If I'm stationed in Germany and my wife lives in houston, do I get BAH for houston, tx or germany?

Question

I'll be PCS'ing to Germany unaccompanied..meaning without my family. I'm an E-5 with a little over 4yrs in service. How does the BAH/OHA work serving an unaccompanied tour?

Answer 1

Your BAH is for where you are stationed. If you choose to do an unaccompanied tour, then you will live in barracks and not receive any OHA at all.  

Answer 2

you will get BAH based on your spouse's location.  you would only get COLA for yourself and OHA if authorized or required to live  out in town.  .  

Answer 3

The Basic Allowance for Housing rate depends on location, rank, and whether or not the military member has dependents. In your case, it will be under this rule:

#1 If your are assigned to an unaccompanied tour at a Permament Duty Station outside the Continental United States

#2 and

your dependents retain their permanent residence in the United States

#3 then the location payable Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is for

the area within the United States where the dependents reside beginning on the date the member reports to the new Permament Duty Station.

Main reason is the cost of living is difference in Houston than in Germany and the OHA/BAH is difference for parts of Gemany. I mean for example if your family was living in New York City and you left them there in Manahttan because you were a recruiter, now you go to Germany for two years unaccompanied, do you want to make Bamberg in Bavaria's BAH vs. the Upper WestSide in NYC? could you cover your rent and expenses? When or if you brought them over with you, then you change the BAH.

Anyway, use this quick reference chart in the link and talk to finance also to make sure your get the right answer. Every situation can be different from what we see in legal assistance.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/housingal...