An allowance to assist an employee to meet the additional expenses of maintaining members of family elsewhere than at the employee's foreign post of assignment.  SMA will be reviewed and approved/disapproved by Department of the Navy before PCS.

Three types of SMA:

 (1) Involuntary separate maintenance allowance (ISMA) may be granted because of dangerous, notably unhealthful, or excessively adverse living conditions at the employee's post of assignment in a foreign area, or for the convenience of the Government. 

(2) Voluntary separate maintenance allowance (VSMA) may be granted to an employee who personally requests such an allowance, based on special needs or hardship involving the employee or family member(s). 

(3) Transitional separate maintenance allowance (TSMA) may be granted to an employee whose family members temporarily occupy commercial quarters following termination of an evacuation or in connection with an unaccompanied assignment.

     •  Submit detailed memo request and completed SF-1190 to:  SMB HQMC HROM OVERSEAS