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Camp Humphreys, SOUTH KOREA – Active duty servicemembers assigned to units in South Korea are asked to complete the voluntary Living Pattern Survey and OHA Utility Expenses Survey from Jan. 1 to Mar. 31, 2026.
The LPS uses inputs on shopping habits for groceries, clothing, childcare, household furnishings, entertainment, transportation and more to inform cost-of-living allowance (COLA) calculations for local areas. While the Utility Expenses Survey (UES) results will have a direct impact on the URMA computed for service members stationed at your location.
The survey is open to all active-duty members (including reserve members on long-term active-duty orders). Completing each survey will take about 30 to 40 minutes and can be accomplished at work or home. We encourage the "primary shopper" in the family to fill it out or assist in its completion.
Be on the lookout for the link in your email. The links are unique to the service members, but do not require a Common Access Card (CAC) to access the survey. A link to the survey can be found here.
The LPS is the assigned military community’s only opportunity to directly impact OCOLA by providing inputs sharing where and how they purchase goods and services. The accurate completion of this data directly influences the OCOLA payments service members receive.
Service members serving outside of the continental United States (OCONUS) where the cost of living is higher than CONUS receive an Overseas Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA). Overseas COLA is a non-taxable allowance designed to offset higher prices of non-housing goods and services OCONUS and equalize purchasing power with members stationed in CONUS. It does not reimburse expenses, compensate for remoteness, hardship, loss of spousal income, or non-availability of goods and services.
| Date Taken: | 01.08.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.08.2026 01:47 |
| Story ID: | 555848 |
| Location: | GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], KR |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Survey to help establish COLA rates opens 1 JAN, by Carrie Castillo, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
