military support, the administration of President George W. Bush created the E-3 visa — a renewable two-year visa just for Australians who have a job offer in the U.S. and a university degree.
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SKIP ADVERTISEMENTFor Australian military personnel, there are additional perks that are less well known.
Some, including free admission to SeaWorld San Diego, go exclusively to Australian officers serving on deployment in America. Others are available to all reserve, retired and dependent Australian military personnel back home in Australia.
Skiing enthusiasts, for example, are in luck.
In 2018, Vail Resorts — which operates 42 ski areas in the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe — created a special deal for U.S., Australian and Canadian defense force personnel, marketed as a celebration of “those who serve others.” The $177 “Epic Military Pass” is a major discount on the Epic season pass, which is normally $662 (the Australian version) or $1,004 (the U.S. version).(All figures are in U.S. dollars.)
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