MILITARY UPDATE
House-Senate committee facing pay, benefits issues
Military Update focuses on issues affecting pay, benefits and lifestyle of active and retired servicepeople. Its author, Tom Philpott, is a Virginia-based syndicated columnist and freelance writer. He has covered military issues for almost 25 years, including six years as editor of Navy Times. For 17 years he worked as a writer and senior editor for Army Times Publishing Co. Philpott, 49, enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1973 and served as an information officer from 1974-77.
By Tom Philpott
A House-Senate conference committee begins negotiations this month to smooth out differences in separate versions of the fiscal 2003 defense authorization bill.
The work could stretch until September and what emerges will determine not only weapons bought and programs that survive but changes for military pay and benefits.
Critical personnel issues, such as how many retirees will win eligibility for concurrent receipt of retired pay and tax-free disability pay, are still uncertain. Other items, including the size of targeted pay raises next January, are identical in both bills and not in dispute.
Some key issues still to be decided on pay and benefits of active duty members, reservists or retirees, include:
• War-Related Pays — The House this year divided its defense authorization bill in two. HR 4546 is the main bill; HR 4547 is the $10 billion Cost of War Against Terrorism bill. During initial consideration of HR 4547 two months ago, the House Armed Services Committee voted to raise war-related special payments. Imminent Danger Pay would rise from $100 a month to $250. All hazardous duty payments (demolition, parachute, diving and more) would increase by $50 a month. Family Separation Pay would rise by $25 a month, to $125. The military death gratuity to survivors would double, to $12,000.
The Bush administration did not endorse these increases. The committee will re-mark the Cost-of-War bill this month. If war-related pay raises survive, they could take effect when the bill is signed, or by Oct. 1, whichever is later.
The Senate bill has no such provision, so House-Senate negotiators would decide whether the special pay increases appear in the final bill.
• Assignment Incentive Pay — The Senate would authorize up to $1500 a month to reward members who agree to serve in hard-to-fill assignments such as tours in Korea. The House bill has no such provision.
• Leave Sharing — The House would let members transfer accrued leave to members facing prolonged absences due to medical conditions in the family or other hardships. Such leave sharing would have to be approved by commands. The Senate has no such provision.
• Korea Medal — The Senate would require issuance of a Korea Defense Service Medal to personnel who served there between July 27, 1954, and a date set by the secretary of defense. The House has no such provision.
• National Call to Service — The Senate would authorize incentives under a national service initiative to serve at least 15 months on active duty after initial training. Any remaining service obligation would be spent either on active duty, in drilling or standby reserve, or in another national service program. Participants would choose from one of four incentives: a $5000 bonus payable after 15 months' active duty; repayment of a qualifying student loan, not to exceed $18,000; an educational allowance payable at the Montgomery GI Bill monthly rate for 12 months; an educational allowance of two-thirds of the monthly MGIB rate for 36 months. The House bill has no such program.
The Senate would allow immediate concurrent receipt of full retired pay and VA disability compensation for all retirees with 20 or more years. But that plan is unfunded. The Bush administration has warned of a veto if either provision is approved but a veto is more likely under the Senate plan.
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