The Pentagon’s Campaign to Close the Awareness Gap

The Pentagon launched a yearlong compensation education campaign in June after admitting that many service members don’t fully understand the range of pay, tax advantages, education programs and family support available to them. That lack of awareness regularly leaves money and assistance unused, the Defense Department said.

While military pay appears clearly on a leave and earnings statement, dozens of other benefits are buried inside service portals, tied to application windows or known only by acronyms. The list below focuses on programs that are relatively new, require specific action or come with deadlines — making them easy to overlook, according to military family support specialists.

Among them: a Basic Needs Allowance for lower-income households, a $300‑per‑month Family Separation Allowance when duty forces a member apart from dependents, a deployment savings account that pays 10% annual interest, and free TSA PreCheck for uniformed members. Others cover education funding for spouses, civilian credential grants, and no‑cost legal help for personal matters.

Why These Benefits Stay Hidden — and What’s at Stake

A Maze of Acronyms and Deadlines

Few of these benefits arrive automatically. The Blended Retirement System’s Continuation Pay, for example, offers a mid‑career bonus in exchange for additional service, but each branch sets its own eligibility window and multiplier – the Army recently opened the window at seven years of service. A member who misses the application window forfeits the payment entirely. Similarly, the Family Separation Allowance requires members to submit DD Form 1561; the Post‑9/11 GI Bill transfer must be requested through milConnect before leaving the military, or the opportunity is lost.

Real Financial Consequences

The sums are not trivial. A deployed service member can deposit up to $10,000 in the Savings Deposit Program and earn 10% annual interest, compounded monthly. A spouse moving under PCS orders can receive up to $1,000 in license‑reimbursement from the service branch, on top of existing state license‑recognition efforts. The SpouseWorks Scholarship provides up to $4,000 for an associate degree or professional certification, while Army Credentialing Assistance offers up to $2,000 per fiscal year. Missing any of these translates directly into less household income and fewer career‑building opportunities.

Who Gains the Most

Lower‑income military families stand to gain the most from the Basic Needs Allowance, which triggers when gross household income falls below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. Deploying members can leverage the high‑interest savings deposit not available elsewhere. Families with school‑age children can secure thousands in education benefits through GI Bill transfers and dependent care flexible spending accounts — but only if they act before separation or during the federal benefits open season. Even something as simple as entering a DoD identification number as a Known Traveler Number saves money and time every time a member flies.

A Practical Checklist for Service Members and Families

Because these benefits almost never arrive automatically, service members and their families should take a handful of concrete steps:

  • Contact your installation’s family support center or Military OneSource to screen for eligibility for the Basic Needs Allowance — don’t wait for the services to notify you.
  • Submit DD Form 1561 as soon as orders separate you from dependents for more than 30 days to claim the $300‑per‑month Family Separation Allowance.
  • During pre‑deployment briefings, ask the finance office exactly when you become eligible for the Savings Deposit Program and how to make deposits — the 10% rate is unmatched in civilian accounts.
  • Review your BRS Continuation Pay window with your service’s personnel office; missing the application period means giving up a mid‑career bonus worth several times your monthly basic pay.
  • While still on active duty, log into milConnect and transfer at least one month of Post‑9/11 GI Bill benefits to an eligible dependent. You can adjust the amount later, but you cannot start a new transfer after separation.
  • Spouses: verify eligibility for the SpouseWorks Scholarship (up to $4,000) through the program portal and check with your service branch about PCS license reimbursement before paying out of pocket.
  • Enroll in a Health Care or Dependent Care FSA during federal benefits open season — or after a qualifying life event — but estimate dependent care expenses carefully because unused funds can be forfeited.
  • Visit the installation legal office for free wills, powers of attorney, lease reviews and any consumer or Servicemembers Civil Relief Act matter.
  • Enter your DoD ID number in the Known Traveler Number field when booking flights; TSA PreCheck is free for uniformed members and speeds travel substantially.