Geographic Rate Protection to Expire in January

In 2000, while troops were paying part of their own housing expenses, geographic rate protection was instituted to ensure that Basic Allowance for Housing rates were the same among like-pay grade individuals living in the same area. Now that BAH rates are high enough to cover members’ entire housing expenses, geographic rate protection is no longer necessary, said Air Force Col. Virginia Penrod, Defense Department director of military compensation. Troops still have “individual rate protection” as long as they stay within the same geographic area, she explained. If average housing costs in a given geographic area go down, troops already living in that area continue to receive the higher amount. However, troops moving into the area receive the lower amount.