A servicemember with dependents is entitled to a family separation allowance (FSA) of $250 per month. This is in addition to any per diem or other entitlements such as family separation housing allowance presuming that:

  • Movement of dependents to the permanent duty station at Government expense is not authorized. This presupposes that the dependents do not already live at or near that station
  • The member is on duty on board a ship away from the home port of the ship for a period of more than 30 continuous days
  • The member is on temporary duty away from the permanent duty station for a continuous period of more than 30 days and the dependents do not live at or near the temporary duty station

Servicemembers that choose to serve an unaccompanied tour of duty at a permanent duty station where the movement of dependents at Government expense is authorized, are not entitled to the family separation allowance under the first condition noted above.

In situations where servicemembers are married to other servicemember, family separation allowance is authorized for one member if the members were residing together immediately before the separation.

Service members must complete a DA Form 1561 before the entitlement can be started.

BAH II and BAH-Diff Eliminated:

The elimination of BAH II and BAH-Difference is phase II of the planned transition from the old BAQ laws, and it removes the BAH II grandfathering effect.

The elimination of BAH-Diff, the rate established for servicemembers who pay child support and live on the economy, will mean that servicemembers will be converted to BAH at the “with dependents” rate and have use of the OHA higher rental ceilings. In addition stateside servicemembers who are assigned to “inadequate quarters” will begin receiving BAH I which is 25 percent of the BAH for their locality versus 25 percent of the lesser BAH II.


Servicemembers receiving either BAH without Dependents and BAH Difference or OHA with Dependents and BAH Difference will switch to "BAH with dependent" or "OHA with dependent" on December 31, 2005. Because the affects of the expiration of the old BAQ and Variable Housing Allowance (VHA) rules are highly complex and wide reaching it is recommended that servicemembers who receive BAH, OHA, Family Separation Housing Allowance (FSH) and BAH II should contact their local pay or personnel office for specific details on how the new rules will affect them.

Overseas Housing Allowance Changes:

The command sponsorship requirement for entitlement to OHA will be eliminated effective October 1, 2005. Any member residing off-base, with dependents in the vicinity of the permanent duty station, will be paid OHA at the with dependent rate based upon the location rate for the permanent duty station. This also applies to members serving on a dependent restricted tour with non-command sponsored dependents residing in the vicinity of the permanent duty station. Members serving an unaccompanied tour whose dependents do not reside near the permanent duty station will continue to be paid bah or OHA at the designated location of their dependents.

Further changes to entitlement rules are being developed and will be announced before the elimination of BAH II authority effective January 1, 2006.