UNCLASSIFIED//

MARADMIN 305/08
R 201533Z MAY 08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP DIV// SUBJ/NEW BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING (BAH) PROCEDURES FOR RESERVE /COMPONENT (RC) MARINES ATTENDING ACCESSION TRAINING AND /CLARIFICATION OF BAH PROCEDURES FOR OTHER FORMS OF RESERVE DUTY// REF/A/MSGID:DOC/DOD/YMD:20080101//
NARR/REF/A/JOINT FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JFTR)/// POC/P.R. BONINCONTRI/CAPT/UNIT:MPO/-/TEL:(703) 784-9386 /TEL:DSN 278-9386// GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, RC MARINES WITHOUT DEPENDENTS MAY BE AUTHORIZED A BAH WHILE ATTENDING ACCESSION TRAINING. 
THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES THIS CHANGE TO THE POLICY AND CLARIFIES CURRENT BAH POLICY FOR RC MARINES ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY: (1) TO ATTEND ACCESSION TRAINING; (2) IN SUPPORT OF A CONTINGENCY; OR (3) FOR A PERIOD OF 31 DAYS OR MORE. 
2.  RESERVE COMPONENT BAH POLICY:
    A.  REF A IS THE GOVERNING REGULATION FOR BAH. 
    B.  RC MARINES ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR OTHER THAN ACCESSION PIPELINE TRAINING ARE AUTHORIZED BAH BASED ON THE DURATION AND TYPE OF ACTIVATION ORDERS.  THIS POLICY APPLIES TO RC MARINES WITH DEPENDENTS AND WITHOUT DEPENDENTS.  ADDITIONAL DOD GUIDANCE IS ANNOTATED IN CHAPTER 10, U10428 OF REF A.
3.  THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2008 AUTHORIZED THE PAYMENT OF BAH TO RC MARINES WITHOUT DEPENDENTS, ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATTENDING ACCESSION TRAINING, WHO BECAUSE OF SUCH ORDER, ARE UNABLE TO CONTINUE TO OCCUPY A RESIDENCE WHICH IS OWNED BY THE MEMBER OR FOR WHICH RENTAL PAYMENTS ARE PAID.
ACCESSION TRAINING INCLUDES RECRUIT TRAINING AND FOLLOW-ON FORMAL SCHOOL TRAINING UNTIL THE MARINE OBTAINS A PRIMARY MILITARY OCCUPATION SPECIALTY (MOS).
4.  ACCESSION PIPELINE BAH:
    A.  RC MARINES WITH DEPENDENTS ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR ACCESSION TRAINING ARE AUTHORIZED BAH BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE PLACE OF RESIDENCE (ACTIVATION LOCATION). 
    B.  RC MARINES WITHOUT DEPENDENTS MAY BE ENTITLED TO BAH IF THE RC MARINE MAINTAINS A CONTINUOUS LONG-TERM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR RESIDENCE THAT WAS IN EFFECT PRIOR TO ATTENDING ACCESSION TRAINING.  THE FOLLOWING QUALIFIES AS AN ELIGIBLE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHICH THE PAYMENT OF BAH IS AUTHORIZED:
        (1) FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DOMICILE AT THE PRINCIPLE PLACE OF RESIDENCE IS DEFINED AS RENTAL OR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS PAID ON THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE OF THE MARINE AT THE TIME OF ORDER TO ACTIVE DUTY.  ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF PROOF INCLUDE A MORTGAGE OR DEED TO A HOME, A RENTAL LEASE AGREEMENT IN THE MARINE'S NAME, OR CONSISTENT HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION OF PAYMENTS FOR HOUSING IN EXCESS OF 6 MONTHS. 
            (A) PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DOES NOT INCLUDE A NOTARIZED PROMISSORY AGREEMENT OR A FINANCIAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN A RELATIVE OR A FRIEND THAT IS NOT A TRUE COMMERCIAL AND LEGAL AGREEMENT OR THAT IS FOR A DOMICILE THAT IS JOINTLY OCCUPIED BY THE MARINE AND A RELATIVE OR FRIEND.  A MEMBER RESIDING IN THE HOME OF A FRIEND OR RELATIVE MAY NOT HAVE THE FRIEND/RELATIVE PREPARE A LEASE IN ORDER FOR THE MEMBER TO CLAIM FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RESIDENCE FOR THE PURPOSES OF BAH.
            (B) A HOUSE OR APARTMENT MUST BE A "LEGITIMATE"
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY (RENTED OR LEASED BY THE MEMBER) IN ORDER FOR IT TO QUALIFY FOR PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. 
            (C) LEGITIMATE RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY IS PROPERTY THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR RENT TO THE PUBLIC (AND NOT JUST TO A
FRIEND/RELATIVE) AND FOR WHICH THE OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPORTING THE RENT AS INCOME TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. 
            (D) A MEMBER MAY NOT "SUBLEASE" OR "SUBLET" A HOME FROM ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS ALREADY ENTERED INTO A LEASING AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER.
        (2) TO BE CONSIDERED A VALID LEASE, THE MEMBER MUST HAVE ENTERED INTO THE LEASE AGREEMENT 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO ATTENDING ACCESSION TRAINING AND THE LEASED PROPERTY MUST BE MAINTAINED BY THE MEMBER DURING THE ACCESSION TRAINING PERIOD FOR CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY TO BAH.
        (3) RC MARINES WHO CHANGE THEIR PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DURING PERIODS OF LEAVE IN BETWEEN RECRUIT TRAINING AND/OR SUBSEQUENT ACCESSION TRAINING COURSES MUST RECERTIFY THEIR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO RETAIN THEIR ENTITLEMENT TO BAH.  IF THERE IS A CHANGE IN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, THE BAH RATE WILL REFLECT THE NEW ZIP CODE LOCALITY RATE.
        (4) TERMINATION OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WILL RESULT IN THE PAYMENT OF BAH BEING STOPPED. 
        (5) CHANGES IN DEPENDENCY STATUS WILL RESULT IN RECERTIFICATION OF BAH.  MEMBERS THAT ACQUIRE DEPENDENTS DURING PERIODS OF TRANSIT OR LEAVE WILL REPORT THIS CHANGE UPON REPORTING TO THEIR NEXT TRAINING LOCATION OR RESERVE CENTER.  MEMBERS THAT LOSE DEPENDENTS WILL ADHERE TO THE GUIDANCE IN THIS MARADMIN FROM DATE OF LOSS.
5.  RC MARINES ON INITIAL ACTIVE DUTY TRAINING (IADT) ORDERS ARE IN THE ACCESSION PIPELINE.  RC MARINES REMAIN IN THE ACCESSION PIPELINE UNTIL INITIAL TRAINING IS COMPLETED AND THE RC MARINE IS ASSIGNED A PRIMARY MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (MOS).  INITIAL TRAINING INCLUDES FOLLOW-ON TRAINING AT THE SCHOOL OF INFANTRY AND/OR PRIMARY MOS SCHOOL TRAINING.  IN THESE SITUATIONS RC MARINES MAY BE ISSUED SPLIT INCREMENT ORDERS FOR THE PURPOSES OF ATTENDING BASIC TRAINING (SUMMER #1); SOI-MCT (SUMMER #2); AND PMOS TRAINING (SUMMER #3).
THESE ORDERS ARE CONSIDERED INITIAL ACTIVE DUTY TRAINING TYPE ORDERS AND AS SUCH ACCESSION BAH IS PAYABLE PROVIDED THE MEMBER MAINTAINS A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS DEFINED IN THIS MESSAGE.
6.  CLARIFICATION OF CURRENT BAH POLICIES AS REFLECTED IN REF (A) ARE AS FOLLOWS:
    A.  RC MEMBERS WITH OR WITHOUT DEPENDENTS ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY (OTHER THAN FOR A CONTINGENCY OR ACCESSION TRAINING) FOR LESS THAN
31 DAYS ARE ENTITLED TO BAH-RC (EITHER AT THE WITH OR WITHOUT DEPENDENT RATE).  BAH-RC RATES CAN BE FOUND ON THE PER DIEM TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE WEBSITE.
    B.  RC MEMBERS WITH OR WITHOUT DEPENDENTS ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY (OTHER THAN FOR A CONTINGENCY OR ACCESSION TRAINING) FOR 31 DAYS OR MORE ARE ENTITLED TO BAH.  THE ZIP CODE LOCALITY RATE IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF THE RC MARINE UNLESS PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS) ORDERS ARE ISSUED AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS (HHG) MOVE IS AUTHORIZED.
    C.  RC MEMBERS WITH OR WITHOUT DEPENDENTS ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF A CONTINGENCY, REGARDLESS OF THE DURATION OF ORDERS, ARE ENTITLED TO BAH FROM THE DATE OF ACTIVATION.  THE ZIP CODE LOCALITY RATE IS BASED UPON THE PRINCIPLE PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF THE RC MARINE AT THE TIME OF ACTIVATION.  THE PRINCIPLE PLACE OF RESIDENCE IS THE LOCATION FROM WHICH THE MEMBER WAS ACTIVATED OR THE
MEMBER'S PRIMARY RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF ACTIVATION.   
    D.  RC MEMBERS WITH OR WITHOUT DEPENDENTS ORDERED TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR ACCESSION TRAINING, REGARDLESS OF THE DURATION OF ORDERS, ARE AUTHORIZED BAH PER PAR 4 OF THIS MESSAGE. 
    E.  PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT REQUIRED TO START BAH FOR ANY TYPE OF RC DUTY OTHER THAN ACCESSION TRAINING.
    F.  WHEN PCS ORDERS ARE ISSUED (PCS APPN DATA IS REFLECTED IN THE ORDERS), BAH IS PAID BASED ON THE NEW PERMANENT DUTY STATION AND THE ASSIGNMENT TO GOVERNMENT QUARTERS.  IF SINGLE TYPE GOVERNMENT QUARTERS ARE ASSIGNED, THEN BAH PARTIAL IS PAID.
7.  THE ACTIVATION SITE CERTIFYING OFFICIAL WILL AUTHENTICATE THE PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AT THE INITIAL ACTIVATION AND SUBSEQUENT ACTIVATIONS OF THE ACCESSION PIPELINE MARINE.
8.  MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT FINANCE OFFICES WILL NOT PAY BAH TO RESERVE MARINES WITHOUT PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
QUESTIONS REGARDING VALID PROOF OF RESPONSIBILITY WILL BE FORWARDED TO MANPOWER MILITARY POLICY (MPO).
9.  RETENTION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY INDIVIDUAL MARINES TO SUBSTANTIATE THE BAH LOCALITY RATE UPON ACTIVATION WILL BE MAINTAINED IN THE UNIT'S CORRESPONDENCE FILES.  RETENTION WILL BE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, PLUS 2-YEARS FROM THE COMPLETION OF THE ACTIVATION PERIOD. 
10.  THE POLICY CONTAINED IN THIS MESSAGE APPLIES TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
11.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY MR. M. F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//