(X) Policy Memo
September 29, 2010
TO: Sponsors of Child and Adult Care Food Program Centers, Outside School Hours Programs, Head Start Programs, and Family Day Care Homes; Summer Food Program Sponsors requiring Confidential Meal Applications
RE: Revised Exclusion of Military Combat Pay
The Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs (ODE CNP) received revised guidance from USDA concerning implementation of the exclusion of military combat pay from income eligibility determinations. The revised guidance is in bold.
Guidance:
Combat pay may be excluded from the family income reported on Confidential Income Statements:
- CACFP Confidential Income Statements
- SFSP Confidential Meal Applications
As set forth in the statute, combat pay is defined as an additional payment made under Chapter 5 of Title 37 of the United States Code that is received by the household member who is deployed to a designated combat zone.
For purposes of CACFP and SFSP, combat pay is excluded as income when it is:
- Received in addition to the service member's basic pay;
- Received as a result of the service member's deployment to or service in an area that has been designated as a combat zone; and
- Not received by the service member prior to his/her deployment to or service in the designated combat zone
DEPLOYMENT EXTENSION INCENTIVE PAY (DEIP)
The exclusion of combat pay, as described in P.L. 111-80, is extended to DEIP. DEIP is given to active-duty service members who agree to extend their military service by completing deployment with their units without re-enlisting. This exemption applies only until the service members return to their home station. Any additional DEIP payments provided to service members serving at their home station is considered income as they are no longer considered deployed.
Continue to count only that portion of the deployed service member's income made available by them or on their behalf to the household as income. Deployed service members are considered members of the household for purposes of determining income eligibility for the Child Nutrition Programs.
If you have questions, please contact your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist.
Sincerely,
Lynne Reinoso
Manager, Community Nutrition
Child Nutrition Programs
Office of the Superintendent