Have you been able to get exact calculations for reserve pay?

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 16:07:23 -0400

Let me preface this by saying I have been in the Army since 08' and this is my second time entering the reserves while pursuing education full-time.

We are able to calculate, to the dollar, mostly everything when it comes to our pay, regardless of component or benefit. Yet, when it comes to reservists being put on orders, as is the case for annual training (AT), it seems the best we can do is run-off estimates from active duty tables and look at our pay break-down on our orders and say "yeah, that's about right". There has to be a way to find exact #'s, right? Whatever DFAS is doing to calculate my orders, why can't I or my soldiers be given the same info so we can spot-check? I want to know exactly what the rates are for base pay, BAH, and BAS.

If anyone has info or a POC please share.

Response by COL Randall C. made Aug 18 at 2023 7:01 PM

COL Randall C. — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 19:01:48 -0400

1LT Private RallyPoint Member, you absolutely can get the "to the penny" calculations. You just need to make sure you are adding in the right entitlements.

You shouldn't need to do a 'best estimate' from active duty tables. It's pretty straightforward - The military considers a month to be 30 days and each day of active duty is 1/30th of your monthly pay if you have less than a month of active duty time. So you'll be paid 14 days of active duty pay (or .46666667 of your monthly pay) for your annual training (ARNG does 15 days of AT).

If someone is on active duty orders for 30 days or less, they receive BAH RC/T* (not full BAH). Again, take the monthly figure and convert. BAH RC/T doesn't depend on your locality - it's the same everywhere, adjusted by the number of dependents you have.

Finally do the same for your BAS (1/30 * number of days). Add in anything special for the Soldier if it applies.

That should be it - just add in everything you're entitled to for the month (Base pay, BAS, BAH, etc.), divide by 30 and then multiple by the number of days of active duty.
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BAH Reserve Component/Transient - https://www.travel.dod.mil/Portals/119/Documents/BAH/PDF_Non-Locality-BAH-Rates/2023-Non-Locality-BAH-Rates.pdf

2023-Non-Locality-BAH-Rates.pdf