• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

Pay and Expenses at OCS

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cjmn

Registered User
I want to make sure that I have our household finances in order for while I'm at OCS. Can anyone help me with a few questions about pay and expenses? Here goes:

Pay: I found the pay scale info, so I know what E-5 pay is.

BAH: If you are married, do you also get full BAH? If so, does the amount depend on where your home of record is, or is there a set amount that is given?

Expenses: What expenses are there at OCS? How much do uniforms and required items cost and how are they paid for? Is the cost taken out of your paycheck, or do you have the option of paying for them with credit card?

Is there anything else I should be considering?

Colleen
 
J

jlinscott

Registered User
I can answer your questions for BAH. The BAH payscales that are found with the paygrade payscales are the minimums for each pay grade (not actually what you will recieve). For example, if you are a married E-5 you will get $580.80 minimum. Now to figure out what you will actually recieve in your pay check is based on the zip code where you live and your paygrade. If you want to know the rate for where your spouse will be living while you are at OCS go to the following website: http://www.dtic.mil/perdiem/bahform.html

Then fill in your paygrade (E-5) and the zipcode to figure out the BAH pay that you will actually recieve.

I have heard the answers for your other questions, but since I haven't actually been to OCS yet, I will leave the answers for those that have already graduated.

Hope this helps,
-Jason
 
solenita72

solenita72

SWO Wife
My husband was commissioned in January, so I might be able to help with some of the expenses info. I sent him down there with $300 in cash, which lasted him the entire time. Granted he didn't go out to eat alot when he got liberty, and when I was down there we didn't spend his cash. I made sure he had all of the stuff he needed as far as deoterant, shaving cream and soap, so that he didn't have to buy it there. He had his car down there so he left it out there and brought it in as he needed. Send me a message if you want a more detailed idea of what all he took. He had to buy extra buckles and end pieces for his belts and some other things on his own that was just easier to replace that stress about during inspections.

As far as uniforms go, they give you $1197 fairly early (hold onto it in savings!) into OCS. That is the amount that you have to give them on the last day before picking up your ID showing your new rate/rank. My husband went the cheaper route, and did not get his uniforms from Abbotts, he got them from the NEX, which looked better to me anyway. When he left he still owed a little over $900. That can be "financed" through NEX at 0% interest rate for one year. You can also pay them off with a credit card, but with no interest it doesn't make much sense to do that. After commissioning maybe a month or so later, he also got an extra $600 deposited in his paycheck that I imagine is there to help defray uniform costs. I am almost positive that all new ensigns get that. I'm an sure that there are differences between men and women uniform costs, but I can imagine a huge difference.

Since I didn't move to P-cola, we got Family Sep pay after 30 days of him being gone. Origionally it was $100 a month, but with the new legislation, they upped it to $250 a month, backing it up to Oct. last year. That is in effect until this October, but rumor has it that it will actually be passed to stay $250.
 
C

cyphertube

Registered User
Ok, here's a doozy.

I'm working on going into BDCP, whereas my wife is applying directly to OCS. Until she goes, I'll get paid married BAH, which covers housing expenses here. I know that when we're both in, we're supposed to each get paid single BAH, instead of married.

While she's at OCS, though, she won't receive BAH. Does this mean I get shafted down to single? (Keep in mind that I'm maintaing a 2-person household.) This won't be too bad on me if I make it to an E-5 paygrade promotion before she goes, but if she goes early and leaves me on an E-4, it'll be tough.
 
R

robv182

Gotta have the Nutz
None
Get the card from the NEX. On your first day of use they give you 10% off. That ended up being 10% off the $1900.00 I owed. Then, as soon as I got the bill, payed it off and canceled the card. Good deal.
 
W

WFU2USN

Registered User
cyphertube,

My sister and bro-in-law were dual military and while they were both in she said they each got BAH at the single rate for each of them.

Robin
IS2(SCW)

http://www.geocities.com/califchick1175/USN/navy.html
 
koolkatsalley

koolkatsalley

New Member
I will be attending OCS In Jan 2005. I am also trying to get my household finances in order before attending OCS. My situation is a little different. I am a single father of twin 3yr old daughters. My wonderful mother, God bless her heart, will be taking care of my children while I am unable to (during OCS and times when I am away during my military career). So far, I have been able to cut down on many of my bills (i.e., car pmnts, cell phone, memberships, etc...) by freezing my accounts or some companies even skipping payments while I am in attendance at OCS. I am still trying to figure out what my BAH situation will be like for my children while I am OCS, since I am single??? Anyone have any answers or pointers that will lead me in the right direction to help me find out a little more on how this all works??????
 
E

engineman02

ENS
If you are single, then you dont get bah while at ocs. As far as saving money, dont have too many guest for Hi Moms, dont get more uniform items than are necessary, you can get by with the ammount you are issued (except for belt buckles).
 
E

EngineGirl

Sleepy Head
I'm not positive, but I beleive you will get the BAH b/c you have "dependents" even though you are not married.

EngineGirl
 
bennett4362

bennett4362

deployment sucks
i think enginegirl and sirenia are right, "dependent" doesn't only mean spouse, it can also mean child/ren.

one thing we were surprised to find out about was class dues (used for hair cuts, t-shirts, etc.). class dues vary according to each class, but they can range anywhere from $60-$200. could be a nice chunk of change to account for unexpectedly.

robv182 and solenta72 were also correct above about getting the star card to get 10% off your purchases at ocs and your getting a uniform allowance of $1200.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top