MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- The Department of Defense has raised the Basic Allowance for Housing by an average of seven percent for 2004, but the monetary increase that many Marine ranks in the Beaufort area will see falls short of the National average.
Privates through corporals with dependants in the local area will see their monthly allowance increase from $875 to $900 - a 2.8 percent increase. A sergeant's BAH, with dependants, was raised from $937 to $938, and a master sergeant's BAH, with dependants, was raised from $1,070 to $1,101.
The Beaufort area numbers fall short of the national increases across the board, but many Depot Marines' initial reactions seemed positive.
Lance Corporal Jaime A. Zavalasoto, service record book clerk at the Depot Consolidated Administration Center, said he was happy even though he received just a$25 increase. His current BAH affords him and his wife a nice place out in town, but he believes the increase should have been more.
Junior enlisted are not the only Marines voicing concerns over the minimal increase.
"It was a good thing and it was necessary, but it could have been better," said Staff Sgt. Stephanie Errickson, member of the Parris Island Marine Band, whose BAH, without dependants, increased from $822 to $868, a five percent increase. "With the increase, it now covers my rent, but that is all it covers."
Errickson said that to cover her full housing cost she would need to receive $950 a month.
When faced with the financial numbers, Tri-Command Marines will most likely ask "why us," but Depot financial personnel believe they have the answer.
"There was a very significant increase in area BAH last year," said Becky Radford, a
Marine Corps Community Services-South Carolina financial advisor. "Housing really fought for a big increase last year. Some areas may have gotten a big increase this year, but their increase was probably smaller last year."
The annual BAH increase is determined by Runzheimer International, an independent company employed by the DoD to gather and analyze property values throughout the country in order to determine yearly BAH adjustments.
Rose Raber, Depot Housing manager, said that Runzheimer International contacted her twice during 2003, once in March and once in July. She provided them with area rental rates, excluding those properties deemed unacceptable, and other information pertaining to cost of living within the Beaufort area.
"[Runzheimer International] tries to balance the properties values against our requirements," said Raber, who believes the increase adequately reflects the cost of living in Beaufort. "We have made a lot of headway over the last few years. Before that, it was really bad."
The number of service members that currently live out in town reflect that financial headway, but Raber said that once Marines move out in town their optimism toward living off base does not always hold true.
"Many service members believe they can do better out in town," said Raber. "We have had a number of people that have moved out in town, but we have also had a number of people that get their utility bills and want to come back. It all depends on the individual."
The Depot can currently house 231 families, but once the housing construction is finished in early 2006, that number will rise to 261 (61 officer and 200 enlisted). Also, more than 400 Depot military families live in housing on Laurel Bay. Between 62 and 65 percent of families live out in town.