Hey, I'm just a junior in high school exploring my post-graduation options. One thing that has crossed my mind is joining the military. I've heard about BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) but I'm unsure about how it works: If you're single and get deployed, do you still receive BAH? Might sound naive, but appreciate any clarification!
Hello! Your question is a good one and totally understandable. The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a U.S. based allowance prescribed by geographic duty location, pay grade, and dependency status. It provides uniformed service members equitable housing compensation based on housing costs in local civilian housing markets within the United States when government quarters are not provided.
It's important to understand that being deployed does not necessarily mean you will lose BAH. If you are single enlisted personnel and you live in the barracks, you generally won't receive BAH. However, if you are single and given permission to live off base (such as at a duty station with insufficient barracks space), you'll receive BAH based on that location.
If you're deployed, your housing allotment usually continues, especially if you're maintaining a residence (essentially your "home base" stateside). When you're deployed internationally, your location would not change your previous BAH assignment, as your permanent duty station remains your base in the U.S. However, these situations vastly depend on the needs of the military and your specific circumstances.
Always check with a military recruitment officer or the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) for the most current and accurate information since rules can change over time.
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