Effective Feb. 1, Congress changed the rules for Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger Pay, which the president signed into law.
My outrage is that this was done during war where we have consistently recognized this danger and offered minimal compensation for our troops’ exposure. Service members will now receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas. Prior to that they were eligible for the pay, $225 per month, if they had been engaged in combat or were in the area for four consecutive days.
This will save the government $7 a day if you do not get shot at.
I thought I got the short end of the stick when in Vietnam I had to pay $90 per month for food other than C-rations and $10 per month for a bed and locker in Da Nang for my five-day-a-month in-country R&R. I made $508 per month including $65 per month combat pay. My net I shelled out $35 a month for the privilege of fighting a war. That did not include the 60 cents to the Red Cross for a cup of coffee and two doughnuts.
I thought we were over the contempt for our military.
Is $7 a day so important to reducing our debt?
Daniel Mulligan
Battle Ground
