Grinder
19 August 2003, 14:52
By Kathleen T. Rhem
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2003 - Pentagon officials have no intention of lowering
total compensation for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Defense Department's
top personnel officer said Aug. 14.
David S.C. Chu, defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, took
questions from the media on the topic in response to published media reports
suggesting DoD would cut the pay of forces serving overseas in the war on
terrorism.
At issue are temporary increases Congress approved in April for two forms of
compensation: imminent danger pay and family separation allowance. Imminent
danger pay went from $150 per month to $225, while family separation pay
increased from $100 to $250 per month. The two increases are set to expire
Sept. 30, and defense officials have urged Congress not to extend them, saying
they are unfunded.
But, Chu stressed, this doesn't mean troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan
will see a cut in their total take-home pay. "We are not going to reduce their
compensation," Chu said.
Another senior official called the notion that the Pentagon would cut pay to
combat troops "absurd."
Instead, the Defense Department would prefer to compensate the troops through
other means. "We have some incentive pay with which we can compensate people in
Iraq (and Afghanistan) should the current allowance provisions expire," Chu
said. Among these are hardship duty pay and incentive pay, he added.
Officials haven't worked out all the details yet, at least in part because
Congress may still approve extending the increases in those two allowances,
which the department would then have to find a way to pay for, Chu said.
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2003 - Pentagon officials have no intention of lowering
total compensation for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Defense Department's
top personnel officer said Aug. 14.
David S.C. Chu, defense undersecretary for personnel and readiness, took
questions from the media on the topic in response to published media reports
suggesting DoD would cut the pay of forces serving overseas in the war on
terrorism.
At issue are temporary increases Congress approved in April for two forms of
compensation: imminent danger pay and family separation allowance. Imminent
danger pay went from $150 per month to $225, while family separation pay
increased from $100 to $250 per month. The two increases are set to expire
Sept. 30, and defense officials have urged Congress not to extend them, saying
they are unfunded.
But, Chu stressed, this doesn't mean troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan
will see a cut in their total take-home pay. "We are not going to reduce their
compensation," Chu said.
Another senior official called the notion that the Pentagon would cut pay to
combat troops "absurd."
Instead, the Defense Department would prefer to compensate the troops through
other means. "We have some incentive pay with which we can compensate people in
Iraq (and Afghanistan) should the current allowance provisions expire," Chu
said. Among these are hardship duty pay and incentive pay, he added.
Officials haven't worked out all the details yet, at least in part because
Congress may still approve extending the increases in those two allowances,
which the department would then have to find a way to pay for, Chu said.