I was accepted into the Supply BDCP in late August and sworn in around early October. Do you get paid once every month, around the time of swearing in, or paid on the 1st and 15th of every month like other military personnel? Thank you for your responses.
I was just searching the forums for information on this topic earlier this morning. We swore in right around the same time, and it sounds like you have to wait for a full pay period before you start getting paychecks. So since you and I both swore in early October, I would imagine that we will start getting paid either beginning or mid November, depending on how quick our papers get through. Congrats!
Hey thanks for the information. I swore in on October 2nd so hopefully it is the 1st and not the 15th. Blagred what were you pro rec for?
Yeah when I swore in (mid-APRIL) I didn't get paid until mid-MAY but the pay is retro'd back. So you basically get almost three paychecks in one. After that it levels out and you get your steady 1st and 15th.
I swore in on the 6th of July and I got my first paycheck around the first of August. For some reason it was on like a random tuesday as I recall. Nice little surprise because I wasnt expecting it until the 15th. It took 3 checks for them to even out to where you are getting the same amounts every time
That's sick and I am not sure yet on my OCS date. I graduate in the middle of May so my guess would be June 6th or so but like I said just a guess at this point.
I'm teaching a group of high school kids here in Texas about "success skills" with a local volunteer organization and I'm sure that military stuff will come up at some point. I was going to tell them about the BDCP program because it seems like a good deal. My question is: What is the pay that you are making? Is it like and Officer Candidate (E-5 pay)? Or something else? If it is E-5 pay, that is a hell of a lot of money to a college kid.
It's E-3 pay for most jobs. That includes BAS and BAH. Basically every month I get 2 deposits of about $1250. It's a little less than that after TSP, but about that much. NUPOC guys get E-5 pay and a signing bonus. We BDCP dudes can increase our pay rate to E-4 with two semesters of Dean's List or by bringing in a guy to the BDCP program. If you do both, you're making E-5. I don't know whether NUPOC guys are eligible for that upgrade. After graduation pay increases to E-5 until commissioning. Yes, it is a lot of money for a college student. EDIT: But if like me you don't really take any money from the parents anymore, it goes fast. Rent, car payments, insurance, school, etc use up the money. In NROTC you can get school paid for completely plus stipend, which may or may not be a better deal depending on the school.
Yeah, forgot about that part. I was one of the lucky ones that mooched off the folks all through college. I suppose college kids are going to be broke one way or the other. At least you are broke on the government's dime. Thanks for the summary.
Just curious when you found out your class date? I've been in BDCP for a year now and should be graduating in April and I still dont have a class date. I'm wondering if I need to start pressing the issue. Congrats by the way.
you wont get a pay check till you get your orders and sign them sent in. but like they said you get back paid to sware in date. And your OR should be able to hunt down your ocs date, I graduate in May and still do not know mine. but my OR the week before he left said he knew where to find it... Ask the CO for the NORD and he said he'd get it for me, but hasn't I figure i'll start pestoring more soon.
Well bro I'll be seeing you at OCS then most likely. I graduate in May too. Last time I checked at the NRD, there was no date in the system for me.
I am not positive on the June 6th date it is more of a guess than anything. I know some guys going in then, but either way it will be right around then. I was watching some videos on youtube about OCS seems really intense but that is a good thing. :icon_smil
I graduate June 12th, 2010 (yay schools on quarters) My OR told me my date of August 1st was on / with my Final Select letter (early October). I had put down that I was available July 1st or later, and they put me in August 1st. So sounds like they allow a cushion period so you don't have to super rush.
I graduate in the end of may 2010, but listed my official date available as July. Just in case ineed summer school, not sure of my official date but I know im driving from CA to RI sometime around then.
The best part is I live in New Hampshire and go to school in RI so I know the area really well and wont have far to travel to OCS. Newport in the summer is perhaps the best place to be.
Sorry for reviving an old thread... I just got my first BDCP deposit and I'm a bit confused about the BAH breakdown. Is the BAH based on where you live or where the recruiting district headquarters is? NYC BAH, according to the chart, is around 2500 a month, but I'm getting paid 1662 BAH according to the Long Island rate (location of the headquarters). Anyone know anything about this?
Head over to myPay.gov (you'll have to fax/mail in some information to get an account set up) and look at the box for "VHA Zip". This is the zip code where you BAH is set. Similar question, my zip for VHA is not where I live, my permanent (parent's) zip, nor my OR's zip. Beyond knowing where to look for the zip code, I'll bump the question in asking if anyone knows how this zip is decided upon?
Edit: Scratch that ... I just figured out what my zip code is. It is the zip code of my university. ***** oh ... and JSnake, my BAH was kinda strange the first few pay periods. A few months in it levels out with the proper amounts. Once you figure out the amount you are supposed to be getting, whether your 2500 or your 1662 (remember, BAH in one paycheck is for 1/2 month) give it a little bit of time to "settle in"
It should be based on where you live/ go to school. Technically my permernant address was in Stockton, but I lived in Monterey, and the headquarters is in Mountain View. I could be wrong but it should be based on my Monterey Residence because thats where I actually am living. My pay does refelct it so I am not complining or asking too many questions.
Belay my last, I just checked my mypay because you got me curious. My BAH is based on Mountain View, the location of my recruiting NRD. I actually get paid better than if I was in Monterey so I'm not complaining.
I called the payroll people and got some clarification. For BDCP guys, our BAH is based on our NRD command offices, (she called it the UIC, not sure if I spelled that right). Kinda sucks, there's almost a $1000 difference between where I live and just 20 miles away in Long Island.
What's an NRD command office? I'd much rather get Denver (my NRD) money than SLC (my NORS), but that doesn't seem very likely.
