POSITION PAPER
ON
DUAL-SERVICE BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING
1. This position paper will advocate that the Air Force should maintain dual-service couple’s basic allowance for housing (BAH). It will discuss the impact of reducing dual service couples’ BAH to one with-dependent allowance, the cost savings for the government, and that allowances are individually earned.
2. Implementation of dual-service couples receiving one with-dependent BAH, rather than two separate allowances, will have a negative impact on retention, specifically on female Airmen. Since becoming its own branch in 1947, the Air Force is at its lowest manning. Retaining the best Airmen to remain globally engaged is a major priority.1 According to a 2014 Rand study, at their five-year point, 32 percent of female officers are in a dual-service marriage, compared to only eight percent of male officers. At this point in a female officer’s career, the Air Force has discovered notable disparity in retention compared to male officers at the same career mark.2 Changing this allowance will create a disincentive for Airmen of all ranks to continue to serve.
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The BAH program has potential for huge savings. Allowances are moneys provided for a specific need that the government does not meet.3 For example, there is not enough government housing to meet the needs of all military families. Therefore, BAH is provided to help cover housing costs in the private sector. The basis for the allowance is private-sector rental-housing costs.4 Dustin Walker, a Senate Armed Service spokesman, argues, “The basic question with married couples is: Should the taxpayer be providing 100 percent of the cost of housing, or 200 percent of the cost of housing?”5 Senator John McCain believes in adequate compensation, but agrees multiple BAH disbursements for dual-service couples is too generous.6 Providing dual-service couples with one with-dependent rate BAH will save $77 million in FY 2016 and $1.7 billion over five
1. This Position Paper is on the idea that the Air Force should disband into a separate Air Force and Space Force. This paper will go over three things; the pros and cons of doing this, and it will back up the notion that it is a good idea after all to disband into separate entities.
From family to squad members, communication acts as the cornerstone for a military officer, assisting in the mental health of the individual as well as facilitating the conduction of successful operations by an intricate, yet responsive, organization. Military officers are often times imagined as infallible heroes, unwavering against and untouched by the realities of modern warfare. Yet, newly commissioned, 22 year old officers often faces the arduous responsibilities of leading a platoon or flight comprised of men and women generally the same age as themselves into combat, or managing millions of dollars worth
The GI Bill offered veterans up to $500 a year for college tuition and other educational costs---ample funding at the time. An unmarried veteran also received a $50-a-month allowance for each month spent in uniform; a married veteran received slightly more. Other benefits included mortgage subsidies, enabling veterans to purchase homes with relative ease.
This paper will not bore with the definition of a profession. The United States Army is about more than words, it is about action. The action of over 238 years of tradition and service. The Army is a profession. A profession requires its members to adhere to prolonged training and learn specialized skills. A member of a profession must wholly commit himself and his skills to a calling which is entrusted by the public. A profession provides its members with intrinsic value which motivates beyond financial gain. The Army is a higher calling which demands all of these qualities and more.
No matter how important our troops are to the people of America, President Obama is cutting the benefits for our military veterans. ”President Obama put his signature on the two-year budget bill, which includes a contentious provision to pare down annual cost of living increases in benefits for military retirees under age 62, saving the government an estimated $6.3 billion over a decade”(lawmakers, veterans groups push to restore military benefits 1).
Simon, C. J., Negrusa, S., & Warner, J. T. (2009, October). Educational Benefits and Military Service: An Analysis of Enlistment, Reenlistment, and Veterans' Benefit Usage 1991-2005 (ISSN 0095-2583). Western Economic Association International.
Yuengling, Renee, and David Kravitz. "Post-9/11 GI Bill Helps Support Higher Education Opportunities of Minorities in Armed Services." Diverse Issues on Higher Education 22 Dec. 2011: 18. Print.
Nock SL. 1995. A comparison of marriages and cohabiting relationships. J. Fam. Issues 16:53 76
Increased military conflicts, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, have created an rise in the number of veteran students who have experienced combat and will enroll in institutions utilizing the G.I. Bill benefits. Higher education institutions have the goal of developing all of their students holistically and guiding them to persist. Supporting diverse populations requires the knowledge and implementation of programs that will overlap services among the varied sub-groups of students to remain cost effective. Veterans returning to higher education warrant the extra services that can be provided by an institution and defining the appropriate services should be a priority for each institution. Unfortunately there is not just one formula for all the schools to model their programs after, as each institution and student is unique in a population of veterans.
Forsling, C. (2014, September 9 ). Task and purpose . Retrieved November 16, 2017, from Task and purpose : http://taskandpurpose.com/real-problem-military-salaries-compensation/
Soldiers, both men and women, risk their lives fighting for our country and when they come home they receive far fewer benefits than would be expected. Throughout history the support for veterans has lessened. The amount of money that is provided to veterans for healthcare and housing after returning to the states has severely decreased since WWI.
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (U.S.) United States. Department of the Air Force. (2012a). Diversity (LM03). Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Department of the Air Force.
Commissioning in the Air Force has been a life-long aspiration. My grandfathers enlisted, but went on to retire as field-grade officers with careers spanning WW2, the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict. Their experiences inspired me to follow in their footsteps and serve my country. After starting college, I soon enlisted due to financial hardships but my desire to commission never waned. Over 10 years’ service, my goal of commissioning ultimately took a back seat to my missions, Airmen and responsibilities at hand. However, I have always sought out opportunities to advance my abilities through holding key positions and seeking out added responsibilities. By earning a commission, I will continue to grow professionally, improve our Airmen and further expand our service's capabilities.
N.p., 2013. Web. 11 May 2014. Leckey, Robert. " Cohabitation and Comparative Method.
Military members who are assigned or deployed to a location where their spouse and/or children are not allowed to travel at government expense are entitled to a monthly pay for each month they have been forcebly separated from their dependents, after the first month. The amount of the allowance is $250 per month for all ranks. The purpose of FSA (Family Seperation Allowance) is that it costs more to maintain two separate house homes.Through September 30, 1980, FSA was payable to a member serving in pay grade E-4 (over 4 years of service) or above as a member with dependents.