Posted on Sep 7, 2018
Is my S-1 correct in saying that I don't qualify for BAH and BAS due to being geographically separated from my dual-military spouse?
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So long story short I married straight out of AIT like a typical dumb private, husband went Campbell before I left for carson in November of 2016, we got married o n December 31st 2016 and both went back to our stations on Jan 3rd 2017. I "deployed" in Jan 18 2017 to Europe till Oct 25 2017. husband went to Kandahar, Afganistan for about 5 months. as soon as he redeployed home he was given BAH and BAS but no family sep. my leadership all the way up to my commander were tracking that I was dual military married and separated from my husband. sent up a packet to start my BAH and BAS but was continuously pushed back for certain documents. I get back to carson, and they claim me as a geo bachelor but mainly a single soldier and stuck me in the barracks. husband, soon to be ex, has been receiving BAH and Bas all this time and when I called and explained my situation to fort carson finance they said it was blamed on my command for putting me in the barracks. I was brand new to the army when I showed up to my unit in fort carson and no one failed to tell me that I needed to go to finance to get BAH and BAS started on my end, so now its been almost two years since weve been married and I have never received any money. is my s1 correct saying that I don't qualify even though I have physical proof of my marriage, timeline of how long I was with my husband before we went to our units, all the LES sheets from Dec 2016 till Aug 2018? from what ive been told by multiple people I am owed a good lump sum of money but finance and my s1 seem to believe I don't qualify. I need to know who to speak to about the actual answers so I can either get money owed to me or finally figure out why I cant receive it but my husband can.
BAH
Fort Carson
Finance
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 6
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Have you gone to your finance at post?
Your S1 is incorrect, the geo bachelor program was ended. You're not authorized to stay in the barracks any longer and you should be drawing BAH.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/army-announces-end-to-geographic-bachelors-3353934
Your S1 is incorrect, the geo bachelor program was ended. You're not authorized to stay in the barracks any longer and you should be drawing BAH.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/army-announces-end-to-geographic-bachelors-3353934
Army Announces End to Geographic Bachelors
The Army has now announced an end to the geographic bachelor program. Soldiers with dependents, drawing a housing allowance can no longer live in barracks.
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SFC (Join to see)
I know that this is specifically the Army geo bachelor program. They eliminated it to get married people out of the barracks because space is so limited on many posts.
There is no longer an Army geo bachelor program so both spouses are treated as married and receive BAH.
There is no longer an Army geo bachelor program so both spouses are treated as married and receive BAH.
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LCpl Ferdinand Hughes
thanks for clarifying. She would get SINGLE BAH, not BAH with dependents because there are no dependents to claim in her case.
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CW2 (Join to see)
SFC (Join to see) LCpl Hughes is correct. Geo Bachelor only applies in cases where a SM is married to a non-SM dependent. If your spouse remained in a high BAH area, you would want them to retain that income so you did not get put in a financial hardship situation.
The joint travel regulation (Ch 10) has specific tables for how dual mil are supposed to be classified and who is entitled to BAH. Unfortunately, lower enlisted get the shaft if they do not have children and can be put in the barracks if the quarters space exists.
The best answer is for them to contact the local barracks/housing program and see if it is possible to obtain an ETP/CNA (which is absolutely possible if the barracks are overencumbered) and work with their command team/the housing approval authority to turn on their BAH at the single rate.
Source: JTR/I’ve gone through the process at Carson, Riley, and now I’m going through again at Rucker until I pin WO1.
The joint travel regulation (Ch 10) has specific tables for how dual mil are supposed to be classified and who is entitled to BAH. Unfortunately, lower enlisted get the shaft if they do not have children and can be put in the barracks if the quarters space exists.
The best answer is for them to contact the local barracks/housing program and see if it is possible to obtain an ETP/CNA (which is absolutely possible if the barracks are overencumbered) and work with their command team/the housing approval authority to turn on their BAH at the single rate.
Source: JTR/I’ve gone through the process at Carson, Riley, and now I’m going through again at Rucker until I pin WO1.
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CW2 (Join to see)
SFC, You are correct though that the Army no longer has a geographical bachelor program for those individuals who PCS without their dependents. (to the best of my knowledge. I have not been able to find an ALARACT or Reg that talks about this)
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Did you and your husband submit paperwork to be in the Army's dual military or couples program?
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LTC (Join to see)
PV2 (Join to see) Have you and your husband submitted that MCFP to your servicing S1 and or finance office?
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The "I didn't know" excuse seldom works in the Army. While it sounds like your chain of command failed you, it's doubtful that you'll get any substantial amount of back pay. Also, if you do manage to get BAH and BAS started, be aware that if they pay you past your divorce date, they'll probably take it back.
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