Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance

The Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2001 (PL 106-398) requires the Department of Defense (DoD) to pay certain low-income service members and their families a family subsistence allowance of up to $500 per month so they will not have to rely on food stamps. DoD began issuing the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowances (FSSA) to eligible service members on May 1, 2001. Service members are entitled to the FSSA if their household’s gross income is within the gross limit used in the Food Stamp Program. Nothing in PL 106- 398 prohibits service members from receiving both FSSA payments and food stamps at the same time.

Similarly, there is nothing prohibiting service members from receiving the FSSA and CSFP and FDPIR benefits at the same time. In determining the eligibility of applicants for CSFP and FDPIR, the FSSA payments must be counted as earned income to the household. The amount of the FSSA will be shown on the service member’s Leave and Earnings Statement, which is the standard wage information form used by the military.

SUZANNE RIGBY
Director
Food Distribution Division