OCS A Question about Pay and My Situation (NFO Related)

[Brett327]

After putting this much excruciating thought into your possible future Naval career, have you considered going nuke?

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

Talk to an officer recruiter

 

[robav8r]

Money is a big part of my questioning because that is one of the main things I was unsure about how it would look. Reading through the forms I have a good understanding of what the physical and academic requirements will be. Having a clear vision of what the change would look like helps me think through it.

You seem to be missing a huge part of the equation when considering your choices . . . . .

 

[SynixMan]

As someone with a similar to slightly higher student loan debt load when I commissioned, it’s doable. You won’t live like a baller, but drive a used car and get some roommates in flight school.

SCRA helps, as does the USAA career starter loan (unsure if that’s still available). After that it’s boring “live within your means, make extra payments). You’ll probably be through them sometime around year 5 when you’re an LT. Bottom line, it’s realistic if you’ve got the drive.

 

[Meyerkord]

You sound exactly like me before I joined. I, too, was a 240 lb, out of shape, software engineer, making about $60k, with a very similar degree. I can tell you that, although you'll technically be taking a pay cut, it isn't much. Like someone else said, it's comes out to be about 55k after everything. It's easy to save if you're single and don't have many expenses. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about joining.

 

[Tridon]

You seem to be missing a huge part of the equation when considering your choices . . . . .

Which would be?

 

[Tridon]

You sound exactly like me before I joined. I, too, was a 240 lb, out of shape, software engineer, making about $60k, with a very similar degree. I can tell you that, although you'll technically be taking a pay cut, it isn't much. Like someone else said, it's comes out to be about 55k after everything. It's easy to save if you're single and don't have many expenses. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions about joining.

Thanks man will do!

 

[kquick0512]

No. As an officer, the only time you won't receive BAH is if you're living on base in base housing (and even then, sometimes you get it, but it goes straight to the base). Your BAH will change based off of zip code (of the base), rank, and if you have dependents.

I've seen on here while at API only partial BAH is given for aviators? Is that the same for NFO? When you hit Primary you move to full BAH?

 

[FinkUFreaky]

I don't know if it's still the case but I think some single pilots used to get partial BAH because they didn't know if they'd be going to Whiting or Corpus so they'd be considered TAD at Pensacola. NFO training all takes place at NAS Pcola until wings, so I'd imagine they are all getting full BAH.

 

[cfam]

I don't know if it's still the case but I think some single pilots used to get partial BAH because they didn't know if they'd be going to Whiting or Corpus so they'd be considered TAD at Pensacola. NFO training all takes place at NAS Pcola until wings, so I'd imagine they are all getting full BAH.

I can’t see why it would’ve changed since I winged (ages ago) but I got full BAH from the time I arrived in Pensacola (disclaimer: I didn’t do IFS in Pensacola).

 

[Meyerkord]

I don't know if it's still the case but I think some single pilots used to get partial BAH because they didn't know if they'd be going to Whiting or Corpus so they'd be considered TAD at Pensacola. NFO training all takes place at NAS Pcola until wings, so I'd imagine they are all getting full BAH.

I can’t see why it would’ve changed since I winged (ages ago) but I got full BAH from the time I arrived in Pensacola (disclaimer: I didn’t do IFS in Pensacola).

I got full BAH whereas some other single dudes got transient. It seems like they just didn't have it figured out at the time, but from what I understand (I think @Dontcallmegump might have info on this) you should normally be getting transient, which kinda sucks considering people spend almost a year there.

 

[RandomGoat1248]

They changed the JTR last year so it is now the norm that SNAs get transient BAH till they hit 6 months at NASC or check into Primary, whichever is first.

 

[Dontcallmegump]

I got full BAH whereas some other single dudes got transient. It seems like they just didn't have it figured out at the time, but from what I understand (I think @Dontcallmegump might have info on this) you should normally be getting transient, which kinda sucks considering people spend almost a year there.

Yeah, most pilots get the transient BAH, something like 740$ instead of the 1242. However it was not universal for all SNAs to get the partial. I know that I personally got full BAH and other did as well. It had something to do with your ascension source (Meyerkord and I, as well as all the SNAs from our OCS class got full) and how your orders were account coded. I don't know what this means but there were two types of orders showing up, 341's and 342's and it was important enough that peoples files were separated by that difference and did things like process their travel claims while at Schools Command. People who had one type were entitled to full BAH and got claims processed and paid and the other were SOL, I don't remember which was which. @RandomGoat1248 is also correct as people who exceeded 180 days were swapped to full BAH and could then process travel claims, but if I remember correctly this took some work on the part of the member to make happen. You couldn't just wait 180 days, wish upon a star and get more $$$.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

Yeah, most pilots get the transient BAH, something like 740$ instead of the 1242. However it was not universal for all SNAs to get the partial. I know that I personally got full BAH and other did as well. It had something to do with your ascension source (Meyerkord and I, as well as all the SNAs from our OCS class got full) and how your orders were account coded. I don't know what this means but there were two types of orders showing up, 341's and 342's and it was important enough that peoples files were separated by that difference and did things like process their travel claims while at Schools Command. People who had one type were entitled to full BAH and got claims processed and paid and the other were SOL, I don't remember which was which. @RandomGoat1248 is also correct as people who exceeded 180 days were swapped to full BAH and could then process travel claims, but if I remember correctly this took some work on the part of the member to make happen. You couldn't just wait 180 days, wish upon a star and get more $$$.

Is this common difference married vice single? That's what it was when I went through roughly 2010. If married, you were guaranteed Whiting for primary and got the full move and BAH; if not, partial BAH and not the per diem that normally comes with TDY. Would love to reiterate that nobody in the Navy cares about your bank account like you do; so if you are there for more than six months then talk to your admin department. I don't recommend trying to handle it with PSD yourself either, the civilians in admin at whatever squadron you're in are guaranteed smarter than them.

I learned that the hard way once as an ENS in Meridian when I stopped getting paid, because PSD decided I owed them all the BAH from my time in Pensacola (I received no phone calls, no emails, just didn't get my paycheck, or the next one, or the next two. And the LES said I owed about 10K). Took two full months to get that fixed with PSD bc I didnt want to be a problem child by bringing it up with my squadron admin at the time.