Navy Life Questions

[shocker]

The website I was reading dealt specifically with new legislation regarding BAH while deployed.  Something along the lines of getting BAH even IF you moved out and got storage - but I forget the bill it was under, and I can't find it again on google :-(

[crusemm]

As far as I know, at least at all of the commands I've been at, once you qualified for BAH, you got to keep it.  Unless you did something to lose eligibility (RIR).  That meant if you terminated your lease and put your stuff in storage, you still got to drink...Errr I mean bank the difference.

[Possible]

Do you have to be an E-5 before you get BAH? I know you said something about subs before, and I was wondering if that only applied to them and not to surface.

[crusemm]

3. Policy. Navy policy restricts eligibility to berth ashore for single shipboard Sailors E-5 and E-4 (with greater than four years of service), contingent upon the approval of their commanding officer. This approval, however, does not constitute an authorization to receive a housing allowance, but simply allows the member to reside off the ship.
a. The shore-based facility commander shall make the determination whether the member will be berthed in single bachelor quarters or entitled to draw an off-base housing allowance. It should be noted that full utilization of BQ spaces should be ensured prior to authorization of BAH for shipboard E-4s over four years of service without dependents. However, senior personnel residing in the BQ will not be involuntarily displaced to provide berthing for single shipboard E-4 Sailors.
b. Single shipboard E-4 Sailors who were previously assigned to shore duty in the same geographic location will continue to receive BAH/OHA if continuing to permanently reside in non-government quarters. Upon completion of the sea duty assignment, the member will continue to receive BAH if reassigned to the same shore location. E-4 and E-5 Sailors will have their authorization to receive BAH reevaluated when executing PCS orders out of the geographical area.
Quoted from OPNAVINST 7220.12 dated 24 Dec 05 found here: http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/07000%20Financial%20Management%20Services/07-200%20Disbursing%20Services/7220.12.pdf (I did a google search for "NAVY BAH Instruction, and it was the 1st one t6hat came up)

So, to answer your question, ion order to draw BAH you must meet the foolowing:
1.  Single E-4 paying child support or
2.  Any rank with dependents (effectively married with or without children, but may mean not married with children.  However if that is you, you have some other major issues to deal with)
3. Single E-4 with more than 4 years active duty and single E-5 or above asssigned to a ship that meets the following requirements:
a.  Authorized by your CO to live off the ship.
b.  Authorized by Base CO to draw BAH based upon barracks occupancy (i.e. if the barracks are full of E-4's and below, you can draw BAH.  If the barracks are empty, No BAH)
4.  Single E-4 with more than 4 years active duty and single E-5 or above asssigned to a shore facility that meets the following requirements:
a.  Authorized by your CO to live off the base.
b.  Authorized by Base CO to draw BAH based upon barracks occupancy (i.e. if the barracks are full of E-4's and below, you can draw BAH.  If the barracks are empty, No BAH).

So, hope that clears it up for you.  BTW, if you ever have any questions about anything to do with the Navy or the government, do your damnedest to find and read the source document.  Despite the fact that I have copied and pasted and quoted for you here, go read it for yourself.  Always always do this.  I have gotten my ass flamed for not going to source documents, and I have saved my ass (and once kept my wife employed for a year and a half) based upon going to the source document.  If you can point to where it says in writing "do this, don't do that", there is not much room for anyone to argue (except for the SSORM, nobody follows that thing  ).

[Gamecock]

3. Policy. Navy policy restricts eligibility to berth ashore for single shipboard Sailors E-5 and E-4 (with greater than four years of service), contingent upon the approval of their commanding officer. This approval, however, does not constitute an authorization to receive a housing allowance, but simply allows the member to reside off the ship.
a. The shore-based facility commander shall make the determination whether the member will be berthed in single bachelor quarters or entitled to draw an off-base housing allowance. It should be noted that full utilization of BQ spaces should be ensured prior to authorization of BAH for shipboard E-4s over four years of service without dependents. However, senior personnel residing in the BQ will not be involuntarily displaced to provide berthing for single shipboard E-4 Sailors.
b. Single shipboard E-4 Sailors who were previously assigned to shore duty in the same geographic location will continue to receive BAH/OHA if continuing to permanently reside in non-government quarters. Upon completion of the sea duty assignment, the member will continue to receive BAH if reassigned to the same shore location. E-4 and E-5 Sailors will have their authorization to receive BAH reevaluated when executing PCS orders out of the geographical area.
Quoted from OPNAVINST 7220.12 dated 24 Dec 05 found here: http://doni.daps.dla.mil/Directives/07000%20Financial%20Management%20Services/07-200%20Disbursing%20Services/7220.12.pdf (I did a google search for "NAVY BAH Instruction, and it was the 1st one t6hat came up)

So, to answer your question, ion order to draw BAH you must meet the foolowing:
1.  Single E-4 paying child support or
2.  Any rank with dependents (effectively married with or without children, but may mean not married with children.  However if that is you, you have some other major issues to deal with)
3. Single E-4 with more than 4 years active duty and single E-5 or above asssigned to a ship that meets the following requirements:
a.  Authorized by your CO to live off the ship.
b.  Authorized by Base CO to draw BAH based upon barracks occupancy (i.e. if the barracks are full of E-4's and below, you can draw BAH.  If the barracks are empty, No BAH)
4.  Single E-4 with more than 4 years active duty and single E-5 or above asssigned to a shore facility that meets the following requirements:
a.  Authorized by your CO to live off the base.
b.  Authorized by Base CO to draw BAH based upon barracks occupancy (i.e. if the barracks are full of E-4's and below, you can draw BAH.  If the barracks are empty, No BAH).

So, hope that clears it up for you.  BTW, if you ever have any questions about anything to do with the Navy or the government, do your damnedest to find and read the source document.  Despite the fact that I have copied and pasted and quoted for you here, go read it for yourself.  Always always do this.  I have gotten my ass flamed for not going to source documents, and I have saved my ass (and once kept my wife employed for a year and a half) based upon going to the source document.  If you can point to where it says in writing "do this, don't do that", there is not much room for anyone to argue (except for the SSORM, nobody follows that thing  ).

You will get BAH when you go to NPTU, regardless of your rank.

Cheers,
GC

[crusemm]

OOPS, forgot about that one  .  Actually, when I went to prototype (S1C, circa 1990), none of the prototypes had any bases associated with them.  Even the "floatatypes" at Charleston were kind of on their own, according to other people that went there.  So yeah, I guess everyone at NPTU does get BAH.  But after that, see my original post.  Unless you get welder/ELT, then I'm pretty sure you keep on getting BAH.

[Gamecock]

Unless you get welder/ELT, then I'm pretty sure you keep on getting BAH.

Actually, if you get welder, you get sent to Groton for that training.  You have to stay in the Suisse Chalet (its the hotel on the base), and therefore do not get BAH.

Cheers,
GC

[number41]

Also another big issue is storage of vehicles.  As far as I know, all of the bases have some sort of arrangement for long term storage of your car/truck/motorcycle(hoo-rah)/mini-van (wimp) in a locked or secured parking lot or building.

I don't EVER recommend parking in these lots whether you are deployed or just at work for the day.  Things may be a little better after 9/11 due to increased base security, but every submarine base that I ever was on had one of these lots and if you looked closely, you would notice that a large majority of the cars had broken windows.  Seems that most everybody understood that if your car was in the deployment lot then you wouldn't notice that your stereo was missing for about 5-6 months.   Also, I'm kind of a car snob, and the warehouses that they had reserved for these lots in PH had a ton of pigeons and dust, and they wouldn't let you put car covers on your car.  So your car would be covered in an inch thick layer of dust and pigeon $hit to add insult to the fact that your stereo had been stolen.  Find somebody you REALLY trust to watch your cars, or if possible, get a house/apartment with a private garage to store your toys.

[retired nuke]

I don't EVER recommend parking in these lots whether you are deployed or just at work for the day.  Things may be a little better after 9/11 due to increased base security, but every submarine base that I ever was on had one of these lots and if you looked closely, you would notice that a large majority of the cars had broken windows.  Seems that most everybody understood that if your car was in the deployment lot then you wouldn't notice that your stereo was missing for about 5-6 months.   Also, I'm kind of a car snob, and the warehouses that they had reserved for these lots in PH had a ton of pigeons and dust, and they wouldn't let you put car covers on your car.  So your car would be covered in an inch thick layer of dust and pigeon $hit to add insult to the fact that your stereo had been stolen.  Find somebody you REALLY trust to watch your cars, or if possible, get a house/apartment with a private garage to store your toys.

Just don't leave it with an A-ganger on TDY for training - had a supply officer do that - left his BMW with my roommate - he put about 3k on that thing, and skint the tires by the time the boat docked...

[Possible]

I just read a post on yahoo answers that mentioned something about you might be allowed to get braces while in nuke school. Does anyone know if this is true? I know you can't get them while you are on sea duty, and I just thought I'd see if anyone on this board knew anything about it.

[JustinHEMI05]

It depends on how messed up your grill is. But in general, the Navy will repair your dental damage. There was a guy in my boot camp division that I wasn't sure how he could eat because of his face. The Navy replaced them all.  About braces in specific, I am not sure.

[Possible]

My grill isn't too messed up. My dentist wanted me to get braces when I was in high school, but I couldn't afford them. Even if I had to pay for all (or part) of it myself, it would be nice to get it done.

[crusemm]

You have two choices: 1)ask and accept whatever answer they give you.  2)go look at the references/instructions/requirements yourself and present them to your command with your request.  The wonder of the internet is that you can find all of these instructions with just a couple of google searches.  Almost all of them are unclassified.  We had an ELT that had his jaw broken and rewired while on a submarine.  So, go figure out what you want and how to get it.

[Possible]

How do you know you can't get them while on sea duty?  A close friend had braces while on a carrier, purchased out of his own pocket.  The sub guys may not allow it due to operational concerns.

Really? Everything I've read on the internet up until this point seems to state otherwise. I've done quite a bit of searching on it too. I wonder why I kept turning up sites saying you can't get them.

[crusemm]

When the Navy says not allowed, a lot of times what they mean, for medical stuff, is we won't pay for it.  There are also waivers.  The Navy will waive just about anything if they really want to.  The regs say: you can't go to sea (or even down on a submarine) with a cast on.  I've seen guys do most of a westpac in a "walking" cast.  The guy was deemed "critical" by the command, thus he got a waiver.  Poop happens.  So, if you want it, make them tell you no and prove it to you, or see if they can waiver it.  I was on med hold until I told my doctor "hey I feel pretty good now, think you can find me fit for duty?"  Doc said yes, three months early.  Never know until you ask.