The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is based on each service members’ duty location, military pay grade, and their dependency status. BAH is provided to military service members to offset the local housing costs by providing a monthly housing compensation based on the local housing market. When government quarters are not provided to the service member, with command authorization, they may be entitled to draw BAH. Every calendar year military BAH rates are released. Military BAH rates for FY 2012 are expected to be released between December 15th and January 1st, 2012.
2012 Military Basic Allowance for Housing
BAH Housing rates are directly related to an increase or decrease of rents in local rental housing markets. Historically, BAH rates have remained stable or increased, although as many experienced last year there was a significant drop in rates because of rent decreases in many local rental markets. Browse our BAH page for additional information on what the current budget will mean for local communities. Many military installations will see an increase; see how BAH Changes will affect the new 2012 Military BAH Rates by military installation.
Housing Rates at all locations near major U.S. Military Bases were taken into consideration when determining the 2012 proposed BAH rates, and the overall decrease in housing rates last year were deemed as too sharp of a decrease in certain locations. Many military service members anticipate an increase in BAH rates which often provides a more suitable standard of living for their families.
FY 2012 BAH Rates – Military Housing Allowance
2012 Military Basic Housing Allowance rates are set to increase by as much as 4.2 percent at most locations, and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) is projected to increase by as much as 3.4 percent based on a service member’s rank/pay grade. This change is a Department of Defense wide implemented change which would equally affect all members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard. President Obama submitted to Congress his “Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2012.”
BAH Rate Protection
Although military BAH rates for a duty location follow the increases and decreases of local rental costs, because of BAH rate protection, no individual’s rate will decrease. Last year, military housing rates dropped by about .5 – 1.5% nationwide. The decrease was largely due to an average decrease in house and apartment rental rates across roughly 400 designated military housing areas nationwide. BAH rate protection is established to prevent service members from suffering hardship due to a decrease in rates when they have already been assigned to a duty station at the time of a decrease in rates. BAH rate protection prevents a decrease in the BAH rate as long as the service member remains at the same duty location. If the military service member is already attached to a unit and is drawing BAH, he or she will be entitled to any increase in rates, but will not see a reduction in entitlement in the event of a BAH rate decrease.
BAH Rate Calculator
Rates for the current fiscal year and projected future increases or decreases can be found through the official Department of Defense Travel link below:
Local BAH Housing rates by zip code
Types of BAH
- BAH Rates depend on your location, pay grade, and dependents.
- Generally you receive BAH for assignment location, not where you live.
- Consult your Finance Office with specific questions.
BAH With Dependents and BAH Without Dependents
Military service members residing within the continental United States (CONUS) are generally eligible for Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), based dependency status and the ZIP Code of the assignment location. Military stationed overseas, including protectorates of the United States, may be eligible for an Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA).
Partial BAH
A military service member residing in official government quarters without dependents, is usually entitled to a Partial BAH allowance.
Active & Reserve 2012 Military Pay Increases:
2012 Officer Pay Chart – 2012 Officer Reserve/Guard Military Drill Pay Chart
2012 Enlisted Pay Chart – 2012 Enlisted Reserve/Guard Drill Pay Chart
