Team McChord Airmen must revalidate dependents

Published May 2, 2014
By Master Sgt. Todd Wivell
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- More than 2,500 Team McChord Airmen will be asked to revalidate their dependents to continue receiving the basic housing allowance at the with-dependent rate entitlement. These efforts are part of an Air Force wide mandate for Airmen to revalidate their dependents by Dec. 31, 2014.

"This one-time recertification process will allow the Air Force to validate our Airmen's basic allowance for housing entitlements, ensuring every dollar of the $5.4 billion the service spends annually on BAH is fully auditable," said Tech. Sgt. Daniel Cain, 62nd Comptroller Squadron, NCO in charge of customer service.

To revalidate dependents, Airmen must complete the Air Force Form 594, Application and Authorization to Start, Stop, or Change Basic Allowance for Quarter or Dependency Determination and provide the corresponding documentation that is the basis for their with dependents entitlement.

The 62nd Comptroller Squadron's Financial Services Office will notify, by e-mail, approximately 350-400 Airmen per month from the same squadron or group. Once notified, each member has 30 calendar days to complete the recertification. The email notification will provide instructions for completion and will inform members on turn-in procedures.

The FSO will also work closely with individual unit leadership to help Airmen complete the revalidation process. To help minimize the inconvenience to Airmen, they do not necessarily need to go to the finance office--the FSO will send representatives to their squadron in the near future.

"We are going to do all we can to ensure our Team McChord Airmen can complete the revalidation process as quickly and easily as possible, said Major Neil Harris, 62nd Comptroller Squadron commander.

Airmen should wait for official notification prior to contacting their local finance office. Additionally, Airmen should find their supporting documents now.

"Finding marriage and birth certificates can be difficult given the number of moves we make," Harris said. "If they can't find them, now is the time to reach out to the counties, cities, or states to get them."

Supporting documentation includes marriage certificates, birth certificates for dependent children, divorce decrees or approved Defense Finance and Accounting Service letters authorizing secondary dependency.

The revalidation is being done to ensure the Air Force is audit ready as a result of a Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness mandate outlined in the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act.

"Ensuring we have the proper documentation to account for every expenditure in a very large budget is a difficult but essential effort," said Dr. Jamie Morin, the Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller. "Becoming audit ready will help us demonstrate to the American public that we are responsible stewards of taxpayer money at a time when we must make every dollar count."

Traditionally, a BAH recertification is completed upon permanent change of station arrival, every four years for those who have not completed a PCS in that time period or within 60 days prior to separation or retirement. Under the current effort, once a member has recertified their entitlement to BAH, the corresponding Air Force Form 594 will be retained indefinitely in the member's Automated Records Management System account.

McChord's goal is to have all revalidations completed by Oct. 31.

For more information or questions, contact Tech.Sgt. Daniel Cain at 253-982-3132 or email, 62CPTSHelp@us.af.mil.

Financial Assistance