Wing-wide BAH Recertification under way for all unit Airmen

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Matwey
  • 166th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
NEW CASTLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Delaware --  A wing-wide Basic Allowance for Housing recertification for all Airmen of the 166th Airlift Wing began last spring, and leadership is driving for 100 percent compliance by September 30.

The BAH program entitles military members to a housing allowance based on their dependency status and location of residency.

An Air Force wide-recertification for those Airmen currently receiving with-dependent rate BAH began March 1 and is scheduled to be completed by December 31, 2014.

Here in the 166th Airlift Wing, every member, regardless of personal or family situation, must fill out a new BAH form.

This includes Airmen with or without dependents, members married to active duty members and single Airmen without dependents who do not need to provide any documentation.

"All members who have not completed their recertification should not wait; sign a new BAH form and bring in any necessary documents before September 30," said Col. Don Bevis, vice commander, 166th Airlift Wing. "We want to ensure members are receiving their correct entitlements."

As of August 21, 780 wing members have completed recertification, with just over 400 members still needing to be recertified.

For the Air Force-wide recertification, every active duty, Guard and Reserve member receiving with-dependent rate BAH (which includes military members married to civilian spouses and any children or parents claimed as dependents) is required to provide the supporting document to justify the entitlement along with a "signed" BAH AF Form 594.
Supporting documents may include birth or marriage certificates, divorce decrees or dependency determination letters (a court order that shows custody of a dependent).

Not responding to the established suspense will result in the reduction of an Airman's BAH to the without-dependent rate.

The Air Force-wide review began with last year's audit by the Department of Defense in which it was discovered that in many cases, supporting documents for BAH recipients were not on file or had not been properly certified.

If you have any questions about necessary documents contact your unit command section.

Information provided by U.S. Air Force News published March 19 at www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/474979/airmen-must-revalidate-dependents.aspx.