Obama Pulls Combat Pay For Deployed U.S. Troops

[HMFIC]

Wow, lots of drama over a necessary change...mostly from folks who probably have no clue how hostile fire/IDP duty pay works.

Section 616 simply does away with the well known flaw in the system....stay 'in theater' until the 1st of the month and draw that entire month's extra pay. It's a game people have played forever....It was always easy to catch a bird out of theater on the 30th, but all the flights on the 1st or 2nd were packed because everyone (even entire units) was gaming the system to squeeze out another month of tax free and hostile fire/IDP bennies.

No grunts in the war zone are going to unfairly lose anything over this....yeah, there are a lot of other things that can/should be cut before we mess with our GIs, but there will be no day-to-day accounting for hostile fire pay. It just means that if you leave theater on the first, you get 1/30th of that month's extra pay...not the whole month....it's also written in that if you actualy come under fire or IED attack you get the whole month's pay regardless of whether or not you spent the whole month in country.

Now we could really save some cash by taking away the hostile fire pay from those chillin' by the pool in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE etc....(if they haven't already)

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/specialpay/hfp_idp.html

Thanks for clearing it up. That makes sense.

 

[RickN]

Things went to the pooper during GWB's term. So yeah kinda hard not to blame him.

Actually they went in the crapper shortly after the Democrats took over Congress in 2006. Not so bad up until then.

 

[BallisticGuy]

Guys its all part of the new NDAA!! YES it true. IM in the warrior transition unit healing from my shrapnal wound's and Tramatic brain injuries, IF they are at a cop like we were it will not change a thing. Its also part of the same thing the President sign saying a us citizen can be detained indefidently for any suspected terror. YES held with out trial.

 

[ripnbst]

Now we could really save some cash by taking away the hostile fire pay from those chillin' by the pool in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE etc....(if they haven't already)

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/specialpay/hfp_idp.html

I am pretty sure this addresses what you have listed above as well. I am pretty sure that Kuwait is not considered a hostile country. Might as well be Germany.

 

[tiasman]

It's true...the original article is just terrible at explaining what is changing.

They're pro-rating IDP based on where someone is located. That way a bunch of clowns "in the rear with the gear" (for example, at Al Udeid pushing paper) aren't getting paid the same as the guys at COP Indirectfire who are getting shot at daily.

Are all support staff considered "clowns" by you?

 

[SMS]

I am pretty sure this addresses what you have listed above as well. I am pretty sure that Kuwait is not considered a hostile country. Might as well be Germany.

Kuwait and other places not directly in the war zone have been on the list for a long time. Most of them still are. This bill doesn't fix that...only the pro-rating by day versus month. Like I said before, it just means if you leave an area authorized IDP on the 1st, you don't get paid for the whole month. But...anyone who comes under fire or IED attack will qualify for an entire month of HFP regardless of how many days they were there.

Here's the list of current locations authorized IDP: http://www.airforcetimes.com/projects/money/pay_charts/2012/imminent-danger/

 

[jescates]

I know I felt guilty getting HDP during my short tour duty in Turkey! The only hazard there was getting the dreaded Turkey Trots from eating the local food!

 

[tharper]

I can see it now. A contractor will be hired to carry a time card clock and get time cards punched as they enter and leave a "combat" zone.

Whats next? Jump pay? Charged as they leave the plane and only till they hit the ground.

It's called your travel voucher. You file it when you get back. The people processing them know what days you where gone and where for the most part. That's how they'll know.

 

[dt405gt]

I am using the GI Bill and we used to get paid over breaks. Now, if we aren't in class, he cuts our pay. Christmas break (2 weeks) used to be paid. He has cut that as well. Seems as if he is totally against our military and troops.