Protecting the All-Volunteer Force—Provide Our Troops the Quality of Life They Deserve

The House Armed Services Committee’s recently released report on how to improve the quality of life for our troops and their families sends a strong message: If we want the All-Volunteer Force to survive, here is a list of things that need focus.

The panel’s report addressed a range of items such as pay and compensation; access to child and medical care; spouse unemployment and support programs; food insecurity; and housing (including the quality of both on-base and off-base housing).

One of the specific housing issues addressed was the importance of ensuring service members be compensated with 100% of their housing allowance.

For the past five years, members have only received 95 percent of their allowance—referred to as Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). In a decision made to save costs, DoD reduced BAH one percent each year from 2015 to 2019.

The reduction in BAH hit military families hard as housing costs and utilities increased and on-post housing quality declined. In essence, this reduction to save costs was made on the backs of our people, causing them to face a greater financial burden.

For a married E-5 (a second-class petty officer in the Navy or a sergeant in the Army) with dependents, the aggregated effect of these changes in 2024 is a $373 per month decrease in take-home pay—much of which comes out of pocket just to pay for housing.

This is no way to care for our service members and their families. Eliminating out-of-pocket costs and restoring BAH to 100 percent is one of the fastest ways to address quality of life changes.

Last year Blue Star Families, a national non-profit organization that supports all military service members and their families, conducted a survey about military family life. BAH/off-base housing was one of the top five concerns with 40 percent of respondents identifying it as an issue. The survey also found that active duty family respondents continue to pay well over the expected cost-share to secure housing. The increasing cost and limited availability in the civilian housing market created challenges for many military families in obtaining acceptable housing within their BAH allotment.

The House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life Panel found that in addition to service members receiving only 95 percent of their estimated housing costs, the General Accountability Office (GAO) found the calculation used was incorrect. DoD was not always collecting sufficient rental data to estimate the total housing costs for certain locations and housing types. GAO’s analysis showed that DoD was failing to use less than the minimum sample size in nearly 50 percent of the locations—potentially resulting in hardship for service members.

The recommendations in the 40-page report by the Quality of Life Panel will be included in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The problems the panel addressed in its report have plagued the military for years. But the bi-partisan panel members said they will push them to the forefront in the coming months as Congress crafts the NDAA.     

Financial readiness in the ranks directly supports our national security. When an emergency arises, service members are left with difficult choices about how to fit unexpected costs into their already tight budgets. They very well may be forced to tap into savings or resort to using credit cards. This shortfall must be addressed. Our nation expects 100 percent from our service members. Short-changing them and forcing them to live out-of-pocket is no way to reciprocate.

Unfortunately, cracks are already appearing in the House panel’s recommendations. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, acknowledged the importance of compensation but said resources for other priorities must be provided for too. Another Senate member, Rick Scott (R-Fla), said he has not made any decisions on the House panel’s plan.

Clearly, if the All-Volunteer Force is to survive, we must strive to create a future where our military families thrive in support of national security. Service members should never have to worry about putting food on the table or being able to afford housing. Improving the quality of life for our service members and their families must be a priority. A commitment to this direction will certainly be reflected in a willingness to serve and help solve the recruiting challenges our services are facing.

No one wants to work for an organization that does not put its people first.

Tom Jurkowsky is a retired Navy rear admiral who served on active duty for 31 years. He began his career as an enlisted sailor. He is a board member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), an advocacy organization that supports all those who serve, have served and their families. He is the author of “The Secret Sauce for Organizational Success: Communications and Leadership on the Same Page.”