BAQ is divided into two basic categories—BAQ for
members without dependents and BAQ for members
with dependents. The rates payable vary within each
category and with each paygrade. To find out whether
you are entitled to BAQ and the amounts payable, check
with your personnel or disbursing office.
Other Allowances
In addition to the allowances mentioned above, you
may receive a family separation allowance (FSA), cost
of living allowance (COLA), overseas housing
allowance (OHO), variable housing allowance (VHA),
or other allowances. Your disbursing or personnel office
can provide you with information about the type of
allowances, if any, you are entitled to.
Basic Allowance for Housing
Basic allowance for quarters and variable housing
allowance are a single allowance called basic allowance
for housing(BAH). Your LES will show only the BAH
amount.
ALLOTMENTS
Allotments are amounts of money you designate to
be withheld from your pay and paid directly to someone
else. You may authorize many types of allotments,
including the following:
C (charity drive donation)—allotments to a
charity such as the Combined Federal
Campaign
D (dependent)—allotments directly to your
dependents
H (housing)—allotments to a lending institution
to pay home-loan payments
I (insurance)—allotments to a commercial
insurance company for life insurance premiums
S (savings)—allotments directly to an account in
your name at a savings institution such as a bank
or credit union
For information on making allotments and rules
governing their use, see your disbursing office.
OVERPAID
You aren’t responsible for calculating your pay, but
you are responsible for questioning anything that isn’t
normal. If you don’t question something that isn’t
normal with your pay, you could be at risk for being
charged with larceny. Computerized systems, equal pay
periods, and Leave and Earnings Statements (LES) have
made budgeting your pay easy. You should be getting
the same amount every payday. But computers are only
as smart as their operators and the electricity they run
on. When you notice a large difference in your pay from
last payday and you aren’t due for a longevity raise,
promotion, or annual pay raise, there may be an error in
your pay.
Sailors who haven’t reported the difference to their
disbursing offices have found themselves held liable for
stealing. Even if you do notice and report a questionable
payday and nothing changes, you are still liable for the
overpayment. Regular disbursing audits balance
payments made with those due. Eventually, you’ll have
to reimburse (give back) that amount, so bank the
overage. Look at it this way: You would rush in to your
disbursing office and insist on knowing why you were
paid too little—right? So—rush in if you’re being paid
too much, too.
LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENT
Based on the Navy’s Joint Uniform Military Pay
System (JUMPS), the Navy must provide you a
monthly Leave and Earnings Statement (LES). JUMPS
is a computerized pay and leave accounting system
located at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service,
Cleveland, Ohio. The monthly leave and earnings
statement provides you with a complete and accurate
record of the following:
Pay
Allowances
The type and amount of each allotment requested
The amount deducted for withholding tax, Social
Security, and Servicemen’s Group Life
Insurance
17-3
Student Notes:
