Dislocation allowance

[dnt0711]

I recently PCS'd to my first duty station after BOLC. I was originally told by the transportation offices at both BOLC and the base near my HOR that I'd be receiving a dislocation allowance of about $2500 when i got to my first duty station. However, once I got here they said that if we're single we don't get it, if we're married we do. That seems ridiculous/unfair. Is this true everywhere?
It seems like the Army really penalizes people who haven't signed the marriage papers yet--we also missed out on all that BAH money during BOLC.

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[vellnueve]

Single DLA is not authorized for PCS to your first duty station per the JFTR.

It is not penalizing you to not pay you BAH in BOLC. BAH is for the purpose of maintaining off base housing. You do not live off base while in BOLC and if you are single you have no other need for housing during BOLC.

 

[dnt0711]

Single DLA is not authorized for PCS to your first duty station per the JFTR.

...if you are single you have no other need for housing during BOLC.

It is what it is, but it still seems ridiculous and unfair to me.
Just because you're legally "single" doesn't mean you don't have need for other housing. Many people have leases, mortgages, etc which don't take a break bc you're TDY for BOLC. Also, you can be in a committed relationship, engaged, etc, and not legally married (as is my case). So you're still supporting another person and maintaining a household for them...In my experience, in the real world people don't get married as often or quickly as people in the military.

 

[vellnueve]

It is what it is, but it still seems ridiculous and unfair to me.
Just because you're legally "single" doesn't mean you don't have need for other housing. Many people have leases, mortgages, etc which don't take a break bc you're TDY for BOLC. Also, you can be in a committed relationship, engaged, etc, and not legally married (as is my case). So you're still supporting another person and maintaining a household for them...In my experience, in the real world people don't get married as often or quickly as people in the military.

How are you paying those bills when you're not TDY?

That's the price of being a reservist and not active duty. You get paid while you're serving, you don't get paid when you're not serving. It's that simple. Most reservists don't get the stipend you do when you're not on ADT.

As an HPSP student you get a very generous stipend while your classmates are going into debt like crazy. You should be able to figure out your rent for those 45 days with that money, especially since you're actually making more base pay that month while at BOLC. It's no different than any other reservist that goes for training.

BAH is not paid if you are occupying government quarters unless you have dependents. That's how it's been for a long time and it's not changing.

The system appears to favor married couples if you haven't been around a while. Just remember that the cost of a family far outstrips the small amount of extra money you make. A lot of young service members don't recognize that and end up in trouble.

As for not being married, you don't get BAH w dependents, etc, but you also get some benefits (no divorce lawyers, no giving up half your stuff, separate taxes and earnings, etc). Everything in life is a trade off.

 

[dnt0711]

While some of those may be mildly valid points, none of them speak to why single soldiers don't receive DLA when reporting to their first duty station but married soldiers do. Either way their picking up their home and moving across country and incurring a lot of expenses. It just makes absolutely no sense.

Also, it's pretty silly to list the expenses of marriage as "divorce and giving up half your stuff." Maybe if military people didn't make poor judgements and get married on a whim so often they wouldn't have these issues. I for sure am in a relationship where these will never be encountered in our lives. We're responsible adults who made a commitment to each other and only because we know it's right. It does seem like a lot of army guys collect ex wives like their collect muscle cars though. They should work on changing this mentality in the army and maybe eliminating the pay differences would be a good way to start.

Lastly, the HPSP stipend was very low for where I went to dental school. Most of my classmates spent more than the stipend amount of rent alone. Luckily I was able to split the rent and lived modestly, but I wouldn't refer to it as a lot of money. I have no problems paying my bills, but I can't believe that I would've made about $8000-9000 more this summer while at BOLC and moving to my first station if I just signed a marriage contract before.

Just my 2 cents. I've certainly learned that A LOT about the army is different than expected in my short time in.

 

[Destiny11]

While some of those may be mildly valid points, none of them speak to why single soldiers don't receive DLA when reporting to their first duty station but married soldiers do. Either way their picking up their home and moving across country and incurring a lot of expenses. It just makes absolutely no sense.

Also, it's pretty silly to list the expenses of marriage as "divorce and giving up half your stuff." Maybe if military people didn't make poor judgements and get married on a whim so often they wouldn't have these issues. I for sure am in a relationship where these will never be encountered in our lives. We're responsible adults who made a commitment to each other and only because we know it's right. It does seem like a lot of army guys collect ex wives like their collect muscle cars though. They should work on changing this mentality in the army and maybe eliminating the pay differences would be a good way to start.

Lastly, the HPSP stipend was very low for where I went to dental school. Most of my classmates spent more than the stipend amount of rent alone. Luckily I was able to split the rent and lived modestly, but I wouldn't refer to it as a lot of money. I have no problems paying my bills, but I can't believe that I would've made about $8000-9000 more this summer while at BOLC and moving to my first station if I just signed a marriage contract before.

Just my 2 cents. I've certainly learned that A LOT about the army is different than expected in my short time in.

Maybe single soldiers don't receive DLA because they are not leaving a wife or kids behind? DLA is meant to support them while your are away for a prolonged period of time. The bottom line is to read all of the fine prints and take into consideration of your living situation before you sign on the dotted line for HPSP. At BOLC you have a hotel room all to yourself with cleaning service, vs. sharing a dorm room like the other services' officer training.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Considering the sacrifices military spouses and children make, that extra BAH and DLA is nothing as far as any compensation goes. Honestly, I worry for you when the Army asks you to do something hard when you're this bent up by nominal pay differences. You are in for a long payback, friend.

Big Hoss

 

[dnt0711]

I wouldn't call $8000 in a 3 month period a nominal pay difference. Married soldiers are also living in a hotel room that's getting cleaned for them. And they still get BAH.

DLA is paid to married soldiers even when they bring their families with them, or if they leave them behind. It is to help with the cost of moving and setting up a household. Non-married and married people both have these expenses. Furthermore,
If I do get sent away somewhere I'm leaving my significant other and family behind so it's the exact same as married people.

Again, being single just means being not legally married. It's not the 1950s anymore--just because someone isn't legally married to someone else doesn't mean they're alone...if someone had warned me of how ridiculous the army is in this area I probably would've just run off to the courthouse to sign the contract like a lot of other soldiers do. But then again, I'm glad I'm not the same as the majority of soldiers.

 

[Destiny11]

I wouldn't call $8000 in a 3 month period a nominal pay difference. Married soldiers are also living in a hotel room that's getting cleaned for them. And they still get BAH.

DLA is paid to married soldiers even when they bring their families with them, or if they leave them behind. It is to help with the cost of moving and setting up a household. Non-married and married people both have these expenses. Furthermore,
If I do get sent away somewhere I'm leaving my significant other and family behind so it's the exact same as married people.

Again, being single just means being not legally married. It's not the 1950s anymore--just because someone isn't legally married to someone else doesn't mean they're alone...if someone had warned me of how ridiculous the army is in this area I probably would've just run off to the courthouse to sign the contract like a lot of other soldiers do. But then again, I'm glad I'm not the same as the majority of soldiers.

It's not just the Army kid. Everyone has a significant someone somewhere. The government does not distinguish of your status until you are officially married...the same goes for filing your taxes.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I wouldn't call $8000 in a 3 month period a nominal pay difference. Married soldiers are also living in a hotel room that's getting cleaned for them. And they still get BAH.

DLA is paid to married soldiers even when they bring their families with them, or if they leave them behind. It is to help with the cost of moving and setting up a household. Non-married and married people both have these expenses. Furthermore,
If I do get sent away somewhere I'm leaving my significant other and family behind so it's the exact same as married people.

Again, being single just means being not legally married. It's not the 1950s anymore--just because someone isn't legally married to someone else doesn't mean they're alone...if someone had warned me of how ridiculous the army is in this area I probably would've just run off to the courthouse to sign the contract like a lot of other soldiers do. But then again, I'm glad I'm not the same as the majority of soldiers.

Aren't you just a ray of sunshine? I just went from a 2300 sq ft home with a pool minutes from the beach all for $300 under the BAH to a 1500 sq ft home literally in the middle of BFE for $200 over my BAH because it is so off for the area. On top of that my car and renter's insurance went up SIGNIFICANTLY. I'm looking at a $6000 pay cut annually with a much lower quality of life. Furthermore, I was told multiple times I wasn't eligible for a new pair of loupes for another 3 years or so. So, I just bought a new pair myself for $1600. Well, come to find out, I could in fact have had the Navy buy them. Unfortunately, I can't get reimbursed for them since the order didn't originate with the Navy. You haven't seen me whining on these forums have you? Heaven help me if we ever end up in the same foxhole.

Big Hoss

 

[dnt0711]

What started as a simple query to figure out all the conflicting information I was getting from the various transportation offices, ended up with a bunch of irrelevant facts about how I don't need money bc I'm not married, how I seem entitled to money because I want to get everything I can be eligible for, and how I actually save money on divorce attornies so I should be grateful I'm not married. So apparently when I point out facts that make sense, I'm then a whiny dingus. Totally makes sense to me.

If you actually read my posts, they all just say that it makes zero sense we don't all get dislocation allowance. Your replies are totally irrelevant and delve into other random facts That's about it. Everyone else brings all the other useless facts about their poor wives and children and their entitlement to money because they decided to procreate.

My overall point: DLA should be for everyone. Married or not moving requires the same hardship and expense. The army tends to encourage marriage and favor married couples though.

 

[distressstudent]

The army does help you move... You just seem to have misunderstood your benefits and think you're entitled to something you're not.

Everything is explicitly stated here:

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/travelpay/armypcs.html

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Just pointing out life in the military is neither fair nor logical. You know what also doesn't make sense or seem fair? You don't get house hunting leave at your fist station. You still have to find a house, right? Discuss.

Big Hoss

 

[AirborneDentist]

Just pointing out life in the military is neither fair nor logical. You know what also doesn't make sense or seem fair? You don't get house hunting leave at your fist station. You still have to find a house, right? Discuss.

Big Hoss

That is all up to the Commander. I give my officers their PTDY for house hunting.

 

[vellnueve]

That is all up to the Commander. I give my officers their PTDY for house hunting.

I think most do, even for the first duty station.

People work better when they have less to worry about outside of the workplace...

 

[schmoob]

I wouldn't call $8000 in a 3 month period a nominal pay difference. Married soldiers are also living in a hotel room that's getting cleaned for them. And they still get BAH.

DLA is paid to married soldiers even when they bring their families with them, or if they leave them behind. It is to help with the cost of moving and setting up a household. Non-married and married people both have these expenses. Furthermore,
If I do get sent away somewhere I'm leaving my significant other and family behind so it's the exact same as married people.

Again, being single just means being not legally married. It's not the 1950s anymore--just because someone isn't legally married to someone else doesn't mean they're alone...if someone had warned me of how ridiculous the army is in this area I probably would've just run off to the courthouse to sign the contract like a lot of other soldiers do. But then again, I'm glad I'm not the same as the majority of soldiers.

The married ones get BAH because while you're in your hotel room, servicemen/women must be given the BAH so their spouses and children maintain a place to live, or provided separate government quarters AKA base housing. Did you REALLY need that additional $2500 to supplement your VERY generous travel claim? Did you really NEED to receive quarters in a hotel AND double dip to get BAH? You were provided adequate quarters. And you have not checked into your first PERMANENT duty station, so how could you have rent or mortgage in a place you haven't moved to yet?
Just like mentioned earlier, Single DLA is not authorized for your first duty station. That's Army, Navy, Air Force, officer, enlisted, surgeon, grunt, etc. It is a FEDERAL regulation.
Quit crying. You will learn very soon that you will have more money being single than your married counterparts, despite them receiving slightly higher pay. Your post did not start out as a simple query, you asked a question then began whining how it wasn't fair. So yes, naturally it's going to rub some the wrong way. Had you just asked the question, you would not have received such responses. Your overall point that moving requires the same hardship and expense, married or not is false. It is more difficult and more expensive with a family.
You're in the military now, dude. Suck it up, do your job, follow the rules and you'll be fine. Otherwise you're going to have a difficult time while you're in.

 

[dnt0711]

The married ones get BAH because while you're in your hotel room, servicemen/women must be given the BAH so their spouses and children maintain a place to live, or provided separate government quarters AKA base housing. Did you REALLY need that additional $2500 to supplement your VERY generous travel claim? Did you really NEED to receive quarters in a hotel AND double dip to get BAH? You were provided adequate quarters. And you have not checked into your first PERMANENT duty station, so how could you have rent or mortgage in a place you haven't moved to yet?
Just like mentioned earlier, Single DLA is not authorized for your first duty station. That's Army, Navy, Air Force, officer, enlisted, surgeon, grunt, etc. It is a FEDERAL regulation.
Quit crying. You will learn very soon that you will have more money being single than your married counterparts, despite them receiving slightly higher pay. Your post did not start out as a simple query, you asked a question then began whining how it wasn't fair. So yes, naturally it's going to rub some the wrong way. Had you just asked the question, you would not have received such responses. Your overall point that moving requires the same hardship and expense, married or not is false. It is more difficult and more expensive with a family.
You're in the military now, dude. Suck it up, do your job, follow the rules and you'll be fine. Otherwise you're going to have a difficult time while you're in.

For about the 10th time--just because a person is legally single doesn't mean they aren't moving a family with them. I fully understand what it takes to move my family across the country bc I've done it.

But again, as I've pointed out before, just because someone is moving to a new duty station doesn't mean they don't own a house/apt or have a 12 month lease that isn't up yet. So even though we get the incredibly lavish, luxurious accommodations in the holiday inn fort Sam doesn't mean we have no housing expenses. Sure this might not be the army's problem, that's a great argument to make. But if I don't deserve help making my rent/mortgage payment (the bank isn't going to let me off the hook bc I'm in the holiday inn, and my family still needs a place to live), why the hell is it the army's problem that a soldier has a wife/husband/kids and therefore they deserve federal funds to pay their rent/mortgage?

 

[cacazor]

For about the 10th time--just because a person is legally single doesn't mean they aren't moving a family with them. I fully understand what it takes to move my family across the country bc I've done it.

So if I am legally single, can I file a married joint tax return to IRS?

 

[vellnueve]

The sense of entitlement...

 

[schmoob]

For about the 10th time--just because a person is legally single doesn't mean they aren't moving a family with them. I fully understand what it takes to move my family across the country bc I've done it.

But again, as I've pointed out before, just because someone is moving to a new duty station doesn't mean they don't own a house/apt or have a 12 month lease that isn't up yet. So even though we get the incredibly lavish, luxurious accommodations in the holiday inn fort Sam doesn't mean we have no housing expenses. Sure this might not be the army's problem, that's a great argument to make. But if I don't deserve help making my rent/mortgage payment (the bank isn't going to let me off the hook bc I'm in the holiday inn, and my family still needs a place to live), why the hell is it the army's problem that a soldier has a wife/husband/kids and therefore they deserve federal funds to pay their rent/mortgage?

If you have a lease that isn't up yet and you have orders to move, you can legally break that lease.
And if the military were to start paying more to people just because they have a boyfriend or girlfriend, then everyone would have a girlfriend or boyfriend and everyone would get paid at the same rate. How is THAT fair?
And no, you don't deserve help in paying your rent/mortgage. Because you're not married, so you don't LEGALLY have dependents to support. You don't get it.
Now you're complaining about your accommodations? Not luxurious enough? Dude, you went to basic training and stayed at the freaking Holiday Inn. BASIC TRAINING. You didnt live at the barracks, no room inspections, nothing. Dentist or not, you're in the Army. The last thing you should complain about is your pay or standard of living.
You're going to have a very difficult 4+ years.