Hi,

My name is Abel and i just separated from the Active duty Army. My wife is in the Active Coast Guard. I am currently residing in Florida where I have started working for the state and my son is registered for school. My wife is currently stationed in Va. I would like to know if my wife is entitled to BAH when:

1. She is in the barracks
2. I am not on active duty eff: 28Jul07 getting BAH
3. We are not moving to her duty station.

I will not be moving to Va because my son is in school and I have started working already. The YN2 at my wife duty location has stated that she can not get BAH because she is in the Barracks. Correct me if I am wrong but I thought BAH is for dependents not the service member. Also I have checked the Pay Manual and I think it say she is in ch3, sec E, para 1, sub para C. PLEASE HELP.

I am not a YN but I have recently moved my own family away from were I am. It is correct that she must move out of the. She will responsible for her own housing were she is at as well as yours. Now I am not going to say that you are wrong about BAH being for Dependents, but the way the bean counters see it is that the service member is entitled to three hots and a cot. and the dependents get three hots and cot. If they were to give BAH to the member and allow her to stay in the barracks, that gives two cots. I hope this helps. And please remember I am not a YN, I just have a situation that is close to yours.

It is the manual, chapter, and paragraph as mentioned by your YN:

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/G-W/g-wp/g-wpm/g-wpm-2/PayMan.htm

It is a long and painful read, but the choice was yours not to accompany the member at the new duty station. If the member then occupies "government quarters" at the new unit, BAH stops.

What you need to do is look at the cost of an apartment at the unit vs what you will get for BAH. It could be a break-even situation. Then there is her ability to find an apartment that is a safe place to live. I'm thinking D.C. area, but maybe she is in a quieter location in Virginia?

I know in the past, we would assume the BAH rate is based upon the members duty location, but I remember an issue involving an overseas member with dependents in CONUS that got in some kind of trouble for claiming the BAH rate at the overseas location. Probably not an issue for CONUS assignments.

Good luck!

You need to read all the regs regarding your situations. The info given above is not exactly correct. There are a myriad of different situations that all have different options. Having been involved with similar situations as a geo bachelor for 7+ years I can tell you that I have lived in a barracks where I paid $100 a month to live there and was subject to be ejected for purposes of housing single members and still was able to collect BAH at the rate of my duty station. I also collected BAH at a previous PDS while stationed in VA. The below info is a good place for you to start your search. But again, educate yourself and use their regs against them. That's what I did. Don't rely on just asking here as many people have opinions and sea stories of situatioins that thye've "heard" about.

8. BAH Rate Protection under a “No Entitlement” Permanent Change of Station (PCS). In addition to
pre-existing authority to base BAH on dependent location, effective 1 Oct 2000, in cases of no
entitlement permanent change of station (PCS) orders within the United States, Commandant
(G-WPM-2) may authorize BAH based upon a member’s previous permanent duty station (PDS).
Once a member is approved for the previous PDS BAH rate, and the BAH rate for their current PDS
inverts to a higher rate other than the rate authorized for, the member cannot submit a new request to
receive that higher PDS rate. CONUS COLA, if applicable, cannot be paid for the previous PDS, only
for the new PDS or location of dependents. Requests will be submitted by letter, with command
endorsement, to Commandant (G-WPM-2).
a. “No Entitlement” Permanent Change of Station Defined. To properly apply this term under Joint
Federal Travel Regulation rules, no entitlement orders are those orders where the member made a
housing decision based on the BAH in effect at their PDS and are later disadvantaged with no
entitlement for movement of household goods (HHG) or dependents due to the proximity (within a
one-hour commute each way) of their residence to their new PDS. Members do not “elect”
CH-3 3-12
3-13 CH-4
no entitlement PCS assignments. Members who receive PCS funded orders, but do not move their
households and elect to commute still have an entitlement to ship household goods. A PCS is not
considered “no entitlement” when the members decision to not utilize the funded PCS entitlement
is a matter of personal choice. BAH will not be authorized at either their dependents location or
their previous PDS. The exception to this is assignment to an unusually arduous sea duty vessel
(Polar WAGB, WHEC, or WMEC).
b. Consideration Factors. Commandant (G-WPM-2) will review each request for BAH based upon
previous PDS. Factors considered to allow continued receipt of BAH based on the previous duty
station or dependent location will include:
(1) If a civilian housing decision was based upon the BAH rate for the previous duty assignment.
Example 1: A member transfers PCS from GP Humboldt Bay to GP San Francisco and makes a
housing decision to live in the Oakland/Alameda, CA, MHA. Tour complete at GP San Francisco, the
member receives no entitlement orders to a command at CG Island, Alameda, CA, (same MHA where
residence is located). Member will be authorized to receive the previous duty station BAH (GP San
Francisco) because that BAH was used to base their housing decision on.
Example 2: A member was assigned to a PDS in the Baltimore MHA, received the Baltimore MHA
BAH, and made a housing decision based on the Baltimore MHA BAH. The member then receives a no
entitlement PCS to CG Headquarters, Washington, DC, MHA, does not relocate their household, but is
entitled to the higher Washington DC MHA BAH. Upon tour completion at HQ the member receives a
no entitlement PCS back to a Baltimore MHA PDS. Previous duty station (HQ) BAH cannot be
authorized because the member had made a housing decision during their first tour in the Baltimore
area – a decision that was not influenced by the higher Washington DC BAH.
(2) The Military Housing Area where the member elects to reside with their dependents.
(3) A change in the member’s dependency status upon/after reporting to a lower BAH MHA.
c. For Members with Dependents. Previous PDS rates are protected if the PCS is to a new PDS
within the same MHA. If the member is issued no entitlement PCS orders to a different MHA, the
member can request to continue to receive the BAH rate for the location of their former PDS if
circumstances warrant such consideration. This applies to all no entitlement transfers, including
those affected prior to 1 Oct 2000, but not to tours of duty that precede an applicant’s current
permanent assignment.
Example 1: A member is assigned to CG Headquarters (Washington, DC, MHA), and resides in
Bowie, MD (Fort G.G. Meade, MD MHA). Member receives no entitlement PCS orders from
Headquarters to CG Activities Baltimore, MD (CG Yard, Baltimore). The member would have no
entitlement to a funded PCS since their residence is within a one-hour commute time each way to the new
PDS. The member could request to retain the BAH rate, if higher, for the previous PDS (Washington, DC,
MHA).
Example 2: A member is assigned to VTS San Francisco (San Francisco MHA), and resides in
Richmond, CA (Oakland/Alameda MHA). Member receives no entitlement PCS orders from VTS to
MLCPAC, Coast Guard Island, Alameda, CA. Member would have no entitlement to a funded PCS since
their residence is within a one-hour commute to the new PDS. Member could request to retain the BAH
rate, if higher, for the previous PDS (VTS).
CH-4 3-14
Example 3: A member is assigned to GP San Francisco, and resides in Alameda, CA
(Oakland/Alameda MHA). Their PDS prior to Group San Francisco was ISC Alameda. The member
based their civilian housing decision in Alameda and did not relocate upon receiving orders to GP San
Francisco. Tour complete, member receives no entitlement PCS orders back to PACAREA, Alameda.
The member cannot be rate protected at their previous PDS (GP San Francisco) because the member
was initially ordered into Alameda and based their housing decision on the BAH rate for the
Oakland/Alameda MHA.
Example 4: A member receives a no entitlement PCS transfer from ISC Portsmouth, VA,
(Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA, MHA), to TRACEN Yorktown, VA, (Hampton/Newport News, VA,
MHA). The member resides in Portsmouth. The MHA locations are different and the BAH rate is
lower in Yorktown than Portsmouth. The member could request to Commandant (G-WPM-2) to
continue receipt of the higher Portsmouth BAH rate.

CRITICAL HOUSING AREAS

Authority: Title 37 U.S. Code, Section 403 authorized that the Secretaries concerned for the Uniformed Services may authorize BAH at rates other than for the member's Permanent Duty Station (PDS) when it has been determined that amounts of Government or civilian family housing are insufficient to meet requirements in the vicinity for military installations.

For intranet users: COMMANDANT INSTRUCTION 11101.15

The following locations are currently designated as Coast Guard Critical Housing Areas:

Location
Designator (MHA/Zip Code)
Abbeville, LA 70511
Buxton, NC 27920 effective 01 Feb 05
Cape May, NJ NJ198
Carrabelle, FL 32322 effective 01 Feb 03
Coastal Maine ME141 effective 01 Feb 04
Eastern Shore, VA 23336, 23480, 23310 effective 01 Feb 05
Marathon/Islamorada, FL 33050, 33036 effective 01 Feb 05
Montauk, NY NY218
Port O’Connor, TX 77982
Station Menemsha, MA 02535 effective 01 Sep 05
Station Provincetown, MA 02657 effective 01 Feb 04
Station Oxford, MD (CCG ZZ690) 21654 effective 01 Apr 04
Baton Rouge, LA LA114 effective 02 Sep 05
New Orleans, LA LA116 effective 02 Sep 05
St Mary and Terrebonne, LA LA326 effective 02 Sep 05
Morgan City, LA LA118 effective 02 Sep 05
Gulfport, MS MS168 effective 02 Sep 05
Pascagoula, MS MS410 effective 02 Sep 05
Mobile, AL AL004 effective 02 Sep 05
Lake Charles, LA LA370 effective 24 Sep 05
Beaumont, TX TX273 effective 24 Sep 05
Key West, FL 33040 effective 01 Feb 06
Station Hobucken, NC 28537 effective 10 Feb 06
Station Yankeetown, FL 34498 effective 01 Jun 07
Loran Station Gillette 82717 effective 01 Aug 07

Areas designated by 2007 CHA Listing NAVADMIN 009/07 effective 17 Jan 07:
U.S. West
San Diego, CA CA038
Yakima, WA WA313
Moscow, ID ID333
U.S. Southeast
New Orleans, LA LA116
Gulfport, MS MS168
U.S. Midwest
Marinette, WI 54143

The following locations were previously designated Critical Housing Areas as indicated:

Marinette, WI (CCG ZZ570) 54143 effective 01 Jul 04 to 31 Jan 06
China Lake, CA CA021 effective 21 Sep 05 to 17 Jan 07
Lemoore, CA CA023 effective 21 Sep 05 to 17 Jan 07
Hampton/Newport News, VA VA297 effective 21 Sep 05 to 17 Jan 07
Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA VA298 effective 21 Sep 05 to 17 Jan 07
Meridian, MS MS171 effective 21 Sep 05 to 17 Jan 07
Pensacola, FL FL064 effective 21 Sep 05 to 17 Jan 07

Members with approved CHA benefits for previously a designated area may retain the benefits until they execute PCS orders, retire, discharge, have a change in dependency status, or their dependents relocate, whichever occurs first.

Message Subject Contents
ALCOAST 022/04 Critical Housing Areas Implementation
ALCOAST 114/04 Critical Housing Areas Application policy change
ALCOAST 172/04 Critical Housing Area Updates Added areas
ALCOAST 303/04 Critical Housing Area Update Added area
ALCOAST 027/05 2005 Critical Housing Areas 2005 areas
ALCOAST 399/05 Critical Housing Area Update Added area
ALCOAST 450/05 Katrina Critical Housing Areas Katrina areas
ALCOAST 526/05 Critical Housing Areas For Hurricane Rita Rita areas
ALCOAST 039/06 2006 Annual Review of Critical Housing Areas (CHA) 2006 areas
ALCOAST 093/06 Critical Housing Area (CHA) Update Added areas
ALCOAST 071/07 2007 Annual Review of Critical Housing Areas 2007 areas
ALCOAST 274/07 Critical Housing Area (CHA) Update Added area
ALCOAST 377/07 Critical Housing Area (CHA) Update Added area

You may also want to look at the housing manual. COMDTINST M11101.13D

ok to help with all this confusing mumbo jumbo---

1)if your wife resides for free in the barracks the BAH will stop--

2)if your wife resides in the barracks for a cost the BAH will be at the VA rate--

3)if she cannot live in the barracks you will have to maintain 2 households--

[quote]Authority: Title 37 U.S. Code, Section 403 authorized that the Secretaries concerned for the Uniformed Services may authorize BAH at rates other than for the member's Permanent Duty Station (PDS)
Race6fan, again your info is not quite correct. Since we're not sure where they are stationed at in Va. the above applies. For instance, I was drawing the higher BAH from my previous PDS when I transferred to Portsmouth, Va. I did not have to collect BAH at Portsmouth rate as my previous PDS was higher and I did not execute a PCS move of my family or any household goods. As I stated before, read the regulations and don't just rely on the good intentions of those on these boards to ensure that you are getting all that you are entitled to. To put another point to this, when I was stationed in Alameda the Base CO allowed several Senior Members, E-7 and above, who were GEO Bachelors, to occupy Government owned housing there. The hitch was you were assigned to a house with 2 junior members in order to provide a Senior Leadership presence after there were numerous incidents of single Junior personnel causing problems in the family housing area. These members still collected their BAH. If I recall correctly the CO dubbed it the "Sea Daddy" program.

GUNS--- I do not talk outside the side of my mouth--

there are excetptions to every RULE-- BUT for GENERAL speaking my above statement is true and correct.

in ALL the yrs I have been a military wife - I have only seen the instances you posted maybe 4-5 times and these were situations OUT of the norm-

and to even make him more CONFUSED-- since that seems to be your goal--- is when an AD member CG- goes in theater to the persian gulf- the CG will allow a PCS move and the BAH rate where the spouse and family lives...

BUT OH yeah--- he wasn't asking that question was he????

I'm not trying to confuse anyone. Seeing as how I have actual experience with the situation the individual had questions about I posted my first hand knowledgeof the rules and regulations. Since you are not even an Active Duty Member and by your own admission say that you have seen the situations I have lived then why are you confused? The guy wasn't asking for "general" situations he was asking about a specific situation of which I have not only a greater knowledge of than you but actual real life experience with. You may not talk out of the side of your mouth but you're definitely talking out of somewhere else on this one...

quote:

Originally posted by race6fan:
GUNS--- I do not talk outside the side of my mouth--

there are excetptions to every RULE-- BUT for GENERAL speaking my above statement is true and correct.

in ALL the yrs I have been a military wife - I have only seen the instances you posted maybe 4-5 times and these were situations OUT of the norm-

and to even make him more CONFUSED-- since that seems to be your goal--- is when an AD member CG- goes in theater to the persian gulf- the CG will allow a PCS move and the BAH rate where the spouse and family lives...

BUT OH yeah--- he wasn't asking that question was he????

The housing manual allows the CO of the unit controlling the barracks to assign geo-bachelor's on a space available basis. It not uncommon in the Coast Guard and even more common in the DOD. This would have no affect on WITH DEPN BAH. BAH for a member WITH DEPNS only stops when government owned family-type quarters are assigned.

There is no ENTITLEMENT for a geo-bachelor to live in UPH quarters, so a waiver must have been granted. If the command controlling the barracks knows these rules regarding geo-bachlor assignments, I'm surprised the YN didn't know the BAH rules. There could be confusion on the dependency status.

Maybe the CG member was assigned to the barracks when the prior-Army spouse was still on active duty (Abel said he just separated). Abel also referred to the child as "his son." Maybe he was claiming the son as his dependent for BAH purposes with the Army. It's possible the CG member was technically a "member without dependents" at the time she reported to VA and was assigned to the barracks as if she were single. I would engage the admin or PERSRU supervisor and clarify the dependency status. Now that Abel has separated, both he and his son are CG dependents.

They can't terminate BAH, but they can terminate the assignment to the barracks.

As far as BAH rates go, the PDS is always the entitlement, but COMDT can grant waivers if dependents live in other areas. That also happens all the time. It's all case by case.

Being the wife of a GEO Batch... let me say, we purchased a travel trailer... 32 ft long. When hubby had his only year on land, he lived in it, so that he wouldn't have to move the family, as we own a horse farm. The rates per month for living in a campground are cheaper then renting an apt. and is easy to move if the billet changes due to promotions or short tours. It has worked for us.

The kids enjoy (when I can get help for the farm) spending time in the summer at the many campgrounds we have stayed at. Hubby had been bumped out of the barracks years ago.

Just an idea... Our travel trailer sleeps 9... lots of room, but you might not need that much room. Any questions.. feel free to ask

If I am PCS to California, and my family lives in Florida. Do I get to choose the BAH? Or, must I take the BAH from Florida?
R?
D

quote:

1)if your wife resides for free in the barracks the BAH will stop--

Negative race6fan... The Coast Guard has to provide a place for you and your family to live... Regardless whether or not they are living together...

It's a term called 'geographical bachelor'... That's when the active duty member resides in barracks while dependents reside at their previous unit, home of record, etc...

AbelRa, you should receive BAH w/ dependents for whatever zip code you and your kids reside at... If someone's telling your wife she's not entitled to BAH for her dependents while she's living in a barracks room they're seriously off their rocker and she needs to contact her unit yeoman ASAP...

For those of you saying that this is not the way it's supposed to be... I'll be honest I don't know where it says all this in a manual, but I do know that when I first arrived on Kodiak Island, my wife was still in Petaluma with our newborn where she remains at present time... We received BAH w/ dependents for the 35 days of leave plus the two weeks I spent in the barracks waiting for housing and we received it at the Petaluma rate, where my wife was... Triple checked with my YN2 who triple checked with the YNC @ ISC and that's the way it's supposed to be...

ET3 Sends...

got a jim-dandy idea here; instead of getting all these different answers from the variety of infobanks, why don't you look up the benefits and entitlements that are part of your pay package starting with the PERSMAN, Pay Manual, BAH website, etc. Then go directly to your Chief or to the SPO that handles YOUR files and get the answer the right way...btw, they have prepared worksheets available from PSC's website that you can read for yourself.

Bottomline: your chances of getting the CORRECT and COMPLETE answer here is slim depending on who answers your question. Your chances of getting the correct answer from your SPO YN1 and YNC are MUCH better than getting it from a PO3 trying to answer a question outside their "specialty" area. Same goes for you if you're trying to get an answer on the radar glitch and asking the MK or YN on why it won't work.

On a side note; being a geographical bachelor is a choice and the CG doesn't issue "geo" orders. Geo's "may" occupy the UPH as long as their are no bonifide bachelors waiting. If occupied then they have to go find suitable living arrangements on the economy with no help from the CG...your choice. You get BAH based upon the members PDS (permanent duty station) unless very specific waiver criteria are met.

Once again, contact YOUR SPO for the best and most correct info.

quote:

...why don't you look up the benefits and entitlements that are part of your pay package starting with the PERSMAN, Pay Manual, BAH website, etc. Then go directly to your Chief or to the SPO that handles YOUR files and get the answer the right way...btw, they have prepared worksheets available from PSC's website that you can read for yourself...

Good advice... And I would suggest that AbelRa follow it... However this is a place for people to gain information outside the normal channels... Especially when the person asking the question is prior AD Army and is now the dependent of the AD Coastie with no Chief or SPO to consult with... I would naturally assume his wife is routing her concerns through the appropriate channels at her unit in VA, but with hime being in FL, I would naturally assume he's just looking for an idea of how things are supposed to happen and he's looking in one of the places where folks might know the answer...

Well put, jg. I would add that as well intentioned as the advice of talking to your admin folks is I won't even begin to tell you how many different stories and answers I've gotten over the years from the so called experts. My pay was recently docked for money on a PCS travel claim that was over two years old! When I called Topeka the "expert" there was unable to answer simple questions, give me an exact accounting of the amount that was being docked nor why it was happening. They actually wanted me to go to my admin people and figure out the answers! My answer to them was you mean to tell mean in a building full of Yeoman and supposed travel experts your answer to me is to go talk to our one assigned very junior YN2? I don't think so. The advice I give to my guys is to read the manuals yourself and when some admin type tells you something you think is wrong use their own manuals and directives against them.

quote:

Originally posted by jgcoastie:

quote:

...why don't you look up the benefits and entitlements that are part of your pay package starting with the PERSMAN, Pay Manual, BAH website, etc. Then go directly to your Chief or to the SPO that handles YOUR files and get the answer the right way...btw, they have prepared worksheets available from PSC's website that you can read for yourself...

Good advice... And I would suggest that AbelRa follow it... However this is a place for people to gain information outside the normal channels... Especially when the person asking the question is prior AD Army and is now the dependent of the AD Coastie with no Chief or SPO to consult with... I would naturally assume his wife is routing her concerns through the appropriate channels at her unit in VA, but with hime being in FL, I would naturally assume he's just looking for an idea of how things are supposed to happen and he's looking in one of the places where folks might know the answer...

quote:

I would add that as well intentioned as the advice of talking to your admin folks is I won't even begin to tell you how many different stories and answers I've gotten over the years from the so called experts.

Believe me CH, I know... The CG was supposed to give me my advance travel, advance DLA, and 60% advance for DITY move when I went to my first unit... Never got it... A month later they started taking it out of my pay... $400 a paycheck with me being the lowly E-3 that I was... Good thing the wife was working... After my year and a half at the station and $6300 poorer I went to 'A' School and the YNC there finally fixed it... I had a year and a half of all the "experts" telling me that they payed me my travel money twice when I could see good and d**n well on peoplesoft they hadn't given it to me once... Tells you just how much of an "expert" who "specializes" in this area actually knows...

ET3 Sends...

at a unit with no CPO I can believe, but everyone's records are handled by a SPO plus there are plenty of ways to get the correct information without having to hear bits and pieces on this board. There is also a spouses guide on the MCPOCG's webpage that also gives information too. Plus the spouse can also visit PSC's website themselves and call for information.

Of course with that little bit of info there someone will probably come back on how long it took for someone to call them back or not.

If the spouse is in FL with the AD member in VA, they are more than welcome to call me and we will get them the best possible service we can provide.

More often than not the information and work that comes out of SPO's or any other shop in the CG is usually of very high quality and of course there is always that "one" story that everyone hears, but those are generally rare.

Thank-you to everyone who has responded. Here is a SitRep: When my wife first arrived at Camslant,Va she was assigned as a geographical bachelor (married no dependents). She was assigned in this way because my son and I where still living in Germany. At that time I was collecting BAH from the Army to support my son and I, so my wife was not collecting. When I separated from the Army in July we became her dependents. When her status changed from single soldier to with two dependents it was my understanding that she was entitled to BAH with the dependent rate.

The Army paid for me to return to my home of recored, Florida. This is where both my son and I currently reside. The way her unit explained it was that it was our choice to remain here and that they where only responsible by regulation to provide one set of quarters be it Barracks or BAH. This is also the case in the army as we housed geographical bachelors on a case by case basis. Her commander took into account her obligation to contribute support of her son and the circumstances why my son and I remain here. As a compromise her commander allowed her to move out of the barracks and into a sort of transient room on a space available basis and collect BAH. The room is much smaller but it is still on post and near her PDS. That being said I am very grateful for the responses, thank-you all and I hope this may help someone else in the future. :-)

PS. Thank-you again for all the wonderful resources suggested, both formal and informal. They came in very handy when petitioning our case.