Soldiers in Korea must eat at DFAC or pay out of pocket under new policy

Under a new Army policy called Essential Unit Messing, enlisted soldiers in rotational units in South Korea will be required to eat at the Army’s dining facilities, unless they want to pay out of pocket for their meals. Officers will also be guaranteed three DFAC meals a day; however, they will still incur some personal costs.

The policy, which went into effect Feb. 1, applies to all soldiers on operational deployments to the peninsula, said Paul Prince, an Army spokesman.

The 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, which just began its nine-month deployment to South Korea, is the first to experience the change.

Under EUM, soldiers will have their meals provided through the military’s dining facilities; the cost of the meals, at a reduced rate, will be deducted from a soldier’s Basic Allowance for Subsistence.

The move to EUM was made “to ensure soldier health and readiness while on extended operational deployments to Korea,” Prince said.

After learning about the new policy, a handful of readers wrote in to Army Times complaining that they or their soldier was unfairly losing their BAS while on deployment.

“BAS has not been taken away,” Prince said, in response to a query from Army Times. “Deployed soldiers will now have their meals from military sources properly deducted.”

BAS is meant to offset costs for a service member’s meals, according to information from the Defense Department. It is not intended to offset the cost of meals for family members.

Maj. Gen. Ted Martin, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, acknowledged that EUM is a “major change.”

“I would say that this is a pretty big culture change for the soldier and for their families, and we recognize that,” he said. “I understand that it’s going to be a change in the bottom line for soldiers and their families when they’re on a rotation.”

But EUM ensures that soldiers on deployment to South Korea are getting well-rounded, nutritious meals three times a day, said Martin, who added that he regularly eats at the dining facilities as well.

“Every soldier, from the brand new private all the way up to the brigade commander and command sergeant major, are on meal cards,” he said. “What I can guarantee the soldiers are great, healthy choices and a wonderful place to eat. I acknowledge the money situation is different, but, really, there is not a better deal than an Army meal.”

Under EUM, all soldiers, regardless of rank, are provided three meals a day and charged the daily rate of $10.45, said Lt. Col. Sunset Belinsky, a spokeswoman for the 1st Cavalry Division.

Enlisted soldiers will have $313.50 a month deducted from their monthly BAS of $368.29 for a net BAS of $54.79, she said.

Officers also will have $313.50 a month deducted from their monthly BAS. Officers will pay $59.87 out of pocket because their monthly BAS is $253.63, Belinsky said.

In addition to having EUM, soldiers deployed to Korea also will receive the following additional pays:

• $150 a month in Hardship Duty Pay-Location.

• $250 a month in Family Separation Allowance, if applicable.

• $105 a month in Incidental Expenses, or $3.50 a day.