OHA survey helping others

Service members and families that live off base are more than likely used to the term Overseas Housing Allowance. What they may not be familiar with is the survey’s done every year to ensure they’re allowed the right amount of money for their living quarters.

The Defense Travel Management Office conducts the annual OHA Utility Expenses Survey every year to gauge how much service members spent during the previous year on utilities.

“DTMO relies on this survey to assess the proper allowance amount for our Airmen’s utilities and recurring home maintenance expenses,” said 2nd Lt. Emily Angell, 86th Comptroller Squadron financial services flight commander. “The more participation we get in this survey, the more accurate our allowance will be for our Airmen.”

Active duty members are entitled to OHA based on their grade, dependency status and permanent duty station, and they are required to submit the actual costs of utility expenses incurred in Germany.

“Any active-duty service member stationed in Germany is encouraged to take this survey,” Angell said. “If the service member is unable to take the survey, a spouse can take the survey on behalf of the member.”

To take the survey, service members should use actual bills or records of their utilities and are required to report the average monthly cost. The survey will be active from Saturday to March 31 at www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/oha-util-mar.cfm.

“It is critically important for people to take the OHA survey to answer this line of questioning: If you’re paying more for your utilities this year, wouldn’t you want the people who can ‘give you a raise’ to know?” said off-base resident Staff Sgt. Ben Wocken.

For more information, contact the Mil Pay Policy office at 337-3937/3936.