SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Sabers will be granted the opportunity to impact their overseas housing allowance through an OHA survey in March 2017.
The survey is conducted annually on behalf of the Department of Defense, by the Allowances Branch of the Defense Travel Management Office.
The OHA is a cost-reimbursement allowance that is offered to active-duty members. This allowance is different for each member depending upon their grade, dependency status and permanent-duty station.
The survey is designed to collect utility and recurring maintenance expense data incurred by all members who reside in off-base privately leased housing. Homeowners or those who share housing are not eligible.
“Your time and effort spent answering the survey questions will enable the DoD to set equitable OHA rates,” said Master Sgt. Kenner Sagorsor, 52nd Comptroller Squadron flight chief. “We ask that you make every effort to take the survey and report your expenses accurately.”
The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and can be completed by the service member or spouse. A common access card is not required to access the survey; however, participants will be asked to provide their DoD identification number, which is located on the back of the CAC.
Participants should use actual bills or records of their utilities to complete the survey.
“It is important to provide accurate figures in the OHA survey,” Sagorsor said. “Before starting the survey, gather your bills, receipts and records of utility and recurring maintenance expenses incurred within the last 12 months and compute a monthly for each of these expenses.”
The survey will be available at http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/ohaSurvey.cfm?ID=mar-util from March 1 through 31.