Blake Hall
The Department of Defense recently announced the 2015 military pay and compensation rates for service members.
The new rates for basic pay, allowance for housing, and the cost of living allowance rates will take effect on Jan. 1, 2015. Basic pay and housing allowance for service members will increase by 1 percent.
According to Defense One, The $585 billion 2015 Defense authorization bill also calls for a pay freeze for general and flag officers in 2015. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that a 1 percent pay raise for most troops combined with the pay freeze for some officers in the Senate bill would save $588 million in 2015 and $3.9 billion between 2015 and 2019.
The 2015 basic allowance for subsistence rates for military members will increase by 2.9 percent over last year. The new rates are:
- $367.92 per month for enlisted members
- $253.38 per month for officers
A cost-of-living allowance for troops will decrease for nearly 12,000 troops, increase or not change for 7,000 and be canceled for 4,000.