Did you know the Navy offers FSA, or better known as family separation allowance? Your family is entitled to this benefit of $250 per month whenever the Navy separates you for more than 30 days. This can be if your spouse is sent on a TAD (temporary duty), long underway or deployment.
There are three different types:
FSA-T (temporary)
This is what is entitled if a service member is sent on temporary orders away from their family.
FSA-S (ship)
This covers the entitlement when a service member is on board a ship, away from the homeport for at least 30 days.
FSA-R (restricted)
This is for when a service member PCS’s away from their family, and their family cannot accompany them for some reason. This could be if dependents were not authorized to come. This could also apply for dual-military couples. However, for dual military you must be co-located together prior to separation to be entitled to FSA. The member whose orders cause the family separation is the one entitled to the FSA.
In order to receive FSA, the active duty member will need to submit a form (DD 1561) to their admin or personal support detachment (PSD) office. Sometimes it can take a while to receive payment, and it often takes some persistence! Always ensure that all aspects of pay are correct. The Navy won’t usually help you look for pay that is missing, but they will be sure to take it back if they overpaid for something.
If you have a complicated family situation and are not sure about entitlements, you may need to review this detailed regulation to find out what applies in your situation. For more information on FSA, click here.
What great info! Thank you 🙂