Dual-service couples, service members married to other service members, currently can both draw Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).
In an attempt to cut spending, the Senate Armed Services Committee has recommended reducing BAH to only allow the higher ranked service member to receive BAH if both service members are stationed within reasonable commute of one another in the contiguous states.
This recommendation is part of the 2016 Defense Authorization bill (S. 1376) that will be voted on this month.
There are more than 40,000 dual-service couples in the military and that number continues to grow now that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. With the recent Supreme Court ruling that same sex partners can marry in America, the number may continue to climb. BAH costs have grown rapidly and in 2001 topped $1 billion annually. The committee aims to curb that cost with this bill.
As it stands, both service members can draw BAH even if they are stationed within the same area. If they do not have children, they both receive BAH at the without dependents rate. If they do have children the higher ranked service member receives the with dependents rate and the other receives BAH at the without dependents rate.
What do you think of this proposal to reduce housing allowances for dual-military couples and roommates?
If this bill passes the Senate and later the House, dual-military couples could see their BAH rates change as early as October 1, 2015.
Under the new law,
(p) Single allowance for married members assigned for duty within normal commuting distance- In the event two members of the uniformed services entitled to receive a basic allowance for housing under this section are married to one another and are each assigned for duty within normal commuting distance, basic allowance for housing under this section shall be paid only to the member having the higher pay grade, or to the member having rank in grade if both members have the same pay grade, and at the rate payable for a member of such pay grade with dependents (regardless of whether or not such members have dependents).
This proposal would greatly impact a family’s income. An E-7 with children currently assigned to San Diego can draw BAH of $2,499 with dependents and their partner, an E-6 would draw the without dependents rate of $2,052. Their combined monthly BAH is $4,551.
Taking away the second BAH under the new law would lower their annual pay by $24,624. That is a significant amount of money for most military families.
Related: The Ins and Outs of the Tricare Choice Proposal
Dual-service couples are not the only ones that will see a change if this bill is approved. There is a second part to the bill that covers a reduction of BAH for service members that live together but are not partners.
(q) Reduced allowance for members living together- (1) In the event two or more members of the uniformed services who are entitled to receive a basic allowance for housing under this section live together, basic allowance for housing under this section shall be paid to each such member at the rate as follows:
(a) In the case of such a member in a pay grade below pay grade E-4, the rate otherwise payable to such member under this section.
(b) In the case of such a member in a pay grade above pay grade E-3, the rate equal to the greater of–
(i) 75 percent of the rate otherwise payable to such member under this section; or
(ii) the rate payable for a member in pay grade E-4 without dependents.
Many service members choose to have other service members as roommates to save on the cost of rent and utilities. This section of the bill would lower their combined BAH and curb that to a degree.
There is currently no plan to cut individual BAH, but there is talk of a reduction over time that service members will pay 5 percent of rent and utility costs. In the meantime, many eyes will be on the Senate this summer to see if service members’ bank accounts will significantly change this fall.
I think it will cause many female SMs (in dual military couples) to leave the military.
These are new ways to demoralize our military people. Our five military services should be getting more money and benefits not less. Before long with the assault on our military folks we will either go back to the draft of have no military at all. Our American Society needs to tell every politician that find places to cut that don’t include the salary and benefits of our Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corp.
If the cost cutting must be done then take the housing allowance away. Instead provide military members with a rent free home, based on the size of the family, in a decent middle class neighborhood, and pay their utilities.That would probably equal out between civilian prices and the BAH.
The last place to cut government spending should be with our Military pay and benefits. The Nation needs a strong and vital military community to keep the problem areas of the world that threaten our society at bay, Try keeping our Armed Services at home guarding our borders and not sticking our noses where they don’t belong. No one (countries) will ever come to our aid. We must keep ourselves safe. That is done by our military might. You don’t keep military might by demoralizing the folks who protect us from the wolves of the world.
I am with you 100% . This POS is anti American, anti Military..and his cabinet now is FULL MUSLIM!
He has NO respect for the military, .. the troops serve … love and protect, and hey if they die or come out maimed so what, they have to buy their own prosthetics. Our family is strong military, 4 in family.. and some served 29 + years. But that was a different era, but still the military never got the pay the deserved, Always thought of the military as one big family and have very close friends thru the years ..
“I” think ALL the troops everywhere around the world should come home and guard OUR boarders, and protect out people tossing the “baddies” OUT and let the Arabs fight the Arabs. and those that want aid and assistance , let them ask each other, we have PLENTY of our military, including vets as well as families right here in OUR country that could use a helping hand UP.
and theres a few that need help with their packing and boarding a slow ship OUT!
IM military and proud of God, Our country , our flag our military and our people and our constitution.. and in general OUR AMERICA the land of the free because of the brave troops that have given their all to protect us! God Bless all our military!
This is the same SASC that voted to severely reduce the commissary subsidy. After that vote, anything that comes out of that committee that cuts/reduces/eliminates benefits for our military (the 1% who care enough to serve) does not surprise me. What does surprise me is that this committee is controlled by the Republican Party, (the good guys/the guys who wear the white hats). So what they say (we support our military) and what they do (reduce/eliminate benefits) are obviously areas of concern. Unfortunately everyone of our elected officials (99%) wear gray hats and that makes it very difficult to know who the ‘good guys’ are. We can only hope to vote them out of office and elect those who really support our military community, currently serving and retired.
Well said!!!!
agree!
NO, I disagree………… OUR supposed elected officials and mostly republicans .. they play follow the leader and seem to go the path of destruction for us and our country. The “golfer vacationist is now the head of a full MUSLIM cabinet. and OUR elected ones dont even seem to know or care He has a pen, and no one cares……… what is WRONG? Think they are all in the “club”
There is NO republican party anymore, the whole bunch of them up there so they say “want to serve us” BS………. sure they want to serve us by taking away everything we hold dear, and otherwise stuff their greedy selves with what they can and to HELL with us. We, who PAY their salary…
You know, my husband served 29 years in service had heart attacks and surgery and when he passed, they said there were no benefits . for my family and I. I called St Louis and talked to 2 Lts and they told me I was due 55% of his base pay.. you know, when I called back to get some additional info, they were NOT available….. His health records were no complete they said they were lost????
This is just how our service people are treated now, they lack care, they lack prosthetics and care …………. where are the benefits they claimed were ours!
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The proposed BAH change makes sense to me. Focus on the purpose of BAH and the idea of paying double makes no sense in an era where the force is suffering severe budgetary reductions.
If you are a civilian then you have no idea what you are talking about. If you are in the military then you should forego all your pay and benefits, You can not compare the military to a civilian job. Military members are entitled to the housing allowance. End of story.
Each member earns the benefit because of serving our nation and should continue to receive them even if they happen to marry another service member. 2 trillion for two wars , over a trillion for the bank fiasco and you want to cut what? This is proof that we should fire them all and start all over again, We don’t need another Clinton or Bush. The legal bribery called “Lobbying” allows companies to send jobs overseas and be taxed at rate overseas much less than the ordinary citizen pays. Bring corporate taxes back to the US at the rates needed to keep this nation afloat and not some other country.
Very well stated. I like your ideas.
It should not be removed.. Both members should not have a loss in benefits. The military members are worth much more.
If both service members are stationed at the same base or fort then the higher rank service member should receive the bah. I do not like the wording of within a reasonable distance. It should read same base or fort. I am a retired SFC from the us army
I believe that only the highest ranking service member should draw BAH. We need to start cutting our costs and this is a start.
No
About time they cut out the double dippiing…..
NO this is not fair at all. You talk FAIR IS NOT FAIR AT ALL. EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL JOBS…THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW….ISN’T IT. THE SAME LAW MUST BE USED FOR EVERYONE AND EVERY JOB…
Leave our military personnel alone our military ranks are so low we need to call up our reserves to complete our missions and yet our politicians have nothing better to do then concentrate on cutting our benefits to support a budget they don’t have the slightest idea how to manage. What these bunch of clowns need to concentrate on is the main purpose we elected them to do and that is represent our needs and support our president with constructive ideas versus concentrating on personal party line stupidity. We the public voters are sick and tired of their inaction.
Are you serious? We were not a involved family for dual pay at any time. I just think this is horrible. We don’t pay our military men and women enough money to live on as is. Especially when in Seattle the fast food workers and resturant help all make $15 per hour. They yelled and cried they couldn’t make it on their hourly minimum wage of $10 per hour. Both of these hourly rates are way more than a service member gets paid who puts his life on the line!
Seriously, where else can you stab these soldiers next? Most I have met need the money to live. In the Seattle/Tacoma area. To save money? I think there are way better ways to save money starting with the upper management of the service. Those who are allocating funding to projects. I’m seeing money being spent on silly things around the base and they didn’t need to be spent. It would have resulted in thousands of dollars being saved.
Another issues while I’m at it….is why after all the years of service do they make the elderly be “off sourced” off base for medical appts? It forces these people to have Co-pays for appointments and Co-Pays for perscriptions. Not only that but being on the outside of the base for medical appt you don’t get treated the same. Dr’s don’t get paid what they are paid by private insurances where on base the pay is the same for all the patients. There is a difference. Especially when you think your saving money for the government yet alone once again putting the pressure on the retired military members and surviving spouses. Our men and women have served in the service and are promised to be cared for as one of their privilages. Yet alone, another disappointment.
It’s not rocket science here we are talking about it’s allowing our sevice members to have a few privilages. If you keep taking away the privilages for these people to live, we might as well go back to the draft. It just gets worse and worse with all of the budget cuts.
You took away too much from the medical side of the house and let a lot of Dr’s go and now you can’t ever get in on an appointment. You wait for weeks to just see your provider.
Why don’t you build more housing for the families and make more areas for them to live? More neighborhoods and they don’t need to be on the base? There is a way to save money and make thing work without stabbing our soldiers. Sometimes the easiest answers are from those who aren’t part of the equation!
Dual BAH alowances in effect penalizes married couples who have only one spouse in the military. There should only be one BAH when the couple are living together off base.
“Penalizes married couples who have only one spouse in the military” Really? If a married couple wants what a dual-service couple has, then they should both sign the dotted line-or at the very least they should both WORK.
I have never imagined a military/civilian couple wanting the life that we live as a dual-service couple. Two different work schedules, two different chains of command, twice the number of deployments and TDYs. On base daycare (the cheapest option around here) costs half of what my BAH brings in. So, taking away my BAH because I am lower ranking will affect our income significantly.
My sister’s annual income from Lowe’s will be higher than mine if this bill passes. What incentive is there for me to remain active duty? I will still have medical coverage thanks to my husband’s service, I could get a local job that doesn’t require so much of me, and be a lot less stressed.
You are all idiots for taking anything away from the people that insure your freedom. All you that wish to snatch benefits from active duty military ought to be ready to take yourselves overseas and fight in place of my son.
NUTS!!!
I do not think both should be allowed to collect BHA. Do they get anything else twice? People are getting married just to collect twice in many cases. It is a housing allowance, if your housing is being meant with the senior ranked soldier that is the way it should be handled.
I’m sure the “many cases” of marriage for extra pay happens a lot less often than you imagine it does.
It’s not “they” are getting things “twice.”
Each service member receives their own benefits and entitlements based on the honorable service they provide as individuals. My contract with the military has absolutely nothing to do with my husband’s contract. When I reenlisted, there was nothing in the oath about my family, it was all between me promising to fulfill my duties for the military with the understanding that I would be compensated with pay and allowances the same as everyone else.
If this passes, I will be paid $15,600 less a year than the guy sitting next to me simply because I am married to a service member who outranks me. Why should I be valued less than the guy who came in the same year as I did, performed less deployments, and has a wife at home packing his lunch? I, like many other active duty females, married another service member because civilians males don’t really understand what I go through on a daily basis.
DISAGREE TOTALLY…..this is something they are entitled too and just because marriage is involved between two soldiers, doesn’t mean their benefits should be cut in anyway. So now they are being penalized because they are married, don’t you think they are already penalized enough being in the military with pay cuts, reduced benefits, etc.???
I believe BAH is based on cost of living/location.. Service members earn and deserve every benefit/allowance they receive.
I believe the Senate and the House need to be looking ways to save by cutting their own pay and allowances. I am sure that the people who are proposing these cuts to BAH have never served in the military. They have no idea of the sacrifices that our active duty armed forces and their families make, the struggles they endure and the work they do.
I say leave military pay alone and specifically in this case, Basic Allowance for Housing.
I’m offended that anyone even suggested this! It’s an injustice to service-members–each member is an individual & therefor deserves a BAH just as each member deserves any other military benefit. If this preposterous idea is approved, the civil/legal contract/union like ‘marriage’ may go out the door with it so each can draw his/her separate BAH. Robbery…plain & simple.
They should reduce it if they are married to each other … They are not single nor separate individuals sharing space as roommates. One member of the military couple, probably the higher ranking or if the same rank, the longer serving, should receive the allowance. As I am former military and DAV, please honor that and remember it is only a viewpoint, not a solution nor the answer that will sway Congress.
I don’t see why roommates should receive full BAH and married couples should not. Unless there is criminal activity going on, the DoD shouldn’t care about where I live.
On that note, I’ve seen a few airmen in my career that were stationed close enough to family that they were able to live there entirely RENT FREE.
Obama has to pay for his Obama Care and ilegal immigrants– the troops lose, as usual.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/pay/allowances/2015/06/03/obama-opposes-cuts-bah-dual-families/28406213/
I think it’s a good idea.
I think it’s a bad idea. I would much rather see the commissary go away than receive a smaller paycheck simply because I am married to a man who understands my military duties.
Why not send those old Farts in congress to war and then let them decide what the Military goes through and what they deserve. . They do not mind giving Billions to our friends who cry kill the Americans. Their Heads of State steal the money and the people that need it never see it. Let the Americans suffer, they have no clue what our fine soldiers go through. What else will they take away from the Military? It is suprising that these young people still join. and fight for this country who is going to hell in a handbasket.
Leave the military and their benefits alone. They die for us. Lower Congress’s pay.
Hello, this is a good idea for saving monies by the gov’t; however, if the gov’t wastes the monies elsewhere, then no, it’s not a good idea.
No. No. No. Don’t the military and their families give enough without being penalized more.
I do believe this bill to reduce housing allowances to dual -military families is just.. They are one family living in the same house/ appartment.. If they have to live apart because of duty stations then I consider it to be fair that extra monies then be given to pay for Two places to live.
It’s “just” to pay one soldier LESS based on who they are married to?
Well then I propose that every married service member have to submit their spouse’s civilian paystub to the military finance office so that the government can determine if that household makes “enough” money in total annual income. If they do, then that service member should lose his BAH also. Fair is fair.
All should be treated equally. If two ‘single’ persons live together then they would not be affected by this ruling so why attack working married folks. The military is already a hard life for a family so don’t make it worse.
Actually, they would. The bill suggests that single service members who share a house would only receive “up to 75% of their BAH.”
So lower ranking service members would be discouraged from supporting each other (financially and emotionally) in their off-duty time. They would either be forced into cheaper apartment complexes, or houses in shifty parts of town where the rent is lower.
As a young female soldier I shared a house with another female soldier. We taught ourselves valuable skills in home maintenance and even “felt like real adults” since we had a house instead of a cheap apartment where everything is done for you. We mowed the lawn, changed our own oil in the garage, prepared meals together, and even more we supported each other emotionally through the trials of our early careers. Ten years later, even though we’ve both PCS’d several times, she’s still my best friend and was the maid of honor at my wedding.
I think if we had been penalized several hundreds of dollars for wanting to split home costs, we probably would have made other arrangements.
My husband already said that if this happens, we will get a divorce and just be roomies. Better to lose $725 a month than my entire $1300 BAH. Being married mil-to-mil hasn’t really given us any other benefits anyway.
Or like many said, I’ll just not reenlist next time. Then I can stop paying base daycare fees and stay home with my daughter, and we can live off one paycheck-like it seems society THINKS I should do.
weve already lost so many things that were standard for military .i say havent we lost enough?
You are so foolish for taking away benefits from the ones that maintain our freedom. You have two military members equaling two military missions. You shouldn’t be penalized because you chose to marry another service member. Find the money elsewhere, the military isn’t an easy life; the ones that chose it shouldn’t suffer because of funding. You always go after the ones making the least, but give the most. Make your cuts on the Fat Cats making all of these stupid decisions, probably haven’t spent one day in uniform…
This just pisses me off!!!
I wish Congress would leave the military”s pay and privilages alone and have the congress start looking at the perks the congress get. and stop giving other countries money just cause they ask.
We were a military family but am telling the grandkids not to go in the military.
I think is a great!! Congress needs to do much more. We need to go back to a military and not a boy/girl scout club!! This active duty force we have today does not see the military as a “calling/duty” but “”just a job with lots of benefits.”””
Have you ever been in the military and have to move when ever they say to wherever they say with or with out your family,missing holidays, and births ? The money the military get is not enough for what they have to indure.
People say then don’t join the military,if all the men and women,do that then where is the military then. Would like the congress work on ajusting the pay and perks they get before they keep taking from the military.
Don, your logic is flawed. Today’s military is an all-volunteer force. Since the draft went away, people have chosen to join to follow their calling & do their duty.
Due to all the BS we have to deal with these days (sensitivity training, “shelter in place,” etc) I guarantee that those who feel it’s “just a job” are not reenlisting. In the past few years, I’ve seen more people do their four years and get out, than all the people I’ve seen choose to leave in my entire career.
I think this is the dumbest thing the senate has come up with. My husband and I are both E-5’s and when I got my tax return in January I only recieved $27,000 for the entire year. My base pay is $2580.00 a month and my BAH is $1143.00. So, if they were to take away my BAH because my husband out ranks me I will be recieving only $1437.00 a month! I wonder how would they feel if they had 2 children attending daycare which is $876.00 a month (on post) and only recieve $718.50 every two weeks and let us not forget this is the amount every 1st and 15th without the taxes taken out. People working a 9 to 5 make more than this. Although, we will still be recieving my husbands BAH we are stationed in Colorado (which is very expensive). He will be recieving $1143.00 BAH for our rent and utilities. Our rent alone is $1100, therefore, we will only have $143.00 for the light bill, gas, water, and trash pick up. Do these people really think this is suppose to cover 100% of our living expenses? We have both taken an oath to support and defend our country. We are way from our children at least 90 days of the year (if one of us is not deployed) for combat training. But, because I am the lowest ranking in my marriage I should only recieve $14,448 a year? That is bullshit! I know service members who are married to civilians who make more than this chump change and for the people who say they its about time they take our money, I wonder how would you feel only making $14,448 a year supporting two toddlers. I can’t even save for retirement or give my kids my GI bill because I will need it to further my education and find a job that will SUPPORT my family of 4. I am not trying to make this a sob story but I would like people to see that this is real. I do not think that it is fair that I have been serving my country for 5 years and a private or specialist can enlist into the military with a civilian spouse and make more than me because of the person I am married to.
A cut like that would not be catastrophic, she said, noting that her mortgage payment is about $1,900 and potentially manageable on a single BAH payment.
For all of you saying that you support this, do you agree that a 12 year E-6 should be paid less than an E-4 who’s been active duty for LESS THAN 3 years? That is what will happen if this part of the bill passes.
Base pay E-6 / Over 12 yrs of service: $3565.80
Base pay E-4 / Between 2-3 yrs, w/dep BAH: $3589.80
That’s saying a flight chief, who’s been on 3 deployments, 4 assignments, NCO Academy, with a shit-load more responsibility will bring home a smaller paycheck than a young airman who’s still on their first contract/first duty station/barely out of high school.
The example above is a close number, but even a single airman who’s been in for half as long as I have will make more than I do.
Regardless of how you want to deconstruct the military pay check (base pay, benefits and allowances) income is income. As an NCO in a leadership role, my total pay should NOT be lower than my troops.
Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey, right, and his six fellow senior enlisted advisers sent a rare joint letter to Congress strongly objecting to a proposal to greatly reduce Basic Allowance for Housing for dual-military couples.