Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody sent a letter July 15 to congressional defense leaders opposing “disincentives” in the proposed changes in Basic Allowance for Housing eligibility.
The letter was sent to Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; Sens. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and Richard Durbin, D-Ill., chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee; Reps. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, and Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman and vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee; and Reps. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J., and Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., chairman and vice chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
Following is an excerpt of the letter:
“I write to express deep concern with the provisions on Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) included in Section 604 of Senate-approved S. 1376, the National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2016. Every American who volunteers to serve our country does so in his or her own right and is individually entitled to the compensation that comes with military service. The language in Section 604 compromises that entitlement, penalizing a military member for marrying or considering living with another brave volunteer.
“From my discussions with Airmen around the world, I find that this proposal is already having a negative impact on morale. Airmen are concerned about potential financial hardships as some E-6’s could see their monthly family income reduced by $2,000. These Airmen serve in the smallest Air Force in our history, while being the most globally engaged in our Nation’s longest sustained combat operations. Additionally, this proposal threatens Wingman culture as it provides disincentives for shared living arrangements, thereby removing a critical support structure that contributes to the resiliency of our force.
“This proposal is a significant change to the compensation package that our enlisted force receives today. Therefore, the magnitude of change in this proposal should be given careful thought and discussion by senior military leaders and lawmakers before it becomes law. I urge you to table this provision until its potential impacts can be thoroughly evaluated.
“The Nation relies on our Airmen to fulfill their commitment of service before self, and they rely on your leadership to ensure we have the Air Force our Nation needs. …”
