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Since 1998, BAS annual increases have been limited, by law, to one percent. Last year, Congress amended the law to eliminate that provision and tie BAS annual increases to the inflation rate as measured by the Agriculture Department's Food Cost Index.

A new provision included in the FY 2003 Defense Authorization Act entitles enlisted members to receive double the BAS rate if they are assigned to government quarters without cooking or food storage (refrigerator) facilities, and there are no government meals available. That means enlisted members in this category would be entitled to about $492.86 per month for BAS.

The new BAS rates will be effective on January 1st.

The below chart shows the amount of monthly Basic Allowance for Sustenance, assuming the measured inflation rate according to the Agriculture Department's Food Cost Index is 2 percent:

Some Important Information About BAS:

Until last year, BAS was paid only when individuals were officially allowed (for various reasons) to eat their meals outside of the military dining facilities (chow halls). Those required to eat meals in the dining facilities (usually, single enlisted, living on-base) received a "partial allowance" of about $25.80 per month. Beginning last year (2002), all enlisted and officers receive full-rate BAS, after initial entry training (boot camp and follow-on schooling). However, for those required to consume meals in the dining facilities, most of the BAS will be automatically deducted from their paychecks, resulting in those members still only receiving about $26.00 each month. There are plans (for the future) to only deduct the cost of meals actually consumed in the dining facilities, but that is likely several years in the future (for the present time, DOD depends on the fact that members required to consume meals in the dining facilities only eat an average of 70 percent of their meals there, and purchase 30 percent of the meals elsewhere. The services rely upon the difference to help balance their food budgets).

Enlisted members with less than 4 months of service used to be paid BAS at a lower rate. That difference was eliminated in 2002.

BAS used to be calculated on a daily basis. That means that a person who received BAS got just a little bit more during months that had 31 days in them, and a little bit less during the month of February (which has less than 30 days). Last year, Congress changed the law so that BAS is a set monthly rate.

Enlisted members, with or without dependents, used to lose BAS if they were deployed (or "in the field"). In 1998, Congress changed this. Now, enlisted members temporarily assigned to duty away from their permanent duty station or to duty under field conditions at their permanent duty station are entitled to BAS at a rate not less than that which they had at their permanent duty station.

For more information about Basic Allowance for Substance, see the Department of Defense (DOD) Pay Regulation, Volume 7A (Active Duty & Reserve Pay), Chapter 25 -- Basic Allowance For Subsistence (BAS).