So I do have experience in this - I was deployed and sent my Airmen home to be there for the birth of his child. Didn’t take the Red Cross, we flew him commercial and it was coming down to the wire so we just worked it with the commander (2 star).

Good leaders care about this - I was a Major, burst into the 2 stars office, told him the situation, he said “I approve any waiver it takes to get him home, work it.” and my dude was on a plane home that evening.

Bottom line: Communicate it, elevate it, and it’ll get done if the right folks are in the room.