BAS is meant to offset costs for a member's meals. This allowance is based in the historic origins of the military in which the military provided room and board (or rations) as part of a member's pay. This allowance is not intended to offset the costs of meals for family members.
Because BAS is intended to provide meals for the service member, its level is linked to the price of food. Therefore, each year it is adjusted based upon the increase of the price of food as measured by the USDA food cost index. This is why the increase to BAS will not necessarily be the same percentage as that applied to the increase in the pay table, as annual pay raises are linked to the increase of private sector wages.
The following Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) rates are the new rates effective Jan. 1, 2012.
- Officers: $239.96
- Enlisted: $348.44
- Enlisted Daily Discount Meal Rate (BAS-DMR) deduction: $9.90 per day.
- Reserve COMRATS:
- Breakfast - $2.32
- Lunch - $4.64
- Dinner - $4.64
- Cadet COMRATS. Daily Rate - $11.55. (Effective 1 Jan 2012)