Posted on Sep 21, 2019
SPC Generator Mechanic
15.2K
1
3
0
0
0
Hi all, thank you for spending your time to read my question, and I would like to apologize if it seems too long but I would like to explain my situation as much as I can so someone can provide me a guidance on my BAH issue.
I am SPC Park and I just graduated from AIT in August.
Before I left for BCT and AIT, I was told by my recruiter that Army Reserve soldiers get paid full BAH while in BCT and AIT regardless of his/her marital status.
And I happen to personally know a handful of soldiers who are single and Army Reservist like myself, and got paid full BAH while in BCT and AIT.
So I brought my apartment lease contract to BCT and I did the paperwork during reception.
But for some reason my lease contract came back to me because whoever looked at it did not like it so I had to make a few changes (i.e., get rid of my roommates's names from the lease contract because they wanted just my name on it for accountability purpose).
So my drill sergeant and I filed a 5960 with a copy of new lease contract and I graduated from BCT after a few weeks.
I was still not receiving my BAH in AIT, so I did another 5960 with my AIT drill sergeant and 3 months passed by and now I am back in my reserve unit in JBLM, Washington.
Last week, I was at my reserve unit's RPAC for in-processing and the civilian lady who in-processed me told me that I would not be able to have my BAH get back paid because soldiers who are not married do not get BAH whatsoever.
I had a different pay issue as well while I was in IET and I was underpaid about $16,000, and at the moment, I cannot even afford to pay my rent after this month (the rent for my tiny apartment in Seattle is about $2000 a month).
What confuses me is that I know single soldiers that got paid full BAH while in IET and even my recruiter told me that I will be paid full BAH because I am in the Reserve.
So it seems that now I will have to persuade my unit RPAC that single Reserve soldiers do get paid full BAH while in IET but I do not have any strong background knowledge to change their mind.
So I was doing some research online but I could not really find helpful information and somehow I found this website.
It is a very frustrating situation for me because I thought if anyone, RPAC and unit HR would be the one to help me on this issue but now I feel like I am on my own.
Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone happens to know any memorandum or reference I could use to persuade my unit RPAC?
I asked my team leader and he told me he did not get paid BAH while in IET so I should not worry about it either but I really need this money to go back to school and pay my rent this winter.
I would like to thank everyone for reading this long and boring question and I would appreciate any help and/or advice.
Edited >1 y ago
Avatar feed
Responses: 1
SFC Air Traffic Control Equipment Repairer
1
1
0
Normally you only get BAH while you are married or have kids. The army usually doesn’t give a single person BAH and let them live in the barracks. None of the single Soldiers I have dealt with at AIT got BAH only the married ones. If I’m not mistaken you could if used your orders to get out of your lease because of your training.
(1)
Comment
(0)
SGT Team Leader
SGT (Join to see)
>1 y
This is my understanding as well. Not married and no dependents = No BAH.
(0)
Reply
(0)
CW5 Human Resources Technician
CW5 (Join to see)
3 mo
That’s incorrect for the Guard and Reserves. ANYTIME, that the reserve service member goes on orders over 30 days, they get BAH. Reservists and Guardsmen have homes to return to.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

close