Co-worker's son in USAF stationed in Alaska, told he was to be sent to

[morningglory]

Korea for 6 months. Family stuck in Alaska for the winter (we are Floridians, forgive me my prejudices, I know, I know: hurricanes, red bugs, roach bugs, humidity, etc...) was told his pay would be docked $250 per month to pay for his food while in Korea. This news this week. Does this have anything to contribute to the re-deployment paranoid interpretations?

[Deja Q]

1. Bush sure is supporting the troops, isn't he*?

Move them to a more dangerous area AND pay them less by having their lives in greater peril thanks to his* stupidity...

I wish he and his family the best.

[rfranklin]

2. That's absurd...

Can that be true? Why would anyone in the military support the Bush Crime Family when they get treated this way?

[HawkerHurricane]

3. Another way to look at it.

Although you won't agree, and I agree it stinks.

While stationed in Alaska, your co worker's son was recieving a $250 a month bonus because he wasn't eating on base. Being sent to Korea sans family, it is assumed (by the military) that he will be eating on base and therefore loses the bonus.

I went through this every time I went on sea duty; I lose my Basic Allowance for Substinance (food pay) because meals were provided on the ship, whether I actually ate there or not.

[Racenut20]

5. Uh, if you didn't eat on the ship ????

Do Dominos deliver to ships at sea now? Hmmmmm. I think I missed something.

[HawkerHurricane]

6. The ship does not spend all its time at sea.

Just being assigned to the ship takes away your BAS pay. So, while my ship was inport after deployment for 4 months, and I ate dinner and breakfast at home 6 days a week, I still didn't get the money, because the meals were 'provided' for me.

BAS is money they give you when they don't provide the meals.

[DemoTex]

7. Lookit, Navy mess works in strange and mysterious ways.

The OOM (Officer's Open Mess) at NAF (Naval Air Facility) Cam Rahn Bay was the best military chow I ever had. I was Army living with and flying with the Navy (SP2E's under NATOPS). I got fat on mid-rats (midnight rations). The club was even better!

[Racenut20]

9. One of my friends killed at Cam Rahn

Was so hyped about his "safe" duty station in the war. A fork lift driver accidently dumped a load of 2x4's on him. Of all the deaths and bodies I saw in I-Corps, that was the saddest. Non Combatant fatality.

[DemoTex]

10. The VC stormed the hospital at Cam Rahn and killed nurses.

That was before I got there. But we had several notable attacks. They (Victor-Charles and company) blew the CRB ammo dump in mid-summer 1971. At least fifty 15,000# "blockbuster" bombs cooked off that night. We saw the initial mushroom cloud and did the hail mary, kiss ass good-buy. Forty-nine mushroom clouds later we were drunk on warm beer that was sneaked from the club to the bunker.

[atreides1]

4. TDY

If he is stationed in Alaska and being sent to Korea for 6 months, it sounds like he will be on Temporary Duty, also known as TDY.

He should be authorized family seperation pay, and per diem. He'll have to wait until he returns to his duty station before he can get the pay.

I know it won't match what he's losing, and he won't be able to file his travel voucher until he returns, but every little bit helps.

[Wickerman]

8. When I was in the AF you could get a travel allowance

as an advance. I don't know how much he would be eligible for, but any amount would help. YOu pay it back in allotment. I would assume you still can. It didn't matter what for, it was available.