At Your Service
For and about Hawaii's militaryBy Gregg K. Kakesako
Sunday, January 6, 2002
See also: For Your Benefit
Guam troops to aid
security in JapanMore than 150 soldiers belonging to the Pacific Army Reserve's 368th Military Police Company will leave Guam for a year of active duty later this month to provide security at Camp Zama and Sagamihara in Japan for about a year.
The Guam soldiers, who were also activated for wartime duty in Persian Gulf during Desert Storm more than a decade ago, will join 105 other Army reserve soldiers from Hawaii mobilized for homeland defense in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Another 600 soldiers of Hawaii's 100th/442nd Battalion have been on alert since November for possible similar security duties at Schofield Barracks and Fort Shafter after the 25th Division deploys more than 2,000 soldiers in late March for six months of peacekeeping duties in Bosnia.
The 61,373 National Guardsmen and reservists mobilized so far for the war on terrorism will get pay and benefits identical to those enjoyed by their active duty counterparts.
However, National Guard soldiers and airmen placed on state active duty to patrol island airports may not get the same benefits as those federalized for homeland defense.
In Hawaii, about 500 Hawaii Army and Air National Guard personnel and more than 100 Army Reservists have been activated. Besides basic pay at rates similar to those on active duty, other benefits include:
>> Medical and dental benefits.When active and reserve troops deploy on contingency operations, they may also qualify for:>> Full basic allowance for housing immediately upon call-up.
>> Continental U.S. cost-of-living allowance, or CONUS COLA, regardless of the period of call-up, when in support of a contingency operation.
>> Reservists, retirees and retired reservists recalled to active duty in support of a contingency operation can sell back up to 90 days of accrued leave during their careers, instead of 60 days under the normal limitation. Under contingency rules, active duty service members may now accumulate up to 90 days of leave, instead of 60.
>> Upon release from active duty, reserve component members and their dependents retain military medical and dental benefits for 30 days or until they are covered by a civilian employer's health plan, whichever is earlier.
>> Family separation allowance: $100 a month if member has dependents.>> Quality of life hardship pay: Troops get an extra $50, $100, or $150 a month, depending on where they serve. Troops getting the most money are stationed in harsh, austere areas considered as lacking quality of life found at stateside.
>> Imminent danger pay: Troops receive $150 each month if they are deployed in an area designated as dangerous by the individual combatant commanders. Kyrgyzstan, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan are considered imminent danger areas, along with the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
>> Hostile fire pay is event-based. Troops who are actually under enemy fire receive $150 a month. Troops cannot receive both imminent danger and hostile fire pay.
>> Troops wounded and hospitalized as the result of hostile fire may receive $150 a month for up to three months while hospitalized.
>> All service members who are provided quarters and meals while deployed receive an additional $3.50 a day or $105 a month for incidental expenses.
>> Storage of service members' personal vehicles is authorized for those deployed in contingency operations.
Six enlisted service members from Hickam were recently selected to attend Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
They are: Staff Sgts. David Cohen, Kemmey Esteban and Michael Gallucci, 15th Security Forces Squadron; Staff Sgt. Bryon Foster, 735th Air Mobility Squadron; Tech. Sgt. Matthew Quitter, 15th Air Base Wing Manpower Office; and Staff Sgt. Allyson Strickland, Pacific Air Forces Protocol Office.
Gregg K. Kakesako can be reached by phone at 294-4075
or by e-mail at gkakesako@starbulletin.com.
