A servicemember with dependents who serves an unaccompanied tour of
duty may be entitled to a family separation allowance (FSA) of $250
per month. FSA accrues from the day of departure from the home station
and ends the day prior to arrival at the home stationThis is in addition
to any per diem or other entitlements presuming that:
- Movement of dependents to the permanent duty station at Government
expense is not authorized. This presupposes that the dependents do not
already live at or near that station
- The member is on duty on board a ship away from the home port of the ship for a period of more than 30 continuous days
- The member is on temporary duty away from the permanent duty
station for a continuous period of more than 30 days and the dependents
do not live at or near the temporary duty station
Servicemembers that choose to serve an unaccompanied tour of duty at a
permanent duty station where the movement of dependents at Government
expense is authorized, are not entitled to the family separation
allowance under the first condition noted above.
In situations where servicemembers are married to another
servicemember, family separation allowance is authorized for one member
if the members were residing together immediately before the separation.
Servicemembers must complete a DD Form 1561 (Statement to Substantiate Payment of Family Separation Allowance) to substantiate entitlement to FSA.