Bank account for prior service

[UHBlackhawk]

If you are prior service do NOT let them change your bank account on R-Day. Again, do NOT change it. My DD decided to “go with the flow” and use PenFed.
Her pay is still jacked up. She has not seen a dime of the $ from leave she was forced to sell back to the Army (her unit dropped the ball on her orders for West Point so she was forced to sell back two weeks of leave). In addition her Cadet pay was being taxed at her old enlisted grade until recently.
Keep an eye on your finances when you first get there and be aware it may take numerous trips to finance and Cadet accounting to get it fixed. Don’t worry, as a Plebe you will have nothing else to do but make numerous trips to see them.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

Just to update on what we’ve been able to find out. This applies to prior service and prep school Cadets.

According to West Point finance DFAS is not updating the tax status of some prior service and prep school Cadets, which means almost all your Cadet pay is being withheld. This means your Cadet account has a low balance and they are keeping your enlisted pay, money you earned prior to becoming a Cadet, in order to keep the Cadet account at the required balance. Normally this money is considered “top off” and is swept into whatever account you have set up.
Bottom line, if you fall into this category you need to keep an eye on your account balance and finances. As soon as you finish Beast go by finance and do an audit to make sure everything is correct in the amount you are being paid, tax status and any pay due from enlisted service. Then go by Cadet Accounts and, if they have not done so, ask to get the “top off” from your enlisted service. While changing to PenFed does not cause this it adds to the confusion and may delay rectifying the problem as you may not see that you are not being paid.
It’s pretty messed up.

 

[UHBlackhawk]

Sorry, one more bump.
As previously mentioned this is a DFAS issue. As such it probably is affecting prior service Cadets/Midshipmen at all the service academies. As you can imagine, a Cadet who thought they would have a prior service paycheck for Christmas not having any money at all could be an issue.

This is being bumped up to the appropriate people at USMA, but anyone on staff at other academies monitoring this or anyone who knows someone on staff at other service academies may want to check with your finance to make sure this is not affecting your Cadets/Midshipmen; or if it is try to work with DFAS to get it fixed. These kids have enough to worry about their first year at an academy without having to jump through hoops to get the pay they already earned.