Taking care of your deployed finances Published Nov. 9, 2006 By Lt. Col. Robert DiAntonio 60th Comptroller Squadron commander TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Hello Team Travis from the AOR! While we miss our families, friends and Northern California, I have to say how proud I am of the Travis Team here. It never ceases to amaze me how well we perform as an Expeditionary Air Force. Definitely, a testament to our flexibility and the strength of our Air Force. I want to talk about your financial readiness based on issues we're seeing. If you read no further, then please read this: Resolve financial problems prior to deploying. Pay issues are magnified when you're asking your spouse or friend to work them from half a world away. Get your first sergeant involved months prior to departure. What's the best way to catch a pay problem early? Read your Leave and Earnings Statement every month, not just your bank deposit. Also, when you deploy, bring checks if you want money. Okay, you knew these already. Well here's more. File an accrual voucher upon arrival in the AOR. Don't wait 30 days or your Government Travel Card may bust. The best way is through vMPF because you might not have an Air Force finance office where you are. Ensure you itemize all charges and hold onto all receipts because you'll have to re-claim everything on your final travel voucher. If you deploy to an Air Force site, your Air Force finance office will help start deployment entitlements within two-three pay periods. If you are on a joint tasking without an Air Force finance office, then seek out the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations staff to learn which site they work with. Most likely, you can get with the finance folks at that site to help. If you're in the AOR for just one day, then you're entitled to Hostile Fire Pay and Tax Exclusion benefits for the entire month. HFP/IDP is $225/month flat rate and CZTE is applicable on 100 percent of your Federal Income Tax for that month. For officers, tax exemption caps out at the E-9 pay rate. If you live in the dorms stateside and have your basic allowance for subsistence deducted for eating in the dining facility, then make sure your BAS is not being deducted while deployed. You're authorized full BAS. For 99.9 percent of Airmen, per diem is $3.50 per day while in the AOR. You have a dining facility at your location or can get a box lunch or eat an MRE which have been deemed adequate by Central Command Air Forces. The next two entitlements require 30 days away and are pro-rated daily. They are Hardship Duty Pay and Family Separation Allowance. HDP shows up as "Save Pay" on your LES. The amount varies by location, but some locations are not authorized the entitlement by DoD. FSA is $250 per 30 days away from family and the entitlement begins once you have been TDY for 31 consecutive days. A form is needed to start FSA because you have to make a few declarations. Remember, these entitlements are pro-rated daily. Other than that, take advantage of the Savings Deposit Program, the Thrift Savings Plan and plan to save as much as you can while you're deployed.