BAS Rates: Basic Allowance for Subsistence
BAS is one of the benefits a service member may receive on active duty. Unlike BAH rates (Basic Allowance for Housing) or their basic pay, there can be a few restrictions on when you will receive BAS. Here is what you need to know about BAS.
What is BAS?
BAS stands for Basic Allowance for Subsistence. This pay is meant to offset the costs for an individual service member’s meals. It is essential to remember that BAS is not intended to cover the meal expenses for a family.
Who receives BAS?
All enlisted members of the military will receive full BAS but pay for their meals at the dining facility. This means that if you deploy or attend training, your BAS can be prorated, deducting the cost of meals provided by the military.
Often what happens is that a service member and their family get used to that BAS each month, they deploy, and then the military paycheck is down from what they think it should be. If you don’t know how BAS works, it can be easy to freak out over this.
BAS begins after basic training, and your initial training period has concluded. BAS is approved at the local command level, and not all troops are eligible. You may be eligible at one assignment, but not another.
What else do I need to know about BAS?
Remember that BAS is intended solely for the service member, and you are not supposed to receive all of it if you are receiving meals through the military.
BAS, as well as BAH, is tax-exempt and therefore does not require reporting for tax purposes. If you are applying for a specific program, ensure that you check if they require you to include BAS in your income or not. This will depend on who is asking and paying for the program you are applying for.
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About the author
Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.
