What the Navy pays for and what the Recruit pays for

[trisha]

Does the Navy pay for uniforms?

Yes, but not for everything they need at boot camp.

Recruits receive an initial uniform allowance of $1,157.21 for men and $1,371.69 for women. This pays for the "sailor's seabag" which consists of four sets of Navy Working Uniforms (aka "digis"), one pair of boots, one set of PT gear (sweats and shorts/t-shirt), two sets of Navy Service Uniforms (aka "peanut butters"), one dress white uniform, one dress blue uniform, one pair of dress shoes, a pea coat, a rain coat, an NSU parka, four covers (hats) and a seabag. Women also receive skirts for each service and dress uniform, a set of uniform dress pumps, and their dress "combination" cover, which is why they get a higher allowance.

http://www.dfas.mil/navy2/militarypay/clothingallowance.html

This allowance does NOT cover the many small things they need that are not uniform items, from underwear to shampoo to athletic shoes. The first paycheck is usually reduced by $400- $600 (often the entire paycheck).

During winter months at Great Lakes they will also purchase specific cold weather gear (gloves, ski mask, etc) that isn't part of the basic "sailor's seabag," creating a higher cost for winter recruits.

Each year on the anniversary of their enlistment sailors get a smaller amount to replace worn or damaged uniforms.

What else comes out of my recruit's paycheck?

Later in boot camp sailors will have the option to purchase "yearbooks", PIR DVDs, pictures, division t-shirts, etc. Many of these are deducted from the sailors' paychecks. They do have the option to not purchase these items.

However, if they do purchase these items the pictures and t-shirts arrive before PIR. If parents or spouse order them at PIR or later, it may take 1-2 months to receive them. Yearbooks arrive 4-6 weeks after graduation, even if pre-purchased.

When does may recruit get his/her first paycheck?

The first paycheck usually arrives in the recruit's bank account about one month to six weeks after his/her arrival at boot camp. Paydays are on the 1st and 15th of each month.

Does the Navy pay for food?

Yes. However, the system is confusing to some people, so it seems like sailors pay for their food. The Navy used to just feed all sailors, but for bookkeeping purposes it was difficult to figure out how much they paid for each sailor to eat.

Now the Navy issues a food allowance to every sailor. If that sailor is on shore duty and does not live on a ship or in barracks with access to a mess (cafeteria), the sailor keeps the cash to pay for their own food. However, if the sailor is assigned to a ship or barracks with access to a mess the Navy deducts the food allowance. At first glance on a pay stub this *looks* like the sailor is paying for his/her own food, but in reality the Navy is merely re-claiming the food allowance.

If a sailor does not like the food offered at the mess or finds the galley schedule "inconvenient," and chooses to eat their own food or at a fast food restaurant, it is up to them to pay for it out of their own pocket. The Navy will NOT return the food allowance to them if they decline to eat at Navy facilities.

http://www.dfas.mil/navy2/militarypay/allowances.html

Are there co-pays for sailors' medical care?

No. All Navy medical care for active-duty sailors is free.

However, most "elective" medical procedures are not offered or covered unless a Navy-approved medical doctor/dentist determines that it is in the best interest of the sailor and the Navy.

Will the Navy pay for a private apartment for ship-based bachelor sailors to use while in port?

No, but they may get to live in a barracks. Even for extended port stays, some ships require sailors to continue to live on-board the ship. However, the Navy is trying to change this. In many places, sailors are assigned a dorm-like barracks (similar to A-school) room with one or two of their shipmates while their ship is in port. Sailors will also receive a barracks room if their ship goes into dry docks for extended repairs.

Occasionally, if there aren't enough barracks rooms to go around for ship-based sailors and they want sailors living off-ship, sailors may be assigned a room in a non-Navy apartment building rented by the Navy, or be given a special allowance to find an apartment with other sailors. This is not common.

Shore-based sailors are assigned dorm-barracks. There is no charge for the barracks room.

An unmarried sailor (without dependents) must pay for an apartment from his/her paycheck and must still sleep on at their duty station on duty days. Most commands require unmarried sailors to get permission to live off-base, and sometimes restrict this privilege to E-4 and above.

Will the Navy pay for airline tickets?

It depends on the purpose of the travel.

If the sailor is traveling on orders, the Navy will pay. Sometimes the Navy will issue tickets or assign a sailor to a military flight. At other times the sailor must pay for his/her own ticket and the Navy will reimburse the sailor for travel expenses after s/he submits all receipts with her order on arrival. Again, the reimbursement may take some time to be processed, so sailors should keep a savings account to cover such expenses.

The Navy does not cover travel for sailors to go home on leave.

Between A school and their first duty station the Navy covers the cost of a ticket between their current location and the new duty station. The sailor will only pay for the cost difference to add their own leave destination to the itinerary.

Travel home after being discharged from the Navy is based on bus travel. Sailors have the choice of taking a bus ticket home, or accept the cash value of a bus ticket and make their way home on their own. The amount is based on returning the sailor to the location they lived when they enlisted. If airline tickets happen to be cheaper than bus tickets, the Navy may pay for a discharged sailor's airfare.

 

[TxNavyMomWifeCPO(Ship6Div941)]

Just a correction in regards to traveling on orders....a sailor will never be required to pay up front out of their own pocket for a ticket. A ticket is part of the order writing process. Somewhere in the body of the orders is accounting data to provide for the cost of a ticket-now-a-days this is usually in the form of an "E" ticket. However, if a sailor is traveling POV(privately owned vehicle) then yes a sailor will be reimbursed for travel expenses(such as gas) when they file a travel claim at their command.

Here is a repost of my post on Monday 8/2 explaining the military pay components. YNC ;-)

Please check out this website-Navy Personnel Command (or sometimes referred to as BUPERS)

http://www.npc.navy.mil/CareerInfo/PayAndBenefits/

that will explain in detail the pay components that your recruits can expect. Everyone gets Basic Pay but in addition will get BAH(basic allowance for housing), and BAS( basic allowance for subsistence-or nikosmom might remember this one as COMRATS) The rates for BAH are based on several factors(married, single, living in government quarters or in town). Since we can assume that most of the recruits are single then because the government is housing them, then while in a training status will not get this allowance. Married recruits or recruits with valid dependents will receive BAH based on the married rate and will most likely get back BAH based on this status-I don't know how this is handled in bc-but in the commands that I have been in, when a service member added a dependent to their "page two", then the system would be updated to reflect the change in status from single to married. However, if a single member is stationed on a ship or barracks, then they will get little if any of the BAH--again it is assumed that the government is providing the housing for the single member. However, BAH will continue for a married member in stationed aboard a ship due to the fact that the member is supporting a family. Confused yet?

Now lets move on to BAS-again this is paid to provide subsistence for the service member only. So, while in a training status such as BC the recruits will not get this, nor will they get this in "A" school. This confuses alot of people, but the whole purpose of BAS is to provide meals for the service member only. It will stop, for example, if a sailor is aboard a ship--regardless of dependent status. I was a liaison for Navy Marine Corps Relief Society once, and I cannot tell you how many upset wives I encountered when the paycheck dropped considerably because the ship their husband was stationed on pulled out for deployment--many families come to depend on BAS but do not realize it is to provide food for the service member only.

Now I wholeheartedly agree with my sister Chief Petty Officer Angie--do not send your sailor money when they call as say they ran out of money. They will need to learn to budget their pay and not waste it on video games etc. If it becomes an issue, then they will be sent to an organization like Navy Marine Corp Relief Society and be guided on learning how to budget. I have counseled many a young sailor using the same budget sheet that the NMCRS uses....I am sure Angie has done the same.

Well I hope that I did not provide too much confusion :-) They will get their uniform allowance sometime before graduation or shortly after.