Bill Overview
Title: BAH Calculation Improvement Act
Description: This bill requires the Department of Defense to submit to Congress a report on the basic allowance for housing for members of the uniformed services that includes elements related to the calculation of such allowance.
Sponsors: Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
Target Audience
Population: Members of the uniformed services receiving basic allowance for housing
Estimated Size: 1206500
- The bill affects the basic allowance for housing (BAH), which is specifically a benefit provided to members of the uniformed services.
- BAH is provided to active duty military personnel who live off base, aiding them in covering housing expenses.
- The uniformed services include active duty members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and certain other service branches.
- As the DoD is conducting a review, all beneficiaries of the BAH could potentially see changes in how their housing allowance is calculated in the future.
Reasoning
- The BAH Calculation Improvement Act will mainly affect active duty military personnel living off base who receive a housing allowance.
- Not all military personnel will be affected equally; some may experience significant changes in allowance, while others may see no change based on location or rank.
- The policy must operate within a budget constraint, impacting the scope and extent to which benefits can be adjusted.
- The stalling of housing price fluctuations may negate some of the benefits expected from this policy.
Simulated Interviews
Navy Officer (San Diego, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems quite essential. BAH definitely needs regular updates to keep pace with changing living costs, especially since housing in San Diego is so expensive.
- I do hope they consider factors like rank and family size more. We're really stretched every month.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Air Force Pilot (Colorado Springs, CO)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Adjusting BAH calculations would help, but it's not my biggest concern right now. Availability of housing near base is more of an issue.
- I could definitely use a bit more support since costs are slowly creeping up.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Coast Guard Chief (Norfolk, VA)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any increase in BAH is welcome since it helps with unexpected expenses, but I don't see drastic changes happening.
- Our current situation is manageable even without the adjustments.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Army Medic (Fairbanks, AK)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- BAH adjustments could really help given the rising cost of living out here in Fairbanks.
- I hope they'll consider geographic cost variations more.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 3 |
Marine Corps Sergeant (Hawaii)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Hawaii is notorious for the high cost of living, so any reform that increases BAH in line with these costs is very necessary.
- I'm concerned the changes won't be substantial due to budget constraints.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 2 |
Navy Technician (Washington, D.C.)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this brings a bit more relief from the sky-high rents here.
- I do worry whether everyone will benefit equally or if it’ll actually just cover costs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Reserves and full-time job (Chicago, IL)
Age: 44 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This might be more relevant to active personnel.
- Since I'm only part-time, it affects me less, but I still keep an eye on these changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Army Engineer (El Paso, TX)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It’s honestly about time BAH is reconsidered since housing keeps going up.
- I'm just starting out; any changes will help set me on a better financial path.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Retired Navy personnel (Jacksonville, FL)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m retired now, but I remember struggling with housing costs throughout service.
- This policy may truly be beneficial for today’s personnel.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Air Force Logistics Officer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being a homeowner, BAH changes might not do much for me now, but it can improve life quality for others who rent.
- More than anything, increased transparency in calculations would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $10000000 (Low: $7500000, High: $15000000)
Year 3: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 5: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The primary focus is on administrative costs associated with data collection and analysis by the DoD.
- Potential future changes in BAH calculation could influence long-term military housing policy.
- This bill does not alter actual BAH payouts but assesses how they are currently calculated.