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

BAH -- Yes, this is to primarily assist with off post housing and families. Single troops authorized to live off post and receiving BAH, No. They can put items into storage, etc.

BAS -- No. That is an allocation for meals for the troop, not the families. When deployed BAS should stop.

Wait. Single soldiers receive BAH while deployed? Really? Hmm...
Well, I wouldn't really consider it as "housing" when you live with no privacy, and in a place with no amenities most of the time.

Yes! Your financial obligations do not stop as a deployed service member. Although you are protected from certain things, you still have to maintain your household regardless of status.

Yes, because if you have dependents they don't come with you and rent or mortgage will still have to be paid. As far as BAS goes, technically you shouldn't get that because BAS is meant for food for the Soldier but most use it for their families too.

BAH should continue. Another posted that rent/mortgage doesnt stop when you deploy. Even if you do move out of a housing unit, you will incur storage unit costs.
BAS could stop for the full months deployed, less any days not provided with meals (shore leave/liberty).

Absolutely you should get it. Still required to maintain a mortgage while deployed.

When you have a place and dependents, then yes. It's not like when I deploy, my family and rent/mortgage just vanishes into thin air.

If you have family, mortgage and utility bills of course. If the GOV wants to save money on deployment, how about no R&R and give additional 15 days at end of tour, that would save $500 million + just in air fare cost. Also duplication of equipment in theater that they are paying for start air, just leave in place and establish GFE permanent in theater. That would safe a lot of $s too.

BAH/BAS for everyone, regardless of their decision to have dependents.

If you look at regulations, for those with dependents, the BAH is theirs, not yours. Taking this away would put everyone in a hardship as it is still your responsibility to provide housing/food for your dependents. In addition to this, would it make sense to have to move all your stuff into storage, shut off all your bills, pay for a storage facility, then on return have to find a new place to live, get your utilities turned back on, and move again every single time you deploy or go TDY? As is, there is no time allotted for house hunting after a PCS/TDY. Granted you get R&R time, but seriously who would be happy about having to spend this time moving?

I do feel that you should be required to prove that you were paying for a house/apt during this time though to put a stop to those putting their stuff in storage and making huge profit off of the BAH during a deployment.

I give that a big yes. Many members are not provided Govt housing and still need to pay for housing for their families while they are on deployment.

So my kids don't eat when I leave? I don't still have a mortgage payment?

If you want to mobilize a reserve component Soldier, then you have to pay the price.

I think you should due to bills that don't evaporate while deployed. I.E. Mortgages and Car notes.

Without a doubt. Your house payments or rent don't go away and your BAS is to support your family as well.

This shouldn't be a debate. The obvious answer is Soldiers receiving BAH have dependents that still need to get taken care of so they still need to receive BAH.

its crazy this is even a discussion considering the benefits the families of government gets. The senators and Congressmen and presidents wife all have drivers and security free house. The president doesn't have to pay for a house or electric or anything he chooses to send us to war. Yet he makes 400k+. A year. He can buy 3 service members a home each year and still live well. The rest of the cabinet can as well. Then he will recieve retirement for life after 4 years of earning the most money anyone does in this country. While we have to do 20+ years to retire. Most presidents retire from other offices to become president. If we make cuts that should be where. Not at the bottom Guard men and Women and Reservists can not afford to leave a job that pays 50k plus a year to earn 30k a year max. Especially a young E-4,5 with a family. That's why so many of us left military after deploying we see the real world makes on average 2x as much as we do to protect the rights. If anything we should be discussing a military pay raise and government cuts. Even Representatives make great money compared.

Yes, I still pay rent so my family has a place to stay and they also like to eat from time to time...

BAH - definitely yes. Soldiers still have to pay for their rent while deployed.

BAS - probably not. BAS is intended for the soldiers to pay for their daily personal meals. For officers the amount is negligible in comparison to the rest of their pay. Even when I was a 2LT I didn't see the point of BAS for officers.

AS it pertains to BAS for enlisted, I'd rather give the enlisted members a pay raise than to pay BAS. Managing BAS is administratively burdensome depending on their status (active vs, reserve, mess availability or none, etc). I am almost sure that if we do a thorough analysis of the costs to manage BAS payments to soldiers, we are better off by eliminating the BAS, and giving the enlisted members a reasonable pay increase commensurate to their rank, and to make up for any additional tax burdens resulting from the pay raise.

If you have a residence, a home or an apartment, you have to pay rent or your mortgage, unless you sell the house or move out of the apartment before you leave. If you have a family, they have to live somewhere while you are gone. BAS is a different matter. Live would be easier if it stopped when deployed, paid when you are buying your own food, but we all know that there is a lot about military compensation that doesn't take the easy way to a solution.

Because some Soldiers still have family to support back home, bottom line.