[Request for Decision Concerning Air Force Member's Entitlement to Full Variable Housing Allowance]

The Air Force requested a decision concerning whether an officer who paid cash for his residence could prorate the amount he paid on a monthly basis in order to receive a full variable housing allowance (VHA). GAO held that, since the purpose of VHA was to defray housing costs in high-cost housing areas and the officer had no actual out-of-pocket housing expenses, he did not qualify for the full allowance. Accordingly, the proration was not permissible.