My son just completed AIT training at Fort Sill. His pay was less than expected. Upon closer inspection, we found there was a meal deduction for $326. What is that? His recruiter was also puzzled about the charge. Recruiter ask my son if he had a meal card..asked no. He only ate at DFAC sometimes. Other times he had chinese food or pizza delivered.

Was he getting BAS and did he have to get his ID card scanned at DFAC when he ate? My son didn't get a CAC card until he reached his first PDS so it was assumed that he ate at DFAC for all meals. The difference here is that he was in OSUT and did, indeed, eat every meal at DFAC.

DFAS is taking back the BAS. Why they pay BAS then take it back is beyond me.

I've had Soldiers have huge debts as DFAS didn't start recouping the money until after AIT.

If the DFAC was not charging for meals there should have been a daily meal deduction of $9.25 (2009 rate) whether or not the member utilized the DFAC (Dining Facility-not DFAS). The meal deduction should have been started upon reporting to AIT, but it looks as if it wasn't started until 35 or 36 days later resulting in an overpayment. Now if a meal pass was issued the member IS overpaid. If a meal pass was not issued it could have been standard procedure at the DFAC that AIT students eat free without the need for a meal pass, Again...overpaid.

The problem is not with DFAS, it is with the finance office at AIT for not submitting the data entry to start the meal deductions in a timely manner. It is as if they were leaving it up to the members gaining PDS leaving them with the burden of explaining the overpayment to an unhappy soldier. Sorry that it happened but that is the nature of the beast. It happens in the Navy too.