|
|
 I
want to thank the Marine Corps Base web site, Maj Richard C. Erler and
the OkiMar Newspaper for the following information on disbursing and allowances.
Since this article sums up the real deal on Okinawa disbursing questions,
I saw no reason to mess with success. |
| What goes into our paychecks can be of utmost concern, but it is often shrouded in confusion. How is our COLA calculated, and how do we know if we’re going to receive a no-pay due? These are some of the questions answered this week in our continuing series of Quality of Life issues. Answering them is Maj. Richard C. Erler, OIC of 3rd FSSG disbursing. |
|
|
|
| OKIMAR:
What is Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) entitlement criteria? |
ERLER:
Entitlement to TLA is generally based on three major factors — tour type, dependent location and availability of government quarters. Members on accompanied tours with authorized dependents in the area of the permanent duty station can be authorized TLA until permanent housing, either on the local economy or gvernment housing, is made available for occupancy. To receive TLA, members entitled must meet the requirements of Marine Corps Bases Japan Order 7220.2. It’s not a new order, but it has been revised recently. |
| OKIMAR:
How long can a military member collect TLA upon arrival/departure of Okinawa? |
ERLER:
Currently, TLA on Okinawa can be paid for up to 30 days. This is not an automatic blanket entitlement to TLA. The member has a responsibility to aggressively seek permanent housing. Failure to do so, or to document that he or she has done so, could limit the number of days payable to less than 30 days. Departure TLA is paid for up to six days for members vacating government housing and up to 10 days for those vacating out in town. For special circumstances, beyond the member’s control, he or she has to document these circumstances and justify them to his or her commanding officer. These are handled on a case-by-case basis. |
| OKIMAR:
How does Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) differ from Variable Housing Allowance (VHA)? |
ERLER:
OHA is designed to cover 100 percent of the housing cost for 80 percent of the service members who are entitled to housing costs. Although everybody who is entitled receives OHA, 20 percent of the recipient’s housing costs are higher than the money allotted for their paygrade. VHA is designed to cover between 75 to 80 percent of the housing costs for everyone. |
| OKIMAR:
What is the criteria for OHA? |
ERLER:
Members on accompanied tours with authorized dependents in the area of the permanent duty station can be authorized OHA if they occupy local economy housing. Members on unaccompanied tours can be authorized OHA if the Billeting Office, MCB, determines there are no government quarters available. Single members in pay grade E-7 and above who elect not to occupy available government quarters can be entitled to OHA. Members married to members who are authorized to maintain a joint household can be entitled to OHA. In all cases, members entitled to OHA must submit a completed OHA form DD 2367 certified by the Kadena Family Housing Office and their commanding officer. Further, they must be occupying local economy housing that has been approved by the Kadena Family Housing Office. |
| OKIMAR:
How is the amount of OHA determined? |
ERLER:
Rental ceilings are determined by the Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) for each pay grade. PDTATAC also determines a flat rate utility and maintenance allowance for each geographical location, such as Okinawa. The member’s rent is converted to its dollar value using a standard conversion rate determined by PDTATAC. This figure, in dollars, is compared to the rental ceiling for that member’s grade. The lesser of these two figures is added to the utility and maintenance allowance. The members BAQ is then subtracted. The result is the member’s OHA. |
| OKIMAR:
Why do families living on the economy turn in their utility receipts? How do they benefit from this process? |
ERLER:
Utility receipts are turned in as a result of a cost sharing agreement between the Government of Japan and the United States Government. It is required by Marine Corps Bases Japan Order 7220.4. The benefit to families is twofold. First, in the cost sharing agreement, United States service members are not charged the three percent local consumption tax. Second, the money received by the Marine Corps under this program enhances its ability to provide housing, child-care and other quality of life programs. |
| OKIMAR:
What are the different types of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)? |
ERLER:
There are three different types of COLA; COLA Barracks, COLA without dependents, and COLA with dependents — this type of COLA is based on the number of dependents with a maximum of five dependents. |
| OKIMAR:
How is it determined who rates which type of COLA? |
ERLER:
COLA with dependents — members on an accompanied tour, who have dependents in the area of the permanent duty station are entitled to COLA with dependents, based on the number of dependents with the maximum of five. COLA without dependents — single members in pay grade E-7 and above who elect not to occupy government housing, or members whose installation commander determines that government messing is unavailable or impractical are entitled to COLA without dependents. Comrats isn’t a factor. COLA Barracks — single or unaccompanied members residing in the barracks who have messing available are entitled to COLA Barracks. |
| OKIMAR:
How does TAD/leave affect TLA/OHA/COLA? |
ERLER:
TLA is not affected by leave unless it is taken away from the members permanent duty station. A member’s TLA will be reduced when the member is TAD, but the family remains at the permanent duty station at the temporary lodging facilities. The only exception to this is if the member is on permissive TAD in the vicinity of the permanent duty station, and continues local house hunting. In this case the member’s TLA would continue and not be reduced. OHA is not affected by either TAD or leave, provided the member is still assigned to a permanent duty station in Okinawa and continues to reside in approved local economy housing. COLA is not affected by TAD, but in some circumstances is affected by leave. COLA is reduced when the member or dependents are on leave or out of the area in excess of 30 days. On the 31st day it would be reduced dependent on how many family members were out of the area. |
| OKIMAR:
How does DoD gauge the difference between the cost of living overseas and in the United States? |
ERLER:
PDTATAC uses two surveys, the market basket survey and the living-pattern survey. |
| OKIMAR:
If the cost of living is 30 percent higher, will paychecks be 30 percent higher? |
ERLER:
No. COLA is based on spendable income, not total income. Spendable income is the total income minus housing expenses, taxes, savings, life insurance, gifts and contributions. PDTATAC uses spendable income tables computed for different family sizes and income levels. These tables are based on consumer expenditure surveys from the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics that show how people typically spend their income. |
| OKIMAR:
When was the last living pattern survey done, and who participated? |
ERLER:
The last one in Okinawa was conducted in January 1997. The participants were randomly selected members of all grades and services. |
| OKIMAR:
How do changes in the foreign exchange rate effect COLA? |
ERLER:
The Per Diem Committee monitors the foreign exchange rates throughout the year. As the amount of the foreign currency the dollar “buys” changes, the Per Diem Committee adjusts COLA to keep purchasing power at the same level. |
| OKIMAR:
When the value of the dollar decreases, why doesn’t COLA go up an equal amount? |
ERLER:
This is because COLA is adjusted for only that portion of income the typical member spends on the local economy as determined by the living pattern survey. For example, if the living pattern survey shows the typical member spends half of their income out in town, and the value of the dollar falls four percent, COLA would be increased two percent. |
| OKIMAR:
If money is going to be taken out of a Marines paycheck, how is the Marine informed and is there a better way to inform the Marine to ensure that he or she has gotten the message? |
ERLER:
When disbursing processes a checkage for more than $50 against a member’s pay account it is done under the delayed checkage process. This will cause the checkage to post to the bottom of the member’s Leave and Earnings Statement. This statement will indicate the amount of the checkage, what it is for and when and how it will be taken from the member’s pay. Additionally, dependent on the type of checkage the Marine has, he or she will be notified by the commanding officer or disbursing officer. |
| OKIMAR:
Once a travel claim is turned in, how long does it take for the money to be processed? |
ERLER:
Upon receipt of a correct and accurate travel claim, the average turnaround time to completion of computation and audit is 4.04 days. After it is computed and audited, we do an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). These payments reach the Marine’s bank account within 48 hours of transmission. That varies throughout the year based on our workload. |
| OKIMAR:
There was a Marine Mail several months ago that asked if Marines who are approaching their EAS will one day be able to receive their pay by direct deposit until the last paycheck, as opposed to being mailed hard checks. The response was positive. Has there been any movement in that direction? |
ERLER:
Currently, the system automatically removes Marines from direct deposit if they are approaching their EAS. This insures the member receives his or her money instead of the money going to the bank account he or she already closed out. A high percentage of our Marine’s bank locally, and every time they change duty stations, they change banks. If the Marine closed his or her bank account and we sent the payment there, this money cannot be repaid until disbursing receives the money back from the member’s bank, delaying the payment. Another option available for
separating Marines is to fill out a FEDLINE worksheet. The final settlement
will then be paid via electronic fund transfer directly to their account.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
