im leaving in two weeks for 19K OSUT at FT knox, and had a few questions about discrepancies ive heard regarding BAH pay.  i have a wife and two kids.

my recruiter says i will be getting BAH right away as soon as i get to basic,  but there are websites that tell me i will not start getting BAH until i complete AIT.  he said because my wife lives off post we will be recieving it immediately.

also, does one have to live off post to get anything from BAH, or if i live on post will my base salary be all that i get?


i kinda need to get this worked out because thats a big difference on my checks each month.

I ain't gonna steer you wrong. CHECK WITH FINANCE FIRST.


Back in my day, it was called BAQ w/dependents, and it started the instant I left for Basic.




ETA, Back in my day I didn't get to shoot a .30/40 Krag carbine until AIT, so things may have changed. CHECK FIRST!!

The way I recall is that the Basic Allowance for Quaters (BAC, in my day) was to provide housing for the soldier, not the family of the soldier.  Since you were housed by the military during your basic training, you weren't eligible.  I knew a lot of people who got screwed during deployments because their BAQ and separate rations (food allowance for those not using the chow hall) were dropped.

Check with some one at the MEPS station.  (Remember, your recruiter was nothing more than the first person in your military career to lie to you)

Quoted: I ain't gonna steer you wrong. CHECK WITH FINANCE FIRST. Back in my day, it was called BAQ w/dependents, and it started the instant I left for Basic. ETA, Back in my day I didn't get to shoot a .30/40 Krag carbine until AIT, so things may have changed. CHECK FIRST!!

What were you issued in basic, a Model 1888 Rod Bayonet Trapdoor?

Quoted: The way I recall is that the Basic Allowance for Quaters (BAC, in my day) was to provide housing for the soldier, not the family of the soldier.  Since you were housed by the military during your basic training, you weren't eligible.  I knew a lot of people who got screwed during deployments because their BAQ and separate rations (food allowance for those not using the chow hall) were dropped. Check with some one at the MEPS station.  (Remember, your recruiter was nothing more than the first person in your military career to lie to you)

When exactly was "your day?" Because that is all kinds of fucked up.

When I went through boot camp the married guys got BAQ and VHA (both of these are combined in BAH now). However, they might have changed the policy to discourage people from getting married right before they come in to the service.

Checking with someone at MEPS is the right thing to do. Or bring the documentation that says you won't get it to the recruiter to get it resolved. Believe it or not most recruiters want to put out correct information.

Quoted: The way I recall is that the Basic Allowance for Quaters (BAC, in my day) was to provide housing for the soldier, not the family of the soldier.  Since you were housed by the military during your basic training, you weren't eligible.  I knew a lot of people who got screwed during deployments because their BAQ and separate rations (food allowance for those not using the chow hall) were dropped. Check with some one at the MEPS station.  (Remember, your recruiter was nothing more than the first person in your military career to lie to you)

While I haven't found anything on an official site, military.com and army.com (not army.mil) both said that you get BAH during basic and tech school if you have dependants.  I'll keep looking for something official.

excellent, i was starting to get worried because not getting BAH while im still paying my mortgage would be cutting it close.

so after i get a duty station and move on base BAH stops completely, or do i get anything extra for having dependants?

Quoted: excellent, i was starting to get worried because not getting BAH while im still paying my mortgage would be cutting it close. so after i get a duty station and move on base BAH stops completely, or do i get anything extra for having dependants?

If you have dependants, you get BAH, unless the policy has changed, which I doubt in a "challenged" recruiting environment. If you move your family into base housing your BAH stops, sort of.

It gets really complicated because most base housing has switched to PPV (Private Public Venture) where you get "paid" BAH but it is automatically taken out to pay "the rent."

Quoted: What were you issued in basic, a Model 1888 Rod Bayonet Trapdoor?

Point being that things change.

There's nothing worse that an old vet giving a young guy entering a bunch of bad dope based on what happend to him three or four decades ago.

The more I think about it, the smarter I think the services are in that they DO NOT want older vets like myself.

Keee-Rist! Things have changed since the early 70s, and anyone my age that thinks he can just pick up where he left off without making some MAJOR changes is nothing more than a damned fool.

I believe I found the reg.
DoD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A, Chapter 26 (link)
Paragraph 260301, A states: When entitled to BAH.  A member with dependents who is entitled to basic pay is entitled to BAH at rates prescribed for members with dependents when:  2. Adequate government quarters are not furnished for the member's dependents...

thanks guys!!   appreciate the help!