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Osan AB merges with USAG Humphreys for OHA, OCOLA -- increases effective Nov. 16

  • Published
  • By Maj. Rachel Buitrago
  • Seventh Air Force Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  

Osan Air Base has been merged with U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys for Overseas Housing Allowances and Overseas Cost-of-Living Allowance, resulting in increases to OHA at Osan AB, effective Nov. 16, 2024.

The increases are part of larger decision regarding OHA in the Republic of Korea, announced through a memorandum by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense dated Oct. 29, and calculated through an analysis of service member data provided by the Defense Manpower Data Center.

"This is a win for our Airmen, Soldiers, and Guardian assigned to Osan AB, as their housing allowances move to align with others in the local area and better meet their needs,” said Lt. Col. Aaron Tissot, Seventh Air Force Manpower and Personnel director. “We’re excited for the positive impact it will have on service members and their families moving forward.”

OHA enables service members to rent comparable housing at an overseas duty-station when government housing is not available, partially offsetting the housing costs of living on the local economy and reflecting what they are paying in housing costs. Allowances are computed through a combination of actual rental payment reports and surveys and then adjusted for local currency exchange rates.

Based on the above factors, service members in the following ranks at Osan AB will see increases in their OHA: O6, O5, O4, O3E, O2, O1, W5, W4, W3, W1, E9, E5, E4, E3, E2, and E1. Those in the ranks of O3, W2, O2E, O1E, E8, E7, and E6 will not see an increase. Full details of these changes will be found on the DTMO website at https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Overseas-Housing-Allowance/OHA-Rate-Lookup/, starting Nov. 16. Several other military locations across the ROK will also see OHA increases.

“I encourage everyone living off base to check their rates against the DTMO website, based on their rank, to see if this change impacts their unique circumstances,” Tissot said.

Additionally, based on this merge and a designation of USAG Humphreys and Osan AB as “geographically proximate” for allowance considerations, the OCOLA index rating for USAG Humphreys has increased from 104 to 110, also effective Nov. 16. However, based on the results of the on-going OCOLA Living Patter Survey, open for inputs until Nov. 15, this rating is subject to change in the near future.

Seventh Air Force leaders encourage all service members, and their family members, to participate in the OCOLA Living Pattern Survey to ensure their living expenses are accurately captured. Members may access the survey here: Data Collection & Surveys | Overseas COLA | Defense Travel Management Office (dod.mil)

Lastly, military members are encouraged to review their leave and earnings statements regularly and take advantage of the various financial planning resources offered to ensure financial success.

Additional information on the OHA and OCOLA programs can be found by visiting the Defense Travel Management Office website.