Service members and families who have been affected financially as a result of travel restrictions, closures and other events from the coronavirus can check with their service relief organization to see if emergency help is available.
Go to your service relief organization’s website to learn more about eligibility and how to apply for aid:
Assistance Provided by Military Relief Organizations
Depending on the circumstances, service relief organizations provide emergency financial help with interest-free loans, grants or a combination of loans and grants. They can also offer other kinds of financial assistance.
Most loans and grants from military relief organizations are for one-time financial needs such as rent and utilities, for example. Each organization limits the kinds of financial expenses it will cover. Learn more about military relief societies and the kinds of financial expenses they cover.
If your relief organization isn’t nearby, one of the other service relief organizations can help process your request. If no military relief organizations are near you, the local Red Cross chapter can process your request. You can also reach out to your installation’s Military and Family Support Center for help.
Military OneSource financial counselors are available over the phone and video to discuss financial matters or concerns you may have. Our financial counselors can also give you referrals to services and programs that meet your specific needs.
To learn more about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Military OneSource maintains a special website section with information for service members and military families. Military OneSource is committed to providing up-to-date information and answers regarding the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on our military community.
Travel restrictions may impact your PCS and your eligibility for BAH in one of the following ways:
- If you’ve moved, but your dependents had to stay behind, you may be eligible for BAH with-dependents at the old location and Family Separation Housing allowance at the new location
If the travel restrictions are affecting you and your family in one of the ways listed above, you may do the following:
- Contact your personnel or housing office and the gaining command to see if there are any options for temporary lodging
- Check with your housing provider to see if your lease or purchase agreement can be delayed
- Check to see if you may be exempt from the travel restrictions or if you could receive a hardship exception to proceed with the PCS
- Ask your legal office if you have options under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the rental/purchase contract’s military clause, which may permit you to cancel the contract
You may also keep up with ongoing changes to travel and housing policy due to COVID-19 at the Defense Travel and Housing Policy website.
If you receive special or incentive pay(s) that require performance of specific duties, such as Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay, Aviation Incentive Pay, etc., and are unable to perform those duties due to COVID-19 restrictions, you should know that the assistant secretary of defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs recently announced that the service secretary can waive those performance requirements. This means that you can continue to receive these special and incentive pays during this emergency period.
You can speak to your chain of command to find out if you qualify.
The Department of Defense has newly authorized HDP-ROM in response to the COVID-19 emergency. If you are ordered to self-monitor somewhere other than your home and are not on official travel orders, you could be eligible for this pay. Contact your chain of command to find out if you qualify for this pay.
If you are eligible for this pay, you can receive up to $100 per day and $1,500 a month to compensate you for the hardship of having to pay out of pocket for lodging while in isolation. You must be paying to stay somewhere other than your own residence, a government lodging facility or a hotel that is paid for by the government. This pay is intended to defray the hardship incurred when service members have to pay out of their own pocket, without reimbursement, for lodging due to orders from their command to self-isolate.
Want to find the phone number for your installation’s housing office or military and family support center? Find those and more on MilitaryINSTALLATIONS, an online information directory for military installations worldwide.
For Department of Defense updates for the military community regarding the virus that causes COVID-19
- Visit Defense.gov
- Follow Military OneSource’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms
- Continue to visit the Coronavirus Information for Our Military Community page for updates.
- Check Move.mil for PCS-related updates.
This article originates from www.militaryonesource.mil not HelpVet. View original article here.
