Topic: Obama Pulls Combat Pay for U.S. Troops

[Pandora]

...he is ordering that our troops serving overseas in war zones overseas are not to receive combat pay unless they are being shot at.

According to Military.com, and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 (H.R. 1540-7 Sec 616) as of February 1, 2012, this new measure went into effect, and soldiers who are to received the additional $225/mo. combat pay ‘must’  be in immediate risk of harm. The measure is very specific in its criteria for receiving the additonal pay.

H/T bonz

[charlesoakwood]

OK, the Pubbies had to vote for this also.  Right?

Going to be necessary to stop buying Hostess CupCakes
in order to send more money to selected congress persons.

[Pandora]

"The act" is named and linked; names and R/D should be on it.  As it's a PDF, and they take forever to freaking load on my freaking laptop, I didn't go there.

[Alphabet Soup]

"The act" is named and linked; names and R/D should be on it.  As it's a PDF, and they take forever to freaking load on my freaking laptop, I didn't go there.

As a hint when working with PDF files.....right-click on the file and select "Save link as" and download the file to your local drive. Then open it. I find that they respond twice to four times as fast that way.

As for the cowardly acts from the NIC, I daresay that the military won't forget who screwed them when the revolution comes to town.

[charlesoakwood]

The link is to the ACT not the vote.


http://www.icaucus.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1059:the-ndaa-of-2012-how-they-voted&catid=105:latest-news&Itemid=258
The National Defense and Authorization Act of 2012

iCaucus Sentinel rated this bill in both the House and the Senate.  iCaucus encouraged a 'NAY' vote.  Nevertheless, the bill passed in both the House and the Senate.

12/1/2011: Senate Bill S.1867 passed with amendments by 93 YEAs and 7 NAYs.  The following Senators voted 'NAY':
Coburn (R-OK)
Harkin (D-IA)
Lee (R-UT)
Merkley (D-OR)
Paul (R-KY)
Sanders (I-VT)
Wyden (D-OR)


12/15/11: A Conference Report was sent back to the Senate.  The following 6 Senators joined the NAYs at this time:
Cardin (D-MD)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Durbin (D-IL)
Franken (D-MN)
Risch (R-ID)
Moran (R-KS) did not vote this second time.

12/31/2011: This was signed by the President and became Public Law No: 112-81.

12/14/11: House Bill H.R.1540 passed with 283 AYES and 136 NOES, with 14 not voting. The list of how the Representatives voted can be found HERE. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll932.xml  & this link does not delineate party affliction.

                       Ayes   Noes   PRES      NV
Republican   190   43          8
Democratic   93   93          6

They are all going to cry and say they did the best they could.
The Democrats had them over a barrel.  Looks to me like more
Democrats voted against it than Pubbies.  There's a special place
for all these types.

Donate and donate often. 

[trapeze]

At least one of the comments at the link said that the point of this provision is to prevent combat pay from being doled out to troops that are not in theater.

For instance, a troop is in theater for five days of a particular month and then gets sent back home. The new rules would see that he is paid for those five days rather than the entire month as the case used to be.

I have emailed the link to my son in Afghanistan and asked him to clarify it for me. I will let you know what he says about it.

Not that I don't believe Obongo hates the military. He very obviously does. I will extend the authors of the act the benefit of the doubt until I learn otherwise. Should know in a day or two.

[Pandora]

They're spending money hand over fist on much less worthy endeavors.  If they're in theater for only five days, GIVE 'EM THE FRIGGIN' MONTHS PAY.  Jesus Christ!!

[Predator Don]

They're spending money hand over fist on much less worthy endeavors.  If they're in theater for only five days, GIVE 'EM THE FRIGGIN' MONTHS PAY.  Jesus Christ!!

Can't.......somebody somewhere needs a food stamp.

[IronDioPriest]

They're spending money hand over fist on much less worthy endeavors.  If they're in theater for only five days, GIVE 'EM THE FRIGGIN' MONTHS PAY.  Jesus Christ!!

Can't.......somebody somewhere needs a food stamp.

Yeah, and what about Planned Parenthood, and the National Endowment for the Arts. And Pakistan. And the UN. And Michelle's entourage. If they pay the troops for a full month, they won't be able to afford the important things. And then they might have to raise our taxes.

[trapeze]

Fine.

I just hope that it doesn't mean that my son won't get combat pay because, although he's in Kandahar, he isn't walking around off base with an M16.

The article kind of implies that.

The fact that Obongo and Congress are wasting our money on bullsh*t, although important, is a separate issue. If the other troops are working like my son is over there (no days off and twelve plus hour shifts), then it would be pretty sh*tty if they didn't get combat pay just because they aren't actually being personally fired upon.

I'm just hoping that this isn't the case.

[charlesoakwood]

If he is in the center of fortified Bagram Air Base he or she is in harms way. 
Is it a firefight? No.  Must one be in a fire fight to be in harms way?  No.
Next they'll be sending some DS bureaucrats with clip boards to log which
moment they are and are not in harms way.
 

[Sectionhand]

...he is ordering that our troops serving overseas in war zones overseas are not to receive combat pay unless they are being shot at.

I wonder if Stymie gets combat pay for being sh*t at ?

[Pandora]

If he is in the center of fortified Bagram Air Base he or she is in harms way. 
Is it a firefight? No.  Must one be in a fire fight to be in harms way?  No.
Next they'll be sending some DS bureaucrats with clip boards to log which
moment they are and are not in harms way.
 

Either that or our guys are going to have to document, in triplicate, each fired-upon event.

[Predator Don]

I'm not giving these azz holes the benefit of the doubt. Of all places to be searching to save money, let's do it on the backs of troops by incorporating another piece of paperwork to prove they were in an active zone. This has clusterf*ck written all over it.

I bet stimey is getting paid every time he plays golf......you know, the damn president is considered never off the job......well, neither is a soldier. If you are sent out of country, it is hazard pay. I don't care if there isn't a bullet flying over your head or if stationed in a FOB. It is hazardous duty. God, the gall......

No, we gotta save some money for those who are never on the job. This stinks to high heaven and worthy of a few letters and e mails to these idiots who consider themselves leaders.

[IronDioPriest]

If he is in the center of fortified Bagram Air Base he or she is in harms way. 
Is it a firefight? No.  Must one be in a fire fight to be in harms way?  No.
Next they'll be sending some DS bureaucrats with clip boards to log which
moment they are and are not in harms way.
 

Either that or our guys are going to have to document, in triplicate, each fired-upon event.

Yeah, and probably an oversight panel with a czar to make sure the incident qualifies, and to root out waste, fraud, and abuse.

[Libertas]

This pisses me off to no end!  I cannot say anymore without guaranteeing I get my door kicked in, which I am half tempted trigger!