FAQ: What do recruits pay for themselves? What does the Navy pay for?

Craig · 10-25-2011, 06:58 AM

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. The sailor never sees the money, it goes directly to pay for the uniforms and is recorded as a credit and debt on the pay record.

The uniform allowance pays for the "sailor's seabag" which consists of four sets of Navy Working Uniforms (aka "digis"), two Navy coveralls, one pair of boots, one set of PT gear (sweats and shorts/t-shirt), two sets of tan and black Navy Service Uniforms (aka "peanut butters"), two sets of dress white uniforms (polyester), one dress blue uniform (wool), one pair of dress shoes, a pea coat, a rain coat with liner, an NSU parka with liner, and a seabag. Women also receive skirts for each service and dress uniform, a "combination cover” (dress hat) and a set of uniform dress pumps (for wear with skirts), which is why they get a higher allowance.

Sailors get a smaller allowance each year to replace worn or damaged uniforms, usually $200 - $400, on the anniversary of the date they shipped out for boot camp.

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers.html
Click on 2011 Pay Table
Go to page 3

This allowance does NOT cover the many small things they need that are not uniform items, from underwear to shampoo to athletic shoes. These items are considered to be general living expenses and must be paid for by the sailor. The first paycheck is reduced by $400 - $600 (often the entire paycheck) to pay for these items.

During winter months they may also need to purchase specific cold weather gear such as a scarf, gloves and a cold weather mask that may not be part of the basic "sailor's seabag."

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. Some of these are deducted from the sailors' paychecks, others may be paid from their accounts. 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 order them at PIR or later, it may take 1-2 months to receive them. DVDs and yearbooks take about 6-8 weeks to arrive.

When does my 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. No physical checks are issued, sailors must have a bank account ready for direct deposit. If a sailor does not have a bank account, or does not have the correct bank information for an existing account, one will be set up for him/her at either Navy Federal Credit Union or Armed Forces Bank.

If the sailor has dependents, the sailor should receive BAH (housing allowance for dependents) in the first paycheck.

Does the Navy pay for food?

Yes. However, the system is confusing to some people, so on paper it looks 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 to pay for meals. 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, finds the hours “inconvenient” for his/her schedule or is annoyed by long lines or little time to eat, and chooses to eat elsewhere, it is up to the sailor to pay for it out of their own money. The Navy will NOT return the money is the sailor declines to eat at Navy facilities.

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers.html
Click on 2011 Pay Table
Go to page 3

Are there co-pays for sailors' medical care?

No. Medical care for active-duty sailors is free, as are prescriptions.

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 unmarried sailors (E-1 through E-4) 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 the Navy wants sailors to live 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) who wants to live independently off-base must get permission from his/her command, pay for the apartment from his/her paycheck and must still sleep on board their ship on duty days. There is no allowance to assist the single sailor in paying for rent or utilities.

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. The only exception to this is for leave between A school and their first duty station. The Navy determines the cost of travel between the two points, and the sailor pays the difference for a stop at home.

Travel home after being discharged from the Navy (for any reason) 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.

QMGSmom · 01-23-2012, 07:22 PM

Craig,

My son just went in and a neighbors son just graduated. He explained that the uniform allowance actually was deducted from his second and third paycheck??? Can you clarify this a little more???

Thanks

prop827 · 01-25-2012, 08:18 PM

The Uniforms (specifically Dress Blues, Dress Whites, NSU's, NWU's, Jumpers, and their accessories) are paid for by the navy. Those are the items you get during your 1st and 2nd uniform issue. You don't pay a cent for those. You will also get your annual uniform allowance for uniform maintenance in your first paycheck. That said, all the items you are "issued" at initial issue on the night of your arrival (shaving cream, razor, PT gear, smurf suits, sneakers, etc) are NOT paid for. You will get the cost of those items (about $600+ worth of stuff) deducted from your pay in boot camp. So you don't pay for uniforms but you do pay for non uniform items you are required to buy.

buick0067 · 10-05-2012, 05:35 PM

Digging up an old forum here. But I am trying to budget and plan for my wife and daughter while I am gone to RTC.
Please help me understand what to expect. I Ship Oct. 23 as E-3 for college credits. I won't receive my first check for approximately a month. Getting paid the 1st and 15th can do I expect it Nov 15th or Dec. 1st? This check will have $600+ deducted for non-uniform issued items. Will it be based on my E-3 or E-1?
I also am to receive BAH and the family separation pay, will this be included in this check? I know it is back payed but when does it show up initially? I have saved enough money to cover all the bills and living cost for my family for November, but I am hoping my 1st check and allowances are in for December.
If anyone can help clarify this for me it would be extremely helpful. Thanks and God Bless

sweetmtn · 10-05-2012, 09:37 PM

With your report date to boot it would seem you should get a pay check Nov 15th..nowas far as your BAH being there then..maybe and then again maybe not..also your BAH is also split into 2 payments each month. You will get paid the E3 pay rate.

buick0067 · 10-05-2012, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetmtn

With your report date to boot it would seem you should get a pay check Nov 15th..nowas far as your BAH being there then..maybe and then again maybe not..also your BAH is also split into 2 payments each month. You will get paid the E3 pay rate.

Thank you so much! You are always so prompt and helpful in answering my questions! You are like THE "Navy Dep" mom

LT Guppy · 10-06-2012, 05:03 AM

Family Sep pay starts after 30 days, but you get the first 30 days as backpay

llamayamaa · 10-19-2012, 07:48 AM

So if I have a dependent (my husband)- we will get separation pay while I'm at RTC in addition to BAH? Does this continue through A School? (mine is 6 months long and technically the Navy would pay to move him, though we're choosing not to do that)

LT Guppy · 10-19-2012, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamayamaa

So if I have a dependent (my husband)- we will get separation pay while I'm at RTC in addition to BAH? Does this continue through A School? (mine is 6 months long and technically the Navy would pay to move him, though we're choosing not to do that)

You'll get family sep pay for bootcamp. It will start after 30 days, but you'll get back pay for the first 30 days.
You probably won't get sep pay for A-School because he has the option to move, but is choosing not to.

10-25-2011, 06:58 AM	#1
Craig Administrator Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Centennial, Colorado Posts: 2,767 Rep Power: 285	FAQ: What do recruits pay for themselves? What does the Navy pay for? 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. The sailor never sees the money, it goes directly to pay for the uniforms and is recorded as a credit and debt on the pay record. The uniform allowance pays for the "sailor's seabag" which consists of four sets of Navy Working Uniforms (aka "digis"), two Navy coveralls, one pair of boots, one set of PT gear (sweats and shorts/t-shirt), two sets of tan and black Navy Service Uniforms (aka "peanut butters"), two sets of dress white uniforms (polyester), one dress blue uniform (wool), one pair of dress shoes, a pea coat, a rain coat with liner, an NSU parka with liner, and a seabag. Women also receive skirts for each service and dress uniform, a "combination cover” (dress hat) and a set of uniform dress pumps (for wear with skirts), which is why they get a higher allowance. Sailors get a smaller allowance each year to replace worn or damaged uniforms, usually $200 - $400, on the anniversary of the date they shipped out for boot camp. http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers.html Click on 2011 Pay Table Go to page 3 This allowance does NOT cover the many small things they need that are not uniform items, from underwear to shampoo to athletic shoes. These items are considered to be general living expenses and must be paid for by the sailor. The first paycheck is reduced by $400 - $600 (often the entire paycheck) to pay for these items. During winter months they may also need to purchase specific cold weather gear such as a scarf, gloves and a cold weather mask that may not be part of the basic "sailor's seabag." 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. Some of these are deducted from the sailors' paychecks, others may be paid from their accounts. 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 order them at PIR or later, it may take 1-2 months to receive them. DVDs and yearbooks take about 6-8 weeks to arrive. When does my 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. No physical checks are issued, sailors must have a bank account ready for direct deposit. If a sailor does not have a bank account, or does not have the correct bank information for an existing account, one will be set up for him/her at either Navy Federal Credit Union or Armed Forces Bank. If the sailor has dependents, the sailor should receive BAH (housing allowance for dependents) in the first paycheck. Does the Navy pay for food? Yes. However, the system is confusing to some people, so on paper it looks 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 to pay for meals. 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, finds the hours “inconvenient” for his/her schedule or is annoyed by long lines or little time to eat, and chooses to eat elsewhere, it is up to the sailor to pay for it out of their own money. The Navy will NOT return the money is the sailor declines to eat at Navy facilities. http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers.html Click on 2011 Pay Table Go to page 3 Are there co-pays for sailors' medical care? No. Medical care for active-duty sailors is free, as are prescriptions. 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 unmarried sailors (E-1 through E-4) 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 the Navy wants sailors to live 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) who wants to live independently off-base must get permission from his/her command, pay for the apartment from his/her paycheck and must still sleep on board their ship on duty days. There is no allowance to assist the single sailor in paying for rent or utilities. 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. The only exception to this is for leave between A school and their first duty station. The Navy determines the cost of travel between the two points, and the sailor pays the difference for a stop at home. Travel home after being discharged from the Navy (for any reason) 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. __________________ Last edited by Craig; 10-25-2011 at 07:35 AM.

10-05-2012, 09:37 PM	#5
sweetmtn Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: N. CA Posts: 3,787 Rep Power: 390	With your report date to boot it would seem you should get a pay check Nov 15th..nowas far as your BAH being there then..maybe and then again maybe not..also your BAH is also split into 2 payments each month. You will get paid the E3 pay rate. __________________ Proud Military Mom, Navy Vet Justin(MM2n), and Army Vet SSgt Clayton "*Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude*." Thomas Jefferson

10-06-2012, 05:03 AM	#7
LT Guppy Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 2,858 Rep Power: 343	Family Sep pay starts after 30 days, but you get the first 30 days as backpay __________________ Officers: making simple stuff hard since 1775 ACTIVE DUTY SAILORS - Click here to have your account verified

01-23-2012, 07:22 PM	#2
QMGSmom Newbie Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0	Craig, My son just went in and a neighbors son just graduated. He explained that the uniform allowance actually was deducted from his second and third paycheck??? Can you clarify this a little more??? Thanks

01-25-2012, 08:18 PM	#3
prop827 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 633 Rep Power: 71	The Uniforms (specifically Dress Blues, Dress Whites, NSU's, NWU's, Jumpers, and their accessories) are paid for by the navy. Those are the items you get during your 1st and 2nd uniform issue. You don't pay a cent for those. You will also get your annual uniform allowance for uniform maintenance in your first paycheck. That said, all the items you are "issued" at initial issue on the night of your arrival (shaving cream, razor, PT gear, smurf suits, sneakers, etc) are NOT paid for. You will get the cost of those items (about $600+ worth of stuff) deducted from your pay in boot camp. So you don't pay for uniforms but you do pay for non uniform items you are required to buy.

10-05-2012, 05:35 PM	#4
buick0067 Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 78 Rep Power: 14	Digging up an old forum here. But I am trying to budget and plan for my wife and daughter while I am gone to RTC. Please help me understand what to expect. I Ship Oct. 23 as E-3 for college credits. I won't receive my first check for approximately a month. Getting paid the 1st and 15th can do I expect it Nov 15th or Dec. 1st? This check will have $600+ deducted for non-uniform issued items. Will it be based on my E-3 or E-1? I also am to receive BAH and the family separation pay, will this be included in this check? I know it is back payed but when does it show up initially? I have saved enough money to cover all the bills and living cost for my family for November, but I am hoping my 1st check and allowances are in for December. If anyone can help clarify this for me it would be extremely helpful. Thanks and God Bless

10-19-2012, 07:48 AM	#8
llamayamaa Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Italy Posts: 166 Rep Power: 23	So if I have a dependent (my husband)- we will get separation pay while I'm at RTC in addition to BAH? Does this continue through A School? (mine is 6 months long and technically the Navy would pay to move him, though we're choosing not to do that)