Do you get BAH on-base?

Question

My fiancee is in the Army and were moving to Hinesville. Hes going to be stationed at Fort Stewart. I wanted to know if you get BAH on-base or is it just for living off-base. I dont really know ive asked some people in the army and looked online some but i get mixed answers and there not clear. Can someone clear it up for me. If you dont get BAH what do you get on base because the houses i was looking at were really nice and they look expensive. please help.

Answer 1

You only get BAH if you live off base.

If you are married, you are given the option of taking BAH or living in on post housing (usually two bedroom, two bath, single story house- on Fort Bragg anyway)

If you are engaged you are single in the eyes of the army, so the  fiancee's rank will determine if he is allowed to live offpost.  Usually you need to be an NCO before you can get BAH, but I was a SPC4 who got BAH thanks to barracks overcrowding.

Answer 2

base housing IS your BAH.  

Answer 3

If you live in military housing and it is PPV (Privatized) then yes he will get BAH but it will be automatically deducted from his pay.  Some areas do deduct the whole amount or in certain housing it will be a set amount and you get the rest.  

Answer 4

No.

Answer 5

The above answers are correct, you don't get BAH on-base in most cases, the exceptions are explained as well and involve your BAH getting deducted anyway.

Your fiance is not entitled to BAH unless he already has dependents he has custody of or if he is an NCO and requests it (and if he is going to Hinesville that probably means he's going to 3rd ID and they usually let single E-5s and E-6s get BAH).  I know you are engaged to him but the Army doesn't recognize fiances and if he is a private or specialist he will be required to maintain a room in the barracks.  If you move there you can get an apartment and live in it with him but he will still be required to report to his barracks room for inspections, GI parties, etc. until you and him get married and the cost of the apartment will come out of your pockets.  You will not be eligible for PX privileges or Tricare as his fiance either.

Personally, I would prefer living off-post.  If there is any type of deficiency in the housing or the grass isn't cut on time the people in charge of base housing can call your future husband's chain of command and get him in trouble.  Also, when it is time for him to change duty stations he has to clear housing before he can do his final outprocessing, leaving you and him in a hotel until he gets to his next post.  No such problem exists with an off-post apartment or house, that is just between you and the landlord.  In some cases, the housing might be better than what is available off post but it really depends on where he gets placed.  Anyway, if he wants it he can apply the day he marries you and then he'll be on a waiting list.

Answer 6

It used to be that you would only get BAH if you lived off post. Now that on-post housing is privatized, you will get BAH if you live on-post as well...but it will all come right back out to go to the housing company.  

Answer 7

You give up BAH when you live on base unless you have children living elsewhere.

Answer 8

you only get BAH for living off base, but it doesn't cost you anything if you live on base.

Answer 9

You will get BAH on your LES but it will be deducted from your check and will go to the post housing.  

Answer 10

You still get the BAH, it will show up on your pay check stub but it will be taken directly out. You get it but you wont see a penny of it. It goes to pay for your on post housing and utilities.  

Answer 11

yes.. BUT all of it comes RIGHT back out as a deduction to pay the PPV folks who now run Housing.  In most cases you can find as good( or BETTER)  living accommodations off base for UNDER BAH and you get to pocket the difference.  this includes at least some portion(if not most or all) of your utilities

the FEW remaining locations that have not gone PPV.. your forfeit BAH if you live in Military Family Housing.    All utilties are included  as well.

in both cases, you will be paying OOP for phone ,cable and internet.  

BTW: he can't get onto the base housing list until you are married.    

Answer 12

no you either live on base for free or get bah to live off base, but the good thing is that if you get a cheaper place then you have extra money compared to if you lived onbase

Answer 13

No.  At most bases you get a home to live in with electric, water, and garbage and you have no bills for any of it.  However some bases have gone to privatized housing, which has either a cost for water or electric or both.  I have never lived in privatized housing though, so I can't give you much advice.