R 271635Z APR 01
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MP//
TO MARADMIN
BT
UNCLAS //N07200//
MARADMIN 204/01
MSGID/GENDADMIN/CMC MPO-40//
SUBJ/FAMILY SUBSISTENCE SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOWANCE (FSSA)//
POC/K.A. HACKBARTH/MAJ/COML 703-784-9386/DSN 278-9386//
RMKS/1. THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
ADDED AN ENTITLEMENT TO TITLE 37 U.S. CODE, SEC. 402, BASIC ALLOWANCE
FOR SUBSISTENCE (BAS). THE NEW ENTITLEMENT IS CALLED FSSA. FSSA IS
INTENDED TO REMOVE A MARINE'S HOUSEHOLD FROM ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS
UNDER THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE
1 MAY 2001.
2. ELIGIBILITY IS BASED ON HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME.
IF A MARINE'S GROSS INCOME, TOGETHER WITH THE GROSS INCOME OF THEIR
ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD, IS AT OR BELOW 130 PERCENT OF THE POVERTY LINE AS
DEFINED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA), THAT MARINE IS
ENTITLED TO FSSA. ACTIVE DUTY AND RESERVE COMPONENT MARINES, ON
ACTIVE DUTY, LOCATED CONUS OR OCONUS MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE FSSA
PROGRAM PROVIDED THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY
THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (OSD). DETAILS CONCERNING
THIS ENTITLEMENT, TO INCLUDE THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION
(DODI), APPLICATION FORM, PAY AND ALLOWANCE ADVISORY NOTICE
(PAAN) 27-01, AND SIMPLIFIED INSTRUCTIONS, WILL BE POSTED TO MARINE
ON LINE (MOL) LOCATED AT HTTPS://WWW.MOL.USMC.MIL.
3. THE FSSA PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY. MARINES MUST APPLY AND BE
CERTIFIED BY THEIR COMMANDING OFFICER TO RECEIVE FSSA.
4. FSSA INCOME MAY JEOPARDIZE A HOUSEHOLD'S PARTICIPATION IN
CERTAIN PROGRAMS WHERE ELIGIBILITY IS BASED ON INCOME, SUCH AS:
SUBSIDIZED SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMS; WOMEN, INFANT, AND CHILDREN (WIC)
PROGRAM; DAY CARE PROGRAMS; AND THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX EARNED INCOME
CREDIT (EIC). IF THE MARINE PARTICIPATES IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM,
FSSA INCOME MUST BE REPORTED TO THE FOOD STAMP OFFICE. RECEIPT OF
FSSA MAY EITHER RENDER A MARINE'S HOUSEHOLD INELIGIBLE FOR FOOD
STAMPS, OR REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF THE FOOD STAMP BENEFIT.
5. THIS IS A COMPLICATED ENTITLEMENT THAT INCLUDES COMPUTATION OF
BOTH PRIVATE HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND MILITARY INCOME. MARINES ARE
ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THEIR MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES (MCCS)
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COUNSELOR FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING
OTHER INCOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED BY FSSA INCOME.
6. FSSA IS A MONTHLY ENTITLEMENT BASED ON A 30-DAY MONTH, JUST LIKE
BAH AND BASIC PAY. FSSA WILL BE PRORATED FOR THE NUMBER OF DAYS
ENTITLED FOR THE FIRST AND LAST MONTHS OF ENTITLEMENT. FSSA IS
NOT PAYABLE WHEN A MARINE ENTERS A NON-PAY STATUS FOR ANY REASON.
7. FSSA WILL BE PAID IN AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO THE TOTAL DOLLARS
REQUIRED TO BRING THAT MARINE'S HOUSEHOLD INCOME ABOVE 130 PERCENT
OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE, NOT TO EXCEED $500 PER MONTH. THE
ALLOWANCE IS BASED ON THE GROSS INCOME TABLES PUBLISHED BY THE USDA
FOR THE LOCATION STATIONED. THERE ARE THREE INCOME TABLES DEPENDING
UPON A MARINE'S LOCATION: CONUS (48 STATES), ALASKA, AND HAWAII.
IF STATIONED AT ANY LOCATION (TO INCLUDE OVERSEAS AND U.S.
TERRITORIES) OTHER THAN ALASKA OR HAWAII, THE CONUS (48 STATES) TABLE
WILL APPLY.
8. THE MONTHLY RATE OF FSSA IS DETERMINED BY SUBTRACTING THE
HOUSEHOLD INCOME FROM THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM'S GROSS INCOME LIMIT
FOR A PARTICULAR HOUSEHOLD SIZE. DETAILS CONCERNING COMPUTATION ARE
CONTAINED IN PAAN 27-01 AND IN THE SIMPLIFIED INSTRUCTIONS LOCATED
AT HTTPS://WWW.MOL.USMC.MIL.
9. A HOUSEHOLD IS DEFINED AS FOLLOWS BY THE FOOD STAMP ACT:
(1) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO LIVES ALONE OR WHO, WHILE LIVING WITH OTHERS,
CUSTOMARILY PURCHASES FOOD AND PREPARES MEALS FOR HOME CONSUMPTION
SEPARATE AND APART FROM OTHERS, OR (2) A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO
LIVE TOGETHER AND CUSTOMARILY PURCHASE FOOD AND PREPARE MEALS
TOGETHER FOR HOME CONSUMPTION. SPOUSES WHO LIVE TOGETHER, PARENTS
AND THEIR CHILDREN 21 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER WHO LIVE TOGETHER,
AND CHILDREN (EXCLUDING FOSTER CHILDREN) UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE WHO
LIVE WITH AND ARE UNDER THE PARENTAL CONTROL OF A PERSON OTHER THAN
THEIR PARENT, TOGETHER WITH THE PERSON EXERCISING PARENTAL CONTROL,
SHALL BE TREATED AS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CUSTOMARILY PURCHASE
FOOD AND PREPARE MEALS TOGETHER FOR HOME CONSUMPTION, EVEN IF THEY
DO NOT DO SO.
10. COMMANDERS WILL COMPUTE FSSA AMOUNTS FOR QUALIFIED MARINES WHO
REQUEST FSSA IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAAN 27-01. A SOFTWARE RELEASE WILL
BE PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER THAT WILL ALLOW THE COMMANDER TO START, STOP,
CHANGE, CREDIT AND CHECK FSSA VIA UNIT DIARY. THE DODI HAS NOT YET
BEEN PUBLISHED AND THERE WAS NOT TIME TO PROGRAM MCTFS WITH FULL
FUNCTIONALITY TO COINCIDE WITH THE 1 MAY 2001 EFFECTIVE DATE FOR
THIS ENTITLEMENT.
11. POC CONCERNING THIS MATTER IS YOUR CONSOLIDATED ADMIN.//
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