Need some help from current or recently discharges enlisted men

SPXTrader

SPXTrader

Joined
Dec 26, 2006
Messages
10,795
My SIL has gone thru (Navy) boot in Michigan, and is currently in A school at Kessler AFB in Biloxi.

He tells me they charge him $ 300/month for chow hall fees. That's almost one-quarter of his monthly pay. What's up with this? It's been a long time since my last grub in mess, and it was all free, all you can (or could stomach to) eat.

Can anyone give me the straight on this?

Thanks,

SPX
 
When I was in (got out in '95) you had a couple different types of meals/payments:

1) Meal card issued by your unit that allowed you to eat for free in any mess hall by signing in.

2) Separate Rations, you had to pay to eat in the mess hall, but received an addition amount, monthly, to your paycheck. $205 in 1994/95. This is for guys who worked shifts and weren't on duty when a mess hall was open.

3) Per Diem. Like it sounds,you paid for your meals but received a per diem amount on the end of month paycheck. This is where the real money was at. Especially if no government facilities (mess halls) were around. Something like $15 a day back then. We always loved getting per diem, but hardly ever did.

Sounds to me like your SIL is either on Sep Rats or Per Diem status and just hasn't been paid yet. But I can't see why a student was given a meal card, especially on a training installation.

If in doubt have him (thru C.O.C.) see the finance people.
 
They shouldn't be charging him anything. Is it possible he is mistaken about being charged and it's her per diem she is receiving? If he is Navy personnel and he is at Kessler AFB for training they most probably are paying him per diem. Anytime I went to an installation other than my assigned base I was given per diem. Another possibility is that they charge him the fee and he'll get it back on the back end after training is complete when he submits his vouchers (if he has any).
 
When I was in meals were made available at the mess hall by showing ID card and signing in, nothing came off the base pay. When I was in Germany and housing was tight I manage to talk my way into living off post and receiving subsistence and quarters allowance, great deal for me as I was paid the standard rate in dollars but paid my rent in marks and at the time the exchange rate was 4 up to as high as 4.85 marks to the dollar. I could see your SIL losing food rat allowance but it shouldn't affect his base pay.

Currently base pay for E-1 is $1347.00
Basic Allowance for Subsistence is $294.43
Quarters allowance is $316.80

If he is receiving Subsistence then yes, he would have to pay to eat in the mess hall. If his paycheck is for the base amount then no, he should not be paying in the mess hall.
 
If he is TDY to that base for training then he he most likely on per deim, if so he will need to file his travel vouchers for reimbersment.
 
Micky said:
If he is TDY to that base for training then he he most likely on per deim, if so he will need to file his travel vouchers for reimbersment.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't his orders stipulate how rations are supplied. Like I said in my post it's been awhile but I remember all my orders would always say when per diem was authorized.
 
M. McCord said:
Shouldn't his orders stipulate how rations are supplied. Like I said in my post it's been awhile but I remember all my orders would always say when per diem was authorized.
Click to expand...

They should and most likely are. That's why I asked if he was mistaken when he stated that he was being "charged" for his meals. It may be that he is reading it incorrectly and that he is allowed $300 for meals.
 
Since he's your SIL, I'm assuming he's married. Married people are given BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence) which is added to their base pay. Even though he is attending school, if he's receiving BAS then he has to pay for any meals from the Chow Hall. If he looks on his LES he should see a BAS payment.

From DoD Financial Management Regulation : A military member being paid BAS must pay for all meals or rations received from a government mess or provided on behalf of the government (except when a patient in a hospital).
 
Woah, my mistake. Not SIL, Step Son (SS). Sorry...and thanks for the straight on this. You see, he's always hitting on "Mom" for cash because of this or that. When I heard about the chow hall deductions, it didn't seem right. Especially since he hit her up at the same time for $ 300.

Thanks for all the help!
 
SPXTrader said:
Woah, my mistake. Not SIL, Step Son (SS). Sorry...and thanks for the straight on this. You see, he's always hitting on "Mom" for cash because of this or that. When I heard about the chow hall deductions, it didn't seem right. Especially since he hit her up at the same time for $ 300.

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...

Maybe you should report this bellyaching money grubbing to his CO... and see if he does this again;).
Zero
 
I reported this to someone with a lot more rank...His mom!

He had some leave, and came home yesterday. This evening I subtly brought up the issue, and informed him of what I'd found out here. Well, needless to say he was busted, and Mom blasted him for trying to pull one over on her...I don't think he'll be putting the touch on her for a long time.

Thanks so much to everyone that offered up advice!

(Boy, things have really changed over the years...)
 
So he was scamming mom? That takes some cajones.

I actually kinda felt bad for him. When I went on active duty my direct deposit information didn't get put into Defense Finance's system. Being a shift worker, I was automatically given Separate Rations so I didn't have a meal card. Come end of month, no pay either. So for about a month or so (I was deployed) Mom would put in $50 or so everyweek in my checking account just so I could pay for meals. Ultimately it got straightened out, but it was lean there for awhile.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top