BAH for single soldiers???

Question

My fiance is prior-service and about to join the Army Reserves. He is in North Carolina and our daughter is living with me in Germany.

His recruiter now told him that he cannot receive BAH for our daughter during his time in AIT because the court order of child support is from Germany, not from NC. Is this true? If so, what can he do about it? Get a court order of child support from his state? How?

He is single but has a house payment to make each month. His other recruiter (on leave right now) assured us that his house payment will be covered by at least partial BAH while he is in AIT, since he will count as an Active Duty soldier while in AIT. Now this recruiter is telling him he will get no BAH whatsoever if he joins as a single soldier, his daughter being in Germany. Is this true?

How come every recruiter has a different story? If he gets no BAH at all during AIT he probably will not be able to join. He doesn't get pay from his regular job while in AIT and he can't pay all his bills with just his Basic Pay from the Army. What does he do?

Answer 1

Let me tell you one thing about recruiters, they will tell you whatever you want to hear to make you sign the dotted line.  Once you do then you can't do anything.  Fortunately, everything the military does is governed by written regulations.  Ask the recruiter to show you the regulation concerning BAH entitlements.  There are many resources on the web but your question is very specific, I would not take the chance with 2nd hand information and would ask to go to the source and read the regulation so that you can make an informed decision and explore your alternatives.  One more thing, don't take no for an answer, if he say it is not available to him then he is lying.  All regulations and instructions are available in the web for download for computers in a military domain.  

Just remember the golden rule, if is is not in writing then it is not true.  

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

First things first, a recruiter's job is to recruit not to act as the chief administrator for his service branch. What he told him is NOT true.

Second, he does qualify for BAH since he has a daughter. While he is on military orders, he must receive BAH for any dependents that he has regardless of where they are living as long as they are under 18. Child support order or not, he can still claim her as a dependent and receive BAH as long as she is his biological daughter and there is no court order preventing parental rights. Even with a German child support order, the only thing the Army admin department would need is an official translated copy of the order.  

While he is on Active Duty orders, he should be receiving BAH. While he is in reserve status, he doesn't receive BAH. He  needs to speak with someone from Army administration to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. Recruiters do not know about this because they are so busy trying to recruit people.  

Answer 3

he is NOT eligible for BAH while in training as he is not married.  Nor will a German Court order for Child support be sufficient.   he cannot get a court order for CS in the States unless you file for it ..and since you do not live here, you cannot.  additionally.. a paternity test will be required..at your cost.  

Answer 4

Until you get married, he is a SINGLE Soldier.  Even though he has a dependent and is paying child support, he will not get BAH because he doesn't have physical custody of the child.  He may get to qualify for BAH DIFF to offset the cost of child support, but even so, he might not get it unless he files a petition to have his child support set within a court in the United States instead of Germany.

The only way he will be entitled BAH for the child is if y'all were to get married.