MCO 7220.56A - Entitlement to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at Locations Other Than Permanent Duty Station

Scope

MCO 7220.56A sets Marine Corps policy and procedures for authorization of Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at locations other than the Marine's Permanent Duty Station (PDS). The Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) govern BAH at large. The order amplifies categories the JTR does not handle without Secretarial Process approval. DC M&RA, Manpower Management Integration Branch 3 (MMIB-3), holds the Secretarial Process authority for the Commandant on every BAH waiver request. Applicability covers every uniformed Marine of the Total Force who is beyond the entry-level training pipeline. The material has been reviewed by the Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) as Case RR 15011.

Audience

• Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (DC M&RA), Manpower Management Integration Branch 3 (MMIB-3). Sole approval authority for BAH waivers. Issues written response via Naval Message, fax, or signed scanned copy.
• CMC, Military Policy Branch (MPO). Owns the order. Adjudicates BAH policy questions not covered in the order. Holds FSA policy authority.
• CMC, Manpower Records and Performance Branch (MMRP-20). Receives the approved waiver for ESR update.
• Commanders and officers in charge at all echelons. Implement the policy. Endorse waiver requests at the battalion or squadron commander level (or equivalent).
• Installation Personnel Administration Center (IPAC). Files waiver packages. Certifies dependent location with the Marine. Updates the Electronic Service Record (ESR) on approval.
• Unit S-1 staff and adjutants. Receive the Marine's waiver request. Confirm command endorsement. Forward through the chain of command to MMIB-3.
• Marines. File the official written BAH waiver request through the chain of command. Maintain accurate official records. Certify dependent location with the local IPAC.
• Reserve Component Marines. Receive BAH in the same manner as Active Component when on PCSO active duty. Locality rate for the Marine's primary residence applies when on TAD or TDY orders.

BAH waiver framework

• Authority. JTR governs BAH. DC M&RA (MMIB-3) is the Secretarial Process authority for the Marine Corps.
• Scope. The order covers Marines with dependents when dependents do not reside at the PDS, and Marines without dependents in certain circumstances (example, low cost or no cost PCS reassignment).
• Excluded. BAH waivers do not apply to a Marine authorized BAH at the with-dependent rate solely on the basis of paying child support.
• Submission. Written waiver request through the chain of command to DC M&RA (MMIB-3), 3280 Russell Road, Quantico, VA 22134-5143. Naval Message PLAD: CMC MRA MMIB THREE WASHINGTON DC. Fax 703-784-9838 (DSN 312-278-9838). Email SMB.MANPOWER.MMIB3@USMC.MIL with signed and dated correspondence or NAVMC 10274 (EF) Administrative Action (AA) form.
• Command endorsement. Required at the battalion or squadron commander level or equivalent.
• Effective date. The waiver effective date defaults to the Marine arrival at the current PDS, the dependents arrival at their designated place, or an alternative date stated by MMIB-3.
• Family Separation Allowance (FSA). Not governed by this order. FSA runs under DoD FMR Volume 7A Chapter 27. Direct FSA policy questions to CMC (MPO).

Circumstances not requiring HQMC action

The following BAH situations pay based on a location other than the PDS without MMIB-3 action. The Marine certifies dependent location with the local IPAC or administrative support office.

• Home-Basing.
• Continuation of dependents at last duty station.
• Other circumstances listed in Chapter 1 Section 3.

The Marine signs the IPAC certification at the start of each circumstance and at every change in dependent location.

Enclosure 1 chapter map

• Chapter 1. Overarching BAH Policy. BAH entitlements. BAH waivers in general. Circumstances without HQMC action.
• Chapter 2. BAH Waiver Applicability. Personal choice. Circumstances ineligible for waiver. Prohibited and authorized. Service implementation of the JTR.
• Chapter 3. PCS for PME or Training Less Than 12 Months. PCS for PME or Training greater than 12 months.
• Chapter 4. Proximity Orders. Proximity moves in general. Reserve Component Marines.
• Chapter 5. Accompanied Orders, Advance Family Member Travel. Advance Family Member Travel. Travel incident to separation or retirement (HOR or HOS). Separation or retirement from OCONUS.
• Chapter 6. Accompanied Orders, Early Return of Dependents. Early Return of Dependents (ERD) in general. Three common types of ERD requests adjudicated by CMC (MMIB-3).
• Chapter 7. Accompanied Orders, Delay of Family Member Travel. CONUS normal circumstances. OCONUS and Remote CONUS. Delay for deployment within 90 days of arrival to next PDS. Delay for Continuity of Education (COE) for minor school-aged dependents.
• Chapter 8. Other Circumstances or Special Cases. Forward Air Controller (FAC) Tours. Extended hospitalization. Marine with dependents assigned to a Critical Housing Area (CHA). Marine with an Exceptional Family Member (EFM) approved for Continuation on Location (COL).
• Chapter 9. BAH Waiver Submission Requirements. Waiver Request Documentation Requirements. Specific Circumstances.
• Appendix A. Definitions.
• Appendix B. Amplifying Examples.

Mileage and OCONUS rules

• OCONUS. Includes the states of Alaska and Hawaii unless otherwise stated.
• Mileage. Use the Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD) at https://dtod.sddc.army.mil/Default.aspx for official calculation.

Commander action items

1. Endorse BAH waiver packages at the battalion or squadron commander level. Sign as the command endorsement.
2. Direct unit S-1 to forward complete waiver requests through the chain of command to DC M&RA (MMIB-3) using the address, Naval Message PLAD, fax, or email channel listed in Administration and Logistics.
3. Confirm IPAC certifies the dependent location within the prescribed window for every Marine using a no-HQMC-action circumstance.
4. Recommend the alternative effective date when warranted.
5. Submit content recommendations to CMC (MPO) through the appropriate chain of command.

Forms and systems

• NAVMC 10274 (EF). Administrative Action (AA) form. Vehicle for the official waiver request when not submitted on letterhead.
• Electronic Service Record (ESR). System of record updated by MMRP-20 on waiver approval.
• Defense Table of Official Distances (DTOD). Mileage source.
• SMB.MANPOWER.MMIB3@USMC.MIL. Official MMIB-3 organization electronic mailbox.

Connection to higher policy

• Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). Parent BAH authority.
• DoD Directive 5154.29. Governs the Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee (PDTATAC) review of this order.
• DoD Instruction 1315.18. Procedures for Military Personnel Assignments, 2005-01-12.
• DoD FMR Volume 7A Chapter 27. Family Separation Allowance procedures (FSA not governed by this order).
• SECNAV M-5210.1. DON Records Management Manual.
• SECNAVINST 5211.5E. DON Privacy Program. The current revision is SECNAVINST 5211.5F of 2019-05-20.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine and lower policy

• MCO 1300.8. Marine Corps Assignment Policy.
• MCO 6320.2E. Continuation on Location (COL).
• MCO 1754.4B. Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP).
• MCO P1080.40. Marine Corps Total Force System policy.
• MCO 5216.19A. Marine Corps Correspondence policy. Drives the format of the waiver request letter.
• MCO 5210.11F. Marine Corps Records Management Program.
• NAVADMIN 157/10. Critical Housing Areas (CHA).
• ALMAR 287/98. Secretarial Process authority establishment.
• MARADMIN 126/14. Renamed MMIA as MMIB-3.

Supersession

Cancels MCO 7220.56, MARADMIN 239/05, and MARADMIN 216/04.

Status

Active. Signed 2015-08-31 by M. A. Brilakis, Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Distribution Statement A, public release. PCN 10209914100. Sponsor is HQMC M&RA, Military Policy Branch (MPO). Applicability is the Marine Corps Total Force beyond the entry-level training pipeline. Reviewed by PDTATAC as Case RR 15011 under DoD Directive 5154.29 dated 1993-03-09. Confirm against current JTR for any per-rate or category updates before applying paragraph 5 procedures.