HOUSEHOLD GOODS WEIGHT
ALLOWANCES
DURING PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION MOVES FOR
SENIOR NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Initiative: Change Title
37, Section 406 (b) (1) (C) to increase household goods weight allowance for
Senior NCOs where E-9 = O-6, E-8 = O-5, and E-7 = O-4.
This change would be enacted if Rep. Tom Latham’s
H.R. 1406 is implemented. Therefore, we ask for your co-sponsorship of this
important legislation. It needs to be done because:
a. It would more fairly reflect the normal accumulation of
goods during a career and as a family grows.
b. It would serve as an enlisted career incentive to remain
in service.
c. It would apply fairness to those NCOs who serve a full
career.
d. It would apply equity in treatment of senior NCOs in
comparison with the protections afforded commissioned officers during PCS
moves.
The current situation: Currently,
Title 37, Chapter 7, Section 406 (b) (1) (C) prescribes the maximum, DoD-provided household goods weight allowances for all
military members. The current chart reads:
|
Pay |
Without |
With |
Pay |
Without |
With |
|
O-10 |
18,000 |
18,000 |
E-9 |
12,000 |
14,500 |
|
O-5 |
16,000 |
17,500 |
E-8 |
11,000 |
13,500 |
|
O-4 |
14,000 |
17,000 |
E-7 |
10,500 |
12,500 |
|
O-3 |
13,000 |
14,500 |
E-6 |
8,000 |
11,000 |
|
O-2 |
12,500 |
13,500 |
E-5 |
7,000 |
9,000 |
|
O-1 |
10,000 |
12,000 |
E-41 |
7,000 |
8,000 |
|
W-5 |
16,000 |
17,500 |
E-31 |
5,000 |
8,000 |
|
W-4 |
14,000 |
17,000 |
E-21 |
5,000 |
8,000 |
|
W-3 |
13,000 |
14,500 |
E-11 |
5,000 |
8,000 |
|
W-2 |
12,500 |
13,500 |
1 Reflects change in PL 107-107, the FY2002
NDAA |
||
|
W-1 |
10,000 |
12,000 |
|
||
2. Household goods weight allowances during permanent
change of station (PCS) moves are currently set as a grade-based benefit rather
than reflecting the need to protect military families and to accommodate the
normal accumulation of goods during a career and as a family grows.
3. Increased HHG weight allowances for Senior NCOs would
serve as a career incentive.
4. Undeniable aspects of the life of a senior NCO is the
jettisoning of personal property prior to a PCS move and the avoidance of
accumulating the normal goods that are needed as a family grows. These are done
to avoid the onerous financial penalties that must be paid for household goods
weights that exceed the permitted weight allowances. For this reason, senior
NCOs work very hard to avoid exceeding their allowance, but it definitely
creates an unfair situation as regards normal household goods accumulation.
5. By targeting Senior NCOs, you
are addressing a relatively low percentage of the enlisted force.
|
Service |
Total
Enlisted Force |
E-7s |
Percentage |
E-8s |
Percentage |
E-9s |
Percentage |
|
Air Force |
296,405 |
29,144 |
9.8% |
5,822 |
2% |
2,837 |
1% |
|
Navy |
313,888 |
24,264 |
7.7% |
6,925 |
2.2% |
3,115 |
1% |
|
Marine Corps |
158,378 |
8,725 |
5.5% |
3,344 |
2.1% |
1,391 |
.9% |
|
Army |
413,511 |
37,206 |
8.9% |
10,771 |
2.6% |
3,367 |
.8% |
|
Total DoD |
1,184,084 |
99,339 |
8.3% |
26,862 |
2.2% |
10,710 |
.9% |
|
Coast Guard |
31,318 |
3,114 |
9.9% |
656 |
2% |
308 |
1% |
January
2005 statistics
Presently:
An E-9 (average time in service
in USAF is 22 years) gets roughly the same HHG weight allowance as an O-3
(average time in service in USAF is 4 years).
o Average age range for E-9s is
about early 40s.
o Average age range for O-3s is
about late 20s.
An E-8 (average time in service
in USAF is 19.5 years) gets roughly the same HHG weight allowance as an O-2
(average time in service in the USAF is 2 years).
o Average age range for E-8s is
about early 40s.
o Average age range for O-2s is
about mid 20s.
An E-7 (average time in service
in USAF is 17.5 years) gets roughly the same as an O-1 (just entering military
service).
o Average age range for E-7s is
about late 30s.
o Average age range for O-1s is
about early 20s.
All age ranges run through the
50s, but the age ranges for E7- is comparable to that of an O-4, E-8 to an O-5
and E-9 to an O-6.
RECOMMENDATION: Support the provisions in H.R. 1406 which
would amend Title 37, Section 406 (b) (1) (C) so that the household goods
weight allowances for senior NCOs would read as follows:
|
Pay Grade |
Without Dependents |
With Dependents |
|
E-9 |
18,000 |
18,000 |
|
E-8 |
16,000 |
17,500 |
|
E-7 |
14,000 |
17,000 |
by:
CMSgt (Ret.) James E. Lokovic
Deputy Executive Director and
Director, Military and Government Relations
Air Force Sergeants Association
(301) 899-3500, Extension 246
E-mail: milgov@afsahq.org
Matt Schafer
Acting Director of Legislative Programs
Fleet Reserve Association
(703) 683-4257, Ext. 124
E-mail: Schafer@fra.org