BAH rates drop for most Northwest bases
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk work on three Habitat for Humanity homes in Bremerton. (U.S. Navy photo)
Military housing allowances across the U.S. will rise an average of 2.5 percent in 2010. But BAH rates for service members stationed at most Navy bases in the Northwest will go down slightly, due to falling real estate values.
An E-4 at Naval Station Everett will see about a 3 percent drop with dependents or a nearly 8 percent drop without. The same sailor at Naval Base Kitsap will see a 3.5 percent drop with dependents and a 1.7 percent drop without.
At Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, that sailor would see a roughly 6 percent increase with or without dependents.
Update: According to military columnist Tom Philpott, the lower BAH rates only apply to service members assigned to a new area after Jan. 1.
You can look up BAH rates on the Department of Defense travel Web site.
An analysis earlier this year by Military Times found that the cost of living for Northwest bases was among the highest in the nation.
How will the BAH changes affect your family? Have your housing expenses decreased as Northwest home values dropped in the last year? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.