BAH questions

[AaronJM1984]

First off I am a PFC, and am getting married soon. I have a few questions. I have asked some fellow (married) Marines in my Platoon, however, I get a different answer from each of them. My fiancee currently lives in Atlanta, GA. She will move here most likely in the next two to three months. I want to know whether or not I will receive BAH while I am still living in the barracks. I've been told that I will receive the normal BAH, but I've also been told that I will be considered a geo bachelor and that I will only receive a minimal amount of extra money until she actually moves here. I am concerned because I cannot help support her and her 2 year old son on my income now, once they move here the BAH for this area will be sufficient. It does not make sense to me that I would only receive a few extra hundred dollars a month until she moves here. If anyone has some accurate information on this matter, it would be greatly appreciated. Semper Fi.

[Zulu 36]

First off I am a PFC, and am getting married soon. I have a few questions. I have asked some fellow (married) Marines in my Platoon, however, I get a different answer from each of them. My fiancee currently lives in Atlanta, GA. She will move here most likely in the next two to three months. I want to know whether or not I will receive BAH while I am still living in the barracks. I've been told that I will receive the normal BAH, but I've also been told that I will be considered a geo bachelor and that I will only receive a minimal amount of extra money until she actually moves here. I am concerned because I cannot help support her and her 2 year old son on my income now, once they move here the BAH for this area will be sufficient. It does not make sense to me that I would only receive a few extra hundred dollars a month until she moves here. If anyone has some accurate information on this matter, it would be greatly appreciated. Semper Fi.

My question in return is: WHY do you want to get married as a PFC?

[AaronJM1984]

Sargent, I am only a PFC, but I am also 25 years old. I enlisted very late.

[Zulu 36]

Sargent, I am only a PFC, but I am also 25 years old. I enlisted very late.

I didn't question your age, only your income. A 25-year old PFC doesn't make any more money than an 18-year old PFC.

Also, "sargent" is spelled Sergeant

[AaronJM1984]

Sergeant, I appreciate your input.

Does anyone have an answer to my question?

[BR34]

You'll get BAH w/Dependents.

Learn to plan ahead. This is something you should have researched BEFORE joining the Marine Corps.

[DIBLO7]

You'll get BAH w/ Dependants at the rate of the zip code that your spouse is in. Once she moves to where you are at you will receive BAH w/ Dependants at the rate of your current duty station, unless you get into base housing, then you will get squat. Go to http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/bah.html and you'll be able to see what you get at both locations.

[Jdncowboy]

You will not recieve BAH for the zip code that your spouse lives in now. You will recieve the BAH rate for what is rated at your current duty station. I wish it was true that you rate BAH for where you spouse lives cause I would be making a lot more. My wife lives in the San Francisco bay area, but I still only Get The BAH for my parent duty station cause my parent command is in 29 palms. but I currently TAD to BLT2/4 in Camp P.

[DIBLO7]

Unless she is on your orders sending you to where you are at now you will get the BAH for the zip code she is at now.

When I got married in 29 Palms back in 2003 I rated BAH for a Washington State zip code until I PCS'd. This is because the Marine Corps has not paid to put us together. Once I PCS'd and my wife was on my orders I could only get the BAH for the PDS zip code because the Marine Corps has afforded the opportunity for us to live together.

So, as long as you get married after you get to your PDS you will rate your BAH for your spouses zip code until you are together since she is not on your orders.

I'll look it up and give you the paragraph in the BAH manual later, but I have to get to class.

[DIBLO7]

I stand corrected. As per the JFTR Paragraph U10404 A.1.a, you will get BAH based on your PDS. However, you will rate FSA at until the Marine Corps puts you together. That's in the DODFMR Vol7A Ch 27 Rule 12 on pg 27-26. I dont have time to find the paragraph version as I am late for class now...sorry.

[Jdncowboy]

Yeah I do get FSA now. I wish it was the other way around though, cause I would be making bank if I was getting BAH for where my wife is living right now. I am still getting screwed cause I am TAD out here in Camp P, but they will only pay me the BAH rate for 29 Palms, which is like half of the rate for Camp P.

[StoneTheWeak]

My question in return is: WHY do you want to get married as a PFC?

I don't think that's the topic of the thread. Is it really feasible? No, not really, life as a non-NCO sucks and we all know it, but hey, it's his choice, so instead of shooting him out of the air with a SAM, why don't you at least try and help?

[temarti]

The question was feasible, he is not yet married, therefore legit and a good point in regards to income. It also seems the question on BAH have been answered with good info.

[BR34]

why don't you at least try and help?

I think that's exactly what he's trying to do. Maybe it's something you don't quite understand yet, as a PFC yourself.

[StoneTheWeak]

The question was feasible, he is not yet married, therefore legit and a good point in regards to income. It also seems the question on BAH have been answered with good info.

I meant, was him getting married feasible. It's not, but regardless of what anyone on here says about it, he's going to do it anyways, so we might as well answer his question instead of questioning it. Telling him not to get married or asking him why he is, is a waste of time.


I'm engaged as well, so I might be biased. But I don't know when I'm getting married, especially anytime soon. I haven't made any such plans and don't count on it. Kinda begs to ask why I bothered to ask that question to begin with, doesn't it?