Full Time Military: 2010 BAH Rates Available

[creditcardfree]

The 2010 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates are now online here. Rates are effective with January mid-month pay.

[reallyprettyhappy]

According to that, we're getting a sweet $19/month increase. Wow, don't spend it all in one place, right?

[creditcardfree]

According to that, we're getting a sweet $19/month increase. Wow, don't spend it all in one place, right?

Right! At least it is tax free.

[reallyprettyhappy]

LOL, true. The 3.4% raise this year is kind of a joke too. I guess I'm just bitter because this is the first time we have been 'stuck' on the pay chart for an extended period of time. At the same time, the AF deployment rotation that my DH is on has sped up, going from deploy 6 months, home 18 months to deploy 6 months, home 6 months. Don't know how long that will last, but it makes me want to cry just thinking about it. This new Afghanistan 'strategy' will be the wild card for us going forward. I personally believe that a 'retention bonus' is in order for multiple deployments. Once you've been through it X number of times, every time after that should be compensated at an increasing rate. I don't know, just dreaming.

[creditcardfree]

LOL, true. The 3.4% raise this year is kind of a joke too. I guess I'm just bitter because this is the first time we have been 'stuck' on the pay chart for an extended period of time. At the same time, the AF deployment rotation that my DH is on has sped up, going from deploy 6 months, home 18 months to deploy 6 months, home 6 months. Don't know how long that will last, but it makes me want to cry just thinking about it. This new Afghanistan 'strategy' will be the wild card for us going forward. I personally believe that a 'retention bonus' is in order for multiple deployments. Once you've been through it X number of times, every time after that should be compensated at an increasing rate. I don't know, just dreaming.

I'll have to let my DH know about those AF deployments. We are full time Army Reserve (AGR), so deployments are 12 months every five years. My DH wants to transfer to AF and to me that rotation doesn't sound better. I'll cry with you. DH is leaving this spring for his next deployment. Dreading it already!

I love your compensation idea! Let's call our congressmen.

[reallyprettyhappy]

I think deployment rotations are heavily influenced by MOS. My DH is a civil engineer, so a field in extraordinarily high demand right now in the conflict zones. We have a friend who is an AF nutritionist, who has never deployed. I guess it all depends. A year is a really long time to me. I guess that's how we get though it...just maintaining perspective and realizing that there are others who sacrifice so much more.

[kork13]

According to that, we're getting a sweet $19/month increase. Wow, don't spend it all in one place, right?

Well, this year's adjustment is a solid $100 pay cut for me, so yippee for that.... Thankfully, I'm no longer in my former apartment. Otherwise, the BAH wouldn't even cover my rent, let alone utilities.

[creditcardfree]

Well, this year's adjustment is a solid $100 pay cut for me, so yippee for that.... Thankfully, I'm no longer in my former apartment. Otherwise, the BAH wouldn't even cover my rent, let alone utilities.

How did you get a cut? If BAH went down for your pay grade, you should still get at least the amount you were receiving before. At least that is my understanding.

[kork13]

I'll have to let my DH know about those AF deployments. We are full time Army Reserve (AGR), so deployments are 12 months every five years. My DH wants to transfer to AF and to me that rotation doesn't sound better. I'll cry with you. DH is leaving this spring for his next deployment. Dreading it already!

CCF, it also depends on the unit, in the case of the reserves. Some AFR units deploy just as regularly as the AD units, but many are less frequent or for shorter periods. It appears to be the same for Army reserve, because I thought that it's currently a 12 gone, 12-24 home rotation for most AD army units (but I'm not familiar with it, so take it FWIW)

[creditcardfree]

CCF, it also depends on the unit, in the case of the reserves. Some AFR units deploy just as regularly as the AD units, but many are less frequent or for shorter periods. It appears to be the same for Army reserve, because I thought that it's currently a 12 gone, 12-24 home rotation for most AD army units (but I'm not familiar with it, so take it FWIW)

Good point. MOS makes a difference as well. My husband's unit is part of the Army Reserve, but he's one of the full timers that keeps the unit up and running on daily basis. They support units in multiple states.

[kork13]

How did you get a cut? If BAH went down for your pay grade, you should still get at least the amount you were receiving before. At least that is my understanding.

oh really? wow, that's news to me... it makes sense though, in order to prevent just the situation I'm talking about. I guess I'll just have to see what I get come January....

[sfalexi]

Thanks for the info. I get a whopping $1 increase where I am now, but when I move this year, I can now plan on $80 more than I originally expected. It'll help pay down some stuff that much quicker.

Alexi

[creditcardfree]

Thanks for the info. I get a whopping $1 increase where I am now, but when I move this year, I can now plan on $80 more than I originally expected. It'll help pay down some stuff that much quicker.

Alexi

You are welcome. I'd be looking foward to the $80, too! $1...Yuck.

[creditcardfree]

oh really? wow, that's news to me... it makes sense though, in order to prevent just the situation I'm talking about. I guess I'll just have to see what I get come January....

Let us know how it works out for you.