MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Kaneohe Bay -- As thousands of our Marines and Sailors rotate in and out of the Central Command's area of responsibility, family members are left behind to decipher the multitude of special deployment pays and benefits that could equal up to $500 or more per month.
Although units try to keep their service members and families up-to-date with the most recent changes in pay, understanding military benefits can still be daunting.
"Because of the high-risk areas that these Marines are being sent to, they will receive most of these extra benefits the day after they step in-country," said Lynn Docktor, the information management officer for the Base Personnel Administration Center at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. "Some of these benefits will depend on the location and length of time spent there."
Here is a breakdown of the various allowances for service in the Central Command's AOR:
Basic Allowance for Subsistence
The basic allowance for subsistence is an untaxed food allowance paid to most personnel at monthly rates of $254.46 for enlisted and $175.23 for officers.
According to the MCB Hawaii Disbursing Office, both married and single Marines and Sailors receive full BAS while deployed, but since they are receiving three meals a day from the government (albeit field rations while in combat) a total of $7.10 per day is subtracted from their pay for field rations.
The basic allowance for subsistence is meant to sustain the service member, not the family; this is why the cost of living allowance is allotted to each service member. But, after the discounted meal rate is subtracted from the BAS, Marines and Sailors still receive a small sum that is left over. For example, if deployed for the full 30 days, that leaves $41.46 for enlisted service members and $0 for officers.
Basic Allowance for Housing
The basic allowance for housing is an untaxed pay to cover most of the cost of renting a home in the United States. It varies by location, rank and family status.
When a service member is deployed, he or she continues to receive this benefit so that he or she can continue to maintain home and family.
Early Return of Dependents
If family members choose to leave their residence and live with family and/or friends while their service members are on extended deployments, they can still continue to collect the BAH. But, the service member has to submit an administrative action form, through the chain of command, requesting an early return of family members, which allows the command to relocate the family members and household goods to the designated place in the U.S. in his or her absence. This is a one-time move; any subsequent moves will be at the service member's expense. Family members must meet the eligibility requirements, as stated in MCO P1300.8R.
For more information contact your unit's administrative department.
Family Separation Allowance
A monthly family separation allowance of $250 is paid to service members who are separated from their families for more than 30 days. The service member does not receive payment for the first month until he or she reaches the 31st day in country.
Once that day is reached, the service member receives back pay for the entire month. The allowance continues until the day the service member returns from deployment.
Hardship Duty Pay
Troops deployed for more than 30 days to locations where the Secretary of Defense considers service dangerous receive hardship duty pay of $100 per month. The danger of each deployment is factored into hardship duty pay.
For example, a location like Kuwait, which qualifies for both hardship duty pay and imminent danger pay, is rated at $100. This allows the service member to also collect the imminent danger pay for that area.
Hardship duty pay is taxable income unless the location is designated a combat zone or imminent-danger area.
Imminent Danger Pay
Service members deployed on land, aboard ship, or in aircraft within an officially declared "imminent danger area," receive $225 in imminent danger pay. Amount of time spent in the location does not matter. As long as the service member spends one day of the month there, he or she qualifies for that entire month.
"For instance, if a Marine lands in Iraq on April 28, then on April 29 they will be on the books for imminent danger pay," said Docktor. "They will receive back pay for the entire month of April, and will receive that same pay for each continued month they are there."
As it stands now, DoD has named Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan as "imminent danger areas." Bahrain is currently not on that list.
Contingency/Deployed Per Diem Pay
In case of any incidental expenses due to travel or otherwise, service members are paid a sum of $295.50 a month, or $9.85 a day, as contingency per diem pay.
Combat Zone Tax Exclusion
Those service members deployed to designated areas such as Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, qualify for the combat zone tax exclusion. This means that they are exempt from state and federal taxes for every month they spend time in that location, even if it is only a few hours or minutes.
Deductions for the Federal Insurance Contributions Act still continue, as well as Medicare and Social Security deductions.
For commissioned officers, the tax exclusion is limited to the highest rate of enlisted pay plus $225 in monthly imminent danger pay. So, for 2004, officers must pay taxes on any income over $5,279.70 per month.
There are also some interesting and very beneficial situations created by this combat zone tax-exemption rule. Military bonuses, which are normally taxable, are completely tax-free when paid in the combat zone.
For more information contact your unit's administration section.