Being smart with money while deployed Published June 10, 2005 By Senior Airman Shaun Emery 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- While deployed, Airmen receive many entitlements. They receive combat zone tax exclusion, $225 hostile fire pay per month, $3.50 per diem and for those with families, $250 family separation allowance per month. Airmen who live in dormitories at their home station also receive basic allowance for housing.All totaled, these entitlements can add up to thousands of dollars over the span of a deployment rotation. Airmen with deployed finance offices are here to help with financial questions, but every Airman is responsible for keeping up to date with their bills, said Maj. William McGraw, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing finance chief.“It’s important that every person check his or her leave and earnings statement each pay period,” Major McGraw said. “If there is a problem, the finance office will do everything it can to solve it, whether it’s calling a home station finance office or the member’s first sergeant.”The ramifications of missing a mistake could become very serious if a deployed Airman is getting paid too much or not enough, Major McGraw said.“If you’re getting too much in your check and finance finds the mistake, the money will be immediately taken out,” Major McGraw said. “On the flip side, if there is not as much money as someone planned, they may write a check and won’t have the funds to cover it. If you have a wife and children at home, they may not have the money to buy groceries. If you start worrying about that, you won’t be able to focus on the mission at hand.”Along with checking to make sure there are no mistakes in their military pay, deployed Airmen also have the opportunity to participate in the uniformed services savings deposit plan.This plan allows Airmen to deposit up to $10,000 and receive 10 percent annual interest on their investment. The money must be withdrawn 90 days after the end of their deployment. The finance office can assist Airmen with setting up an account.“Most regular savings accounts offer interest rates of 1 to 2 percent,” Major McGraw said. “If you are keeping your money in a checking account, you’re not making anything.”One way for Airmen to stay proactive in their finances is by filling out their accrual vouchers as soon as possible. Many Airmen use their government travel card to cover expenses entering the area of responsibility, and the accrual voucher will transfer the necessary funds to their travel card, Major McGraw said.“The balance needs to be paid,” he said. “Even though (Airmen are) deployed, they’re still responsible for paying that bill. If a person goes four months and doesn’t pay it off, (he or she) could face serious repercussions.”