Flight Pay... WTF?

[PropStop]

Per diem??? WHAT per diem ... ??? Who cares about per diem !!! They can keep their per diem ... we'll take their wives ...

No problem there, I'll just buy a few on the road - less commitment that way.

 

[Flash]

I'm surprised about Flash not seeing people coming back with the huge per diem checks in the P-3 arena. I have met some (seen the toys, in fact) in my short time on Whidbey. Could be the exception to the rule, I don't know.

I knew guys who came back with large checks but it was never in the neighborhood of $20k. If you included the BAH and base pay that you couldn't spend down on deployment, sure it could add up to that, but rarely per diem alone.

If you were to deploy to a place with high per diem for the entire six months, say, Bahrain, you'd be pulling in $124/day, for 180 days that'd be $22,320. That's a lot of green - but you're going to spend a lot of money there. I've never been there (currently P-3s don't deploy to Bahrain), so I'm not sure how little you can squeek by on - but i'm sure if you ate raman ever day you could save a lot of money. People do this, and they save a lot of money.

That's the rub of it, I never knew any P-3 guy who ever deployed there his entire deployment. Every single squadron I knew that went out there would rotate guys in and out of Bahrain since it was such a good deal. Some would stay longer than others but no one ever stayed the entire 6 months, most were lucky if they got 2 months. After a sweet-deal stint in Bahrain the crews were often sent to Masirah or Diego Garcia, both of which had pretty low per diem rates and none of the 'high life' that Bahrain had. The only ones who were there the whole time were EP-3 guys and we were only there for 2 months at a time.

So there were plenty of good deals with P-3 per diem, but it often does not work out. And right now the P-3 guys are not getting many sweet per diem deals in the Middle East.

 

[MAKE VAPES]

As far as the flight pay goes, when discussing the effects of inflation it might be worth while to ask if the 25k a year bonus existed in '87.

You don't get a bonus till 8 years after wings.. 10 years tot time.. and most don't stick around for it. Flight pay not getting inflated obviously isn't a retention thing, its a totally overlooked F**ked up like a FOOTBALL BAT swept under the carpet thing. Letter to Navy times outbound.

Keep yer perdiem! P-3 is a slow, semi-brokedick (F-14A's were indeed absolutelly BROKEDICK when I flew em, dammit I know what BD means), ugly double anchor/ aircrew packed pig (that spade is indeed a spade folks!) wiggling to define and redefine its mission, and doing a perty damned good job at it, flying the ugliest oldest bitch on the flightline isn't always fun, but somebodys gotta do it... I did it in the International Overwater Chuck-9Bad-ass baby!

Honestly, who the f*** else takes/took that old rattle trap to Hickam from westcoast in the winter down the B track???

 

[PropStop]

flying the ugliest oldest bitch on the flightline isn't always fun, but somebodys gotta do it...

HEY!

Big girls need love too. :weeping_1

I like to think of her as more of a Couger than old... I guess with the per diem, it kinda IS like dating a Couger!

 

[statesman]

Vapes,
These folks might be able to help you out as well: http://www.house.gov/hasc/list_of_members.shtml

Side question:
The effective way to get an issue like this addressed would be to start lobbying the Congress through letters, etc. But as a Naval Officer is this inappropriate?

To my knowledge there is nothing that says you cant contact your congressional representatives about issues you are concerned about, however this is an issue which could also be handled through the chain of command potentially (IE. point paper all the way up the chain), so in a way it could be seen as circumventing the chain of command. Am I over thinking it?

 

[SemperGumbi]

.... through the chain of command potentially (IE. point paper all the way up the chain)....

Haven't spent too much time in the military, no?
:icon_wink

 

[eddie]

Maybe I shouldn't even be entering this discussion, but I just want to clarify.

The argument FOR higher flight pay is that it should have gone up with inflation?

 

[statesman]

Haven't spent too much time in the military, no?
:icon_wink

<----- MID commissioning in 3 days. Trying to figure things out and display the least amount of idiocy possible.

 

[tk628]

MV:
Sorry, Dude, but I have to ask you to prove that the COL or inflation has gone up 7 times in the past 40 years. In simple arithmetic terms, that's more than 7% per year. That doesn't compute.

There was a time when you could buy a McDonald's Hamburger for 15cents, now its a buck.... Time warp ~40 years.... So basically, uncle Sam is short 583 and 1/3 hamburgers a month from $110 to $150 over 40 years...

This would ordinarily be just fine at 583 shortage but someone took it too far with that extra third of a burger I could have had

 

[MAKE VAPES]

pwwwwhhhheeeeewwwwww.....

I think something (maybe humorous) just flew right over my head...

huh? another cup o-joe please, maybe it'll sink in later.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Vapes,
These folks might be able to help you out as well: http://www.house.gov/hasc/list_of_members.shtml

Side question:
The effective way to get an issue like this addressed would be to start lobbying the Congress through letters, etc. But as a Naval Officer is this inappropriate?

To my knowledge there is nothing that says you cant contact your congressional representatives about issues you are concerned about, however this is an issue which could also be handled through the chain of command potentially (IE. point paper all the way up the chain), so in a way it could be seen as circumventing the chain of command. Am I over thinking it?

It is within your rights, but just be aware that your command might be contacted by the Congressman's office, so be prepared to discuss the issue with an irritated C.O.

 

[FLYTPAY]

Maybe I shouldn't even be entering this discussion, but I just want to clarify.

The argument FOR higher flight pay is that it should have gone up with inflation?

Yes....and for the record, I skipped out on the bonus for a pair of single-anchor wings. The per-diem arguement is not to take away per-diem(notice all tailhookers are trying to get the P-3 bubbas spun up) but to make meals onboard the ship "free".

 

[a2b2c3]

Free meals? Be careful what you wish for. Underway the general mess collects rations for each sailor onboard. Since only 50% (or lower) eat in the galley every meal, there is more money for good meals. If every crewmember ate every meal, you would rarely see steak and lobster on the mess decks.

If O's went on rations then BAS would go away. Good deal perhaps for the deployment, but not for the shore duty time. Mcdonald's would then be coming fully out of your pocket instead of being subsidized in effect by BAS. Onboard, I would expect to see the good deal stuff like pizza nights, O'douls and icecream socials disappear.

Yeah but if I get per diem to go to El Centro or to a boat det somewhere, how come i wouldn't get per diem when actually deployed? If it covers food costs when I get sent to a government base, how come they don't have it for a government ship...

 

[MasterBates]

Khan,

How many times have I told you to STOP USING LOGIC! It will just make your head hurt

 

[MAKE VAPES]

It's AFBS that inmates on the BGFPFAOA (big grey floating prison for aviation over-achievers) are not considered TDY (are they permanent party?) when per diem in OBBI on base with meals provided is like $37.50 a day for det guys.. yet another thing AFUBAB...
Only the best for our best and brightest!