3
3
0
I recently got sent to school (as a reservist) which lasted for 42 days. It's my understanding that full BAH is earned when active for 30 days or more, anything less and you get BAH Type II.
My school was two 21 day phases, back to back. This was a continuous 42 day course without days off.
I was paid BAH Type II and was explained by my unit that that's how the Army saves $$, essentially cheating a soldier out of benefits. My house payment didn't change so why would I not get paid enough to cover it? I'm not having any luck finding a reg on it. If anyone knows where it is I would greatly appreciate it.
My school was two 21 day phases, back to back. This was a continuous 42 day course without days off.
I was paid BAH Type II and was explained by my unit that that's how the Army saves $$, essentially cheating a soldier out of benefits. My house payment didn't change so why would I not get paid enough to cover it? I'm not having any luck finding a reg on it. If anyone knows where it is I would greatly appreciate it.
BAH
Orders
Army Reserve
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 30
11
11
0
What I suspect is that you have more than one set of orders, each covering a different phase of the school. If that is the case, they are technically (if not morally) correct.
Otherwise, you got jobbed my friend, and if your unit persist that this is right then you need to pay your IG a visit.
Otherwise, you got jobbed my friend, and if your unit persist that this is right then you need to pay your IG a visit.
(11)
(0)
1SG (Join to see)
MSgt Timothy Brock - A DD 214 is only issued in this situation if the period of service is 90 days or more, so it would not apply in this case. Good point, though.
(1)
(0)
MSgt (Join to see)
What the Maj is suggesting would be the most effective approach. Once the orders are amended you would still only get type II for the first 29 days and then prorated BAH for the remainder.
(0)
(0)
1SG (Join to see)
MSgt (Join to see) - Unfortunately, that is not so. He'd either get all Type I or all Type II, depending on how the amendment was done. See my comment above. It is jacked up, but I looked up the rule and there it was in black and white.
(0)
(0)
MSgt (Join to see)
1Sgt, Thanks for the response which rule were you looking at? I'm asking because I'm wondering if there's different governance for the Army Reserve. In the JFTR Chap 10 table 10E-16 note 2 discusses orders modifications for reserves on modified orders of 30 days or more. However, I could be reading it incorrectly or there may be another rule that would not allow the orders to be modified after completion to obtain the 30 days. My guess is this is most likely the case since that would be advantageous to the member. It's always hard to try to correct these things after completion for what should have been done on the front end.
(0)
(0)
You might get BAH Type II if your AT orders were bundled in together for it. This way, you would have been on two separate orders, 14 days for AT and 28 days on active duty for the school, therefore not breaking the 30 day requirement for full BAH.
Units are typically required to expend their AT training dollars first (at least in the Guard), so it's not necessarily to an effort to shortchange you. If you had done AT in the same fiscal year before this school, then it would appear that something is wrong.
Units are typically required to expend their AT training dollars first (at least in the Guard), so it's not necessarily to an effort to shortchange you. If you had done AT in the same fiscal year before this school, then it would appear that something is wrong.
(5)
(0)
1SG (Join to see)
^A very plausible explanation.
The orders should be ADTS (Active Duty Training - School) and out of that pot, but organizations and budget managers play this game when long schools are required in order to conserve funds in the ADTS pot 'o' money.
The orders should be ADTS (Active Duty Training - School) and out of that pot, but organizations and budget managers play this game when long schools are required in order to conserve funds in the ADTS pot 'o' money.
(1)
(0)
CW3 Kevin Storm
A SM should never get switched from BAH with Dependents, to BAH type II. Someone screwed the pooch. That would mean every single person in the system would get BAH type II when they go to a short school. If that were the case no one would go.
(1)
(0)
LTC Yinon Weiss
CW3 Kevin Storm - Maybe things are different in your State. In my experience, everybody going to short schools gets BAH type II. In my last unit there was no shortage of people desiring to go to training, regardless of the type of BAH, or even if BAH was offered.
(0)
(0)
3
3
0
Also if you were on one set of orders then your math is correct, but if you were on two set of orders then some one probably Spec 4 Mafia has saved the ARMY money..
(3)
(0)
2
2
0
I am a finance tech at an RPAC, you will only get BAH II if the order is less then or equal to 30 days. The unit should have put you on orders for the entire duration, but the government, knowing this, probably had the school split into multiple phases, so yes, you got BAH II, which is correct.
(2)
(0)
2
2
0
Send a pay inquiry through a USAR finance clerk or your UA to DFAS. If you're entitled to full BAH based on the consecutive sets of orders, they'll recoup the BAH you were paid and pay you the appropriate amount in a subsequent LES. If you're not, they won't.
That being said, most of the BAH FAQs I've read talk about the entitlement changing if the original orders are amended to be longer than 30 days, rather than two consecutive sets of orders. And even then, there's some suggestion that unless one set of orders was for a contingency, full BAH would still not apply. But that information is from FAQs from second-hand sources (Military Times, USCG Reservist page, places like those), rather than from a regulation.
Incidentally, the threshold is not actually thirty days or more. It's more than 30 days. A 30-day order still gets BAH-RC (I know from experience).
That being said, most of the BAH FAQs I've read talk about the entitlement changing if the original orders are amended to be longer than 30 days, rather than two consecutive sets of orders. And even then, there's some suggestion that unless one set of orders was for a contingency, full BAH would still not apply. But that information is from FAQs from second-hand sources (Military Times, USCG Reservist page, places like those), rather than from a regulation.
Incidentally, the threshold is not actually thirty days or more. It's more than 30 days. A 30-day order still gets BAH-RC (I know from experience).
(2)
(0)
1
1
0
MSG (Join to see)
SSG Wallen,
BAH Type II was changed to BAH-RC some time ago, the regulation is the Joint Travel Regulation Chapter 10, which reads: 10014 RC RATE (BAH-RC)
BAH-RC rates are established by the SECDEF and are determined and set forth in par. 10002-B1. The BAH-RC Rate is the housing allowance authorized for an RC member called or ordered to active duty for 30 or fewer days except for an RC member called to active duty for a contingency. An RC member called to active duty for a contingency is authorized the BAH/OHA rate even for tours of 30 or fewer days (par. 10428).
If there is no break between both orders you may be entitled retroactive BAH based on your zip code but the current policy may dictate otherwise.
Best of luck.
SSG Wallen,
BAH Type II was changed to BAH-RC some time ago, the regulation is the Joint Travel Regulation Chapter 10, which reads: 10014 RC RATE (BAH-RC)
BAH-RC rates are established by the SECDEF and are determined and set forth in par. 10002-B1. The BAH-RC Rate is the housing allowance authorized for an RC member called or ordered to active duty for 30 or fewer days except for an RC member called to active duty for a contingency. An RC member called to active duty for a contingency is authorized the BAH/OHA rate even for tours of 30 or fewer days (par. 10428).
If there is no break between both orders you may be entitled retroactive BAH based on your zip code but the current policy may dictate otherwise.
Best of luck.
(1)
(0)
MSG (Join to see)
I'm aware that the regulation refers to it as BAH-RC but my LES shows BAH Type II. That's what I refer to it as because that's what DFAS references it as. I checked the JTR and it reads as though there should be no reason why the orders can't be amended to reflect my time served. It all depends on whether the unit will put forth the effort. Some of my classmates were awarded their MOS within a week whereas I didn't get mine for almost 8 weeks.
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
SSG Wallen,
This was fairly recent change that I remember reading about in the news. A web search may turn up the story I am referring to. "TDY over 30 days" maybe. I agree it is a complete rip off.
This was fairly recent change that I remember reading about in the news. A web search may turn up the story I am referring to. "TDY over 30 days" maybe. I agree it is a complete rip off.
(1)
(0)
MSG (Join to see)
I googled it but unfortunately all I found were references to the 75% and 55% per diem rates.
(1)
(0)
CPT (Join to see)
My apologies. I just searched "Army Times TDY over 30 days" and got an Oct 11, 2014 new story. So it has only been in effect for a little over a year now.
(0)
(0)
1
1
0
I thought school is not A.T. but different money. MAJ WEISS has a point though. I would not be surprised. My unit has a dod directive of paying soldiers who travel over 150 miles up to $300 for travel expenses but before it could include mileage or airline ticket up to $300 and lodging in kind was included as an extra benefit if you were on the unit list and made the lodging request.. This was a USAR thing. Now you get lodging in kind or up to $300 in expenses or mileage but not both.
(1)
(0)
LTC (Join to see)
1SG (Join to see) - I am on the list with the G3 from PACDIV 75TH. local voucher approved by G3 and GS-7 and higher when I submit with 1380. I just include the my name on the master list and my airline ticket invoice (which is almost always over $300 from Edmonton Canada to John Wayne or Palm Springs). I have my parents house in retirement community to stay at and I eat the rental car expense. It works out ok though I drive 500 miles for a 3 day drill. My latest rental car was a freaking cheap and fast Volkswagen GTI that gets 36 mpg and seems to be a 14 second 4 cylinder. I was able to get the rental car for $10 a day added to my ticket I bought from priceline.com. It was cheaper than the USAA rental car choices among 4 or 5 rental agencies. FYI to those who are shopping. I expected a ford focus or similar but I had a car with heated seats, too much power and push button sport suspension and it was a very fun ride when not in bumper to bumper. The idiots who speed up when I signaled lane change were not successful since the mid range power was awesome. Im not a fan of 4 cylinders in the past but this Vw GTI was a rocket!
(0)
(0)
LTC (Join to see)
Before I moved to Canada..when I lived in Calif, I was with the 649th MP at Camp SLO and later the 670th MP CAARNG in Sunnyvale/San Jose. I drove to SLO and back and later I flew to San Jose. I would have someone in the unit pick me up and once my MP platoon was going to Camp Parks, I flew in BDUs before it was legal and my platoon picked me up and we convoyed. They brought my ta-50 and my weapon. I did not make money then nor now. I was a 0-1 then! this was from 1996 at SLO and 1997 to 1999 at Sunnyvale.
(0)
(0)
MSG (Join to see)
I drove 330 miles to get to my previous unit...but that program apparently started within months of my transfer. It would have been nice as I was easily driving over 700 miles each BA weekend which put a big dent in my LES earnings.
(1)
(0)
LTC (Join to see)
SSG Brad Porter - I have my 20-year letter and putting my dues in to try to make 05 lieutenant colonel so in the long run or more points I get a higher rank I attained by getting my school's out of the way maintaining my APFT and getting leadership positions then in the end I will have a better retirement than if I did nothing and just got out.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
♦ Active duty less than 30 consecutive ays — BAH RC/T. This includes annual training and active-duty training or special work that doesn't meet the 30-day threshold.
However, serving 31 days — the minimum time required to receive full BAH — does not automatically entitle a reservist to the higher payments. For example, if a reservist is called up for 14 days and receives a 17-day extension, he receives only BAH RC/T unless the call-up or extension was for a national emergency or contingency operation.
For periods of duty less than 31 days, BAH RC/T payments are prorated for the actual number of days served.
However, serving 31 days — the minimum time required to receive full BAH — does not automatically entitle a reservist to the higher payments. For example, if a reservist is called up for 14 days and receives a 17-day extension, he receives only BAH RC/T unless the call-up or extension was for a national emergency or contingency operation.
For periods of duty less than 31 days, BAH RC/T payments are prorated for the actual number of days served.
(0)
(0)
0
0
0
Sometimes units cut the orders for phase 1 and phase 2 separate for various reasons. One as someone stated is if you fail in phase 1 less money to recoup since phase 2 was not paid for yet. Also any order over 29 days the reserve unit cannot pay it. You would have to take your orders to the post finance if they have one to get paid. Then you would be paid just like active on the 15 and end of the month.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google