Entitlement to Basic Allowance for Quarters

An advance decision was requested as to whether two members of the Air Force who were married to each other could receive basic allowance for quarters (BAQ) while they resided in transient Government quarters at their permanent duty station. When the members married, they vacated single Government quarters and moved into transient Government quarters for 15 days. They paid a service charge for each day of occupancy. Subsequently, they resided in private quarters until they were assigned Government family quarters. For the period of their occupancy in transient quarters, the members received no BAQ. A member who is entitled to basic pay is entitled to BAQ unless assigned to Government quarters. When a husband and wife are both members, they are each authorized to receive BAQ at the without dependent rate if adequate family quarters are not available although single quarters are available for one or both. Both members in this case were entitled to BAQ at the without dependent rate until assigned adequate type housing. When a member is in transient type Government quarters, he has no entitlement to BAQ unless the member is in a duty or leave status not incident to a change of permanent station and does not exceed 7 consecutive days at one location. In this case, the members were entitled to receive BAQ at the without dependent rate for the first 7 days of their stay in transient quarters. The vouchers submitted were returned for payment.