Housing allowances increase for 2009 Published Jan. 6, 2009 By American Forces Press Service and Keesler News staff 81st Trining Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS -- Keesler's military members are receiving an average increase of 7.61 percent in basic allowance for housing this year, compared to the 6.9 percent average across the Department of Defense, according to figures from the base housing office. For Keesler members without dependents, the increase averages 7.73 percent. For enlisted members without dependents, the average increase varies from 11.14 percent for technical sergeants to 7.3 percent for chief master sergeants. For officers, increases range from 11.34 percent for second lieutenants who aren't prior enlisted members to 3.77 percent for colonels and brigadier generals. For Keesler members with dependents, the average increase is 7.48 percent. For enlisted members, the increases range from 4.2 percent for senior master sergeants to 10.08 percent for airmen basic through senior airmen. For officers, rates vary from 3.85 percent for captains who aren't prior enlisted to 10.56 percent for colonels. DOD officials said the 2009 increase comes to an average of about $95 per month across the board for the 950,000 service members expected to draw basic allowance for housing. However, some service members won't receive an increase, and others are seeing less than that the average increase, said Susan Brumbaugh, director of the Defense Department's BAH program. "We did see some decreases in some areas for some pay grades, but it's not across the broad spectrum," she said. "We also saw some significant increases across the board, so it's a balance. "In some years, you'll have a rental market that is very strong in some areas, and in others areas, you'll have local rental markets where there's not a lot of housing available, so it changes," she explained. "It can fluctuate from year to year. Every year you'll see some areas that go down and some that go up, and this was a very typical year." Those whose area's BAH is lower than last year's shouldn't worry, because an individual rate protection law is in place to protect those who already are under a rental agreement. So if BAH rates in their area are lower Jan. 1 than Dec. 31, the previous higher rate applies. Service members who change duty stations after Jan. 1 will be affected by the new lower rates for that area. The local market economy serves as the basis for BAH rate changes. Military housing officials from each installation begin collecting data from the local rental market as early as January each year. They research the current rates for two-bedroom houses, townhouses, single-family homes and all the different standards and profiles for homes. Typically, rates are higher in larger, more heavily populated metropolitan areas, such as New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. Rates in rural areas usually are more stable, and although they may increase to some degree, the rise doesn't have the same impact as in larger cities. "The military housing offices are looking at adequate and appropriate dwellings we would want our military families living in," Ms. Brumbaugh said. "They don't look at a small, two-bedroom house and say, 'We could put an E-5 with a family in that.' They look at it as something that would be appropriate for that particular profile." The BAH program is designed to benefit service members, but it's not designed to pay 100 percent of their housing expenses. Although she's never met a service member who's pleased with BAH rates, Ms. Brumbaugh said the program is very well designed, and once service members understand the process for which the rates are set, they're fairly satisfied. "The entitlement is a wonderful entitlement," she said. "(The Defense Department) absolutely bends over backward to make sure that if there is any change at all, it's for the benefit of the member." Army Staff Sgt. Michael Carden, American Forces Press Service, and Susan Griggs, Keesler News staff, contributed to this report.