Saturday, January 9, 2010

Does my BAH depend on the location of my spouse or where I am stationed?

I just finished tech school, and am going to my first duty station in oklahoma. My spouse lives in Hawaii and we have an apartment. My spouse is still in college and can't move with me to Oklahoma yet. Do I get BAH for where my spouse is located, or do I get BAH for my location?Does my BAH depend on the location of my spouse or where I am stationed?
You will get BAH on where you are stationed. Since your wife could accompany you but is choosing not to, the military does not have to pay BAH bases on her location. Additionally, you need to talk to your command because there is a very real possibility of not getting full BAH for your location in OK. Since her staying behind is voluntary you may be ordered into dorms. At that point, the military will keep an amount equal to single rate BAH for your rank and duty location to ';pay'; for your dorm room. You would get the differential BAH..basically the amount left after they deduct single rate BAH from your check. It is generally only going to be a couple hundred dollars a month. Or, since you are married, they may have you live off base...meaning you would be using a single BAH to try and pay the costs of supporting two seperate apartments. My suggestion would be for your spouse to finish this semester..it's almost over anyway...and then move with you and transfer to a school in OK. It is tough for military members with higher rank to support two locations on a single rate. The fact that one is located in one of the most exspesive areas while you are stationed in an area with a more moderate cost of living is going to make it even harder financially. Add in the stress it will cause the relationship..you will be lucky to be able to get leave to go home once or twice a year...and most long term military will tell you it will make a challanging first few years in the service even harder.Does my BAH depend on the location of my spouse or where I am stationed?
You are considered a Geographical bachelor.





The Army is under no obligation to grant you BAH based on your wife's location if you are granted accompanied orders.





If you register as a Geographical Bachelor and your PDS is in the Continental US, gets BAH based on your PDS. You can request a waiver to get BAH based on your location if he can show extenuating circumstances, which your wife's degree may well qualify for.





But I wouldn't hold your breath. Is her major not offered in Oklahoma? How long does she have left?
As you have accompanied orders, the BAH will be based on where you are stationed. It doesn't matter if she is there or not. You will either have to stay out in town and support both places on the one BAH or live in barracks and sacrifice the BAH.





you will also not get Family Separation as this a voluntary separation.
Oklahoma. since you have accompanied orders you get BAH based on your duty station Zip code regardless of where she chooses to reside.


you can ask for an exception to policy. since you are wanting HI BAH.. expect it will be denied.
If you are the only one in the service then, yes it depends on where you will be station for the BAH. Which I can tell you, more than likely, you will get less in Oklahoma compared to Hawaii. Good luck
Where you are located.
You'll get BAH for where your stationed.

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