Should we really get BAH and BAS if we are deployed?

SSG James Noar I never have and never plan on letting those "blood sucking BAH seeking agencies" rent me a house. I have either lived in Army lodging as a LT at school in BOQ then off post or in the AGR program someone near the Reserves Center. I live under the BAH level to include electric, cable, etc. I do not believe in making the richer richer. I love my guns and I do not want them locked up on post where it is hard to get Congress and the UN to approve me pulling them out to use them. If you were forced to go with onpost or contracted I feel sorry for you and I wish you had a better experience.

BAH is unfair to begin with. It goes up for those with dependents. What did they do that I did not? They got married or had a kid or adopted their parents. That is it. They bring just as much to the fight as me, but they get paid more for housing than I do. BAS is for the Soldiers only not for the families.

The questions are legit. If we are cutting funds everywhere else and cutting jobs what is more important to you? Jobs or benefits? If you are using the benefit like many said that they were reservists with a house and mortgage so they will always have payment. Makes sense. BAS well let's face it food is food and it comes out poop no matter what. So if you eat in the DFAC and sit on a FOB or go eat an MRE or out on the economy in some village in the dirt you will be pooping it out later. The government provided you with a free meal. If you ate it that was your choice. If not, that is your call too.

Just trying to stir people to think of where we could cut if we were in charge.

In all I would say we would keep the BAH and cut the BAS. In reality I am like most of you and gladly took whatever pay I got and took it to the bank. Just starting conversation as we are in a bad way with the budget and it will only get worse.

BAH, is rated at the local economic level to make housing affordable for anyone who enters military service. The dependent level, does not differentiate between 1 child/wife, or 1 wife, or 1 wife/3boys. It is either 1 rate or the other.
A SSG @ 20 makes the same amount of money per month as a O3 @ 4(may be O 2, it's been a while). The placement of GI's upon arrival at a duty station can be issued(on post/contracted), or it can be 'on the economy'. The one common thread anywhere near a military base, however, is the rate of housing is the same. Private rental companies, or individuals all know the current rates and insure they get as much as possible to what it takes for the base rental + utilities. Rank has no bearing on this as BAH is BAH or BAH with dependents. Rental people know this rate, and upon receiving the application will apply either rate as required.
The only way to stop this is to go in feet first to a new assignment, buying a home, and hoping you will remain there for at least 7 years to make your money back.
The rate of BAS and what warriors are fed in theater will never be fair, nor will it be simple to differentiate between some POG getting fat in Dragon's mess hall, or the guy who lives outside the wire eating MRE's for three to five days at a time. The quality of the meal, however is hugely different and BAS would be difficult to pro rate due to a huge amount of paperwork, or time away from the job filling out online or computer boxes. Imagine my patrol squad(10 individuals) returning from a five day patrol, and going straight to S1 Main so they could one, wait in line, then two, sit each one separately to conduct the entries for BAS differentiation. Now multiply this times the MRF, the QRF, four patrol groups, PRT's, Surveillance and Recon teams, et cetera. Do you see where this system fails when trying to differentiate BAS in theater now? This task alone would overload any S1 Main such as those found on Bagram or Kandahar.
To differentiate either BAH, or BAS takes far more man hours than could be cost effective. Trying to manage this would take several more people off the battlefield, or require even more back on the main bases(where they would get fat on hot meals, green beans coffee, and living the life of Riley while others get the suck outside the wire.

PO2 David Hagwood I take it you are married or have dependents? I, unfortunately, have come to realize while there are some who would have you believe that there are only double standards for females and certain schools, there really are different treatment for those with dependents and those who are single. I am single and if I had a house I might lose it if they took the BAH for deployment just because I am single does not mean I do not own a house. In fact many of those with dependents do not have their own house but rent as well.

I agree though if anything keep BAH, but for all to be fair, and then take away BAS.

I agree with you, and you're correct that I am married; so I was thinking of this from the perspective of a married man. Of course those who are authorized BAH because of their grade, they should be able to keep it so that it would not cause any hardship to the SM if they are a home owner, like yourself. The deployment does not change the fact you still have a mortgage payment, taxes, home owner's insurance, etc.

PO2, your argument does not consider all individuals who are forward. You cannot differentiate BAS easily without adding more assets than it is worth at the forward bases. As you know, forward assignment has to levels. Level 1 is outside the wire in the suck, and level 2 is getting fat, enjoying green beans and smoking PX cigars on the main bases.
AS I stated on the good Captain's words earlier, consider five patrol groups, PRT's, Surveillance teams, MRF's, QRF's, and every other outside the wire unit all coming into S1 Main(big building on Bagram) to file BAS differentiation paperwork, and considering, in my case, I have been living on MRE's for five days while this POG in a clean sweet smelling uniform has not? Do you see where the premises become unsound and invalid?

True true.....

MAJ (Join to see) I agree with your interpretation for BAS. For BAH, your HOR does not matter for the BAH. I HOR is in PA but I am stationed and live in NY. I vote and everything else in PA. If you received a TCS order for Afghanistan that is your new home/station right? Did the military provide you with housing? It has been awhile but I did not have to hunt for a cave to live in. As they can always change, as all regulations can, do you feel that they should?

Should amend, didn't mean HOR, but meant home duty station...good catch

SGT Michael Hiatt how about BAS? That is meant just for you and there is less bills or at least lower when you are gone.

CPT(P) (Join to see) point taken. How about BAS?

I think BAS can pretty much go away across the board (even while not deployed). If the Army is feeding me. I don't need additional money to eat as such on a deployment get rid of it.

As for when the Army isnt feeding me (stateside) thats what my pay check is for. My civilian employer (who I am salaried with) doesnt provide me additional money because I need to eat, why should my Uncle Sam.

1LT Nick Kidwell BAS is just for Soldier. It does not change if you have dependents.

MSgt (Join to see) we say this now, but if they try to take it would we fight it? I think we would.

I would without a doubt, especially since I am buying a home. Plus limited amounts of housing here.

TSgt (Join to see) nooooooooo

It still does need to be certified annually. The actual rent thing went out the window when the military realized the policy just inflated the rate of all housing to the ceiling regardless of the quality of the home. And it was just cheaper to let Soldiers collect the difference without needing to regulate it. In other words there are some enforcement policies that do more harm then good only reimbursing actual cost of CONUS housing was one.

MSgt Jim Pollock MAJ (Join to see) is correct. I know I go under my BAH on rent to ensure I can pay my utilities and other bills prior to hitting my BAH level.

I tend to agree with these issues, unfortunately, the ability of some SMs to bank an excess has led to feelings of inequity in the process (hence this discussion).

My point is that this is not a new issue. The only true way to solve it is to either eliminate barracks/on base housing or require everyone to live on post. Neither is a good solution, so the hurt feelings will continue.

TSgt Joshua Lynch that single SPC who never had a job pay more than $5 an hour. In some areas their BAH is more than their pay! Yes it is not millions but I can tell you their eyes light up like they won the lottery!

I voted YES, ABSOLUTELY! Pay the working man... err, and women! Pay them more!

SSG Robert Burns right...except their jobs....like handing them pink slips in Afghanistan while they are fighting....wait what?

Yes, but the services did the handing out of pink slips and are the face of those actions. Congress will try to keep their hands clean because they want the military's support during the election season.