For anyone that's lived overseas for more than a few days, it's obvious that many things in Europe can be more expensive than they are in the states. How much more can vary greatly, however, and is largely contingent on the local exchange rate. So that is taken into consideration when it comes time to figure out how much money to give service members who receive the Overseas Housing Allowance. But that's the easy part. The hard part for the Allowances Branch of the Defense Travel Management Office, which determines OHA, is finding out how much everything else costs. So they conduct an annual housing allowance survey.
This March, the Defense Travel Management Office is conducting surveys of both the Overseas Housing Allowance and Move-In Housing Allowance. OHA is a monthly payment given to service members who live in rental properties. MIHA is a one-time allowance provided when the service member first moves in. According to Lew Smith, the Housing Division Chief for U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza, the OHA and MIHA surveys will help make sure service members are being properly compensated for their living expenses.
"In order to set the flat rate to adequately cover these expenses the DTMO has to rely on this survey because they cannot obtain that information any other way," said Smith. "Based on the input they receive they will average out costs and set the new flat rate. This is why it is so important for personnel to participate to avoid rates being lowered because of lack of input."
Smith says that while the OHA survey is done annually, this is the first time in three years that DTMO has conducted a MIHA survey, making it even more important for service members to complete the survey. Based on the input to the survey DTMO will set flat rates for each of these allowances.
For the OHA survey, service members will be as asked to report the average monthly cost of each of their utilities and the average monthly cost of any routine maintenance expenses they incurred during the last 12 months. For the MIHA portion of the survey, they will be asked to report actual expenses incurred when moving into your private residence.
"Spouses may also perform the survey on the service member's behalf," Smith said. "I would recommend that personnel start to get their bills and receipts together now so they are ready to do the survey. They should also be aware that even bottled drinking water and firewood are allowable under the utilities."
Smith finished by pointing out how important it is that everyone who is eligible take the survey to ensure they don't experience reductions in allowances.
"Even if they are leaving this year they can still make a difference for everyone else."
The survey is open to all military members who live in private rental properties. They can take the survey at the following web link. This web link will be activated on the survey start date of March 1. The deadline to complete the survey is close of business March 31.
https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/oha-utilmiha-mar.cfm
Related Links:
US Army Garrison Vicenza Facebook Page
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