If a member is permanently assigned INCONUS, who does a Notice of Levy get served directly to?

The correct response is that a Notice of Levy for a member permanently assigned INCONUS is served directly to the disbursing officer maintaining the pay account. This is because the disbursing officer is responsible for managing the finances and pay disbursement for service members. When a levy occurs—typically related to debts or obligations—the disbursing officer must be notified to appropriately manage and withhold the necessary funds from the member's pay.

The disbursing officer has the authority and the resources needed to act on the levy, ensuring that the member’s pay is handled in accordance with legal requirements. Serving the Notice of Levy to the disbursing officer ensures that the financial obligations are addressed promptly and correctly, avoiding any potential miscommunication or delays in processing the order.

In contrast, other roles such as the commanding officer or the administrative officer may be involved in personnel matters, but they do not have the direct authority over pay disbursement. The Chief of Naval Operations, meanwhile, operates at a strategic level, which is not relevant for the handling of direct pay levies. Therefore, the optimal and most effective conduit for servicing a Notice of Levy is indeed through the disbursing officer, who directly manages the pay account of the member.