COLA drop, coming to a paycheck near you

[DJ Tak]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed yet, but COLA will be dropping approx $250 a month starting Oct 1. So it doesn't kill people off of the bat, it will be in $50 increments until it reaches $250.

Example

Oct -$50
Nov- -$100
Dec -$150
Jan -$200
Feb -$250

and then it will continue to be $250 less than it currently is.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's what happens when people don't fill out their COLA surveys and all they get is the input from the folks on base who say they never shop out in town.

[Crazysix]

DOnt get it, dont care!!!

[Courtney]

Yup! Ouch!
Thanks alot people who stated you never shop off base....Idiots
(can you tell im bitter? lol)

[Mizzes V]

Agh, I did hear something about this earlier..Sucks big time...

[Blues]

i wasnt even in okinawa long enough to fill out the survey.

[Courtney]

Good Blues, then I wont slide extra wasabi in your sushi next time! LOL

[Crazysix]

ummmmm extra wasabi.....just add a dash to your Dbl cheese burger..yummy

[Alana]

Damn! Where can i find this COLA survey?
that sucks...

[Courtney]

Damn! Where can i find this COLA survey?
that sucks...

Your hubby should have filled it out a while ago. Hopefully he stated that you guys only shop off base, or I will surprise him with a nice bag full of sugarcane and a new knife! LOL

[DougP]

Your hubby should have filled it out a while ago. Hopefully he stated that you guys only shop off base, or I will surprise him with a nice bag full of sugarcane and a new knife! LOL

I never once got a survey while being in the military here.

[OtisPMerriweather]

Too late now.

But if you fill it out, maybe my COLA will be right by the time I rotate back to Oki...cheers!

[Tanimaga]

I don't recall any COLA survey as well..

With the poor yen/dollar rate we have, it's a perfect time for Aafes and MWR to start raking in the cash. Seems like perfect timing for the BX to open!

Conspiracies begin...

[dk]

I never once got a survey while being in the military here.

Maybe NMCI put it on the intranet. lol.

[DoctorP]

I read about this in S&S a few weeks ago. Total BS, because as Tak said it is due to morons filling out the survey!

Civilians can't partake in the survey, so I don't truly understand why my COLA should be affected, but what can you do? It's gonna suck though....one thing they always tell you (civilians) is that it is always a possibility that COLA could go away without warning (completely) so less COLA is better than NO COLA!

[DoctorP]

Maybe NMCI put it on the intranet. lol.

Funny, but it was an online survey. It was talked about in the OkiMar (small blurb) and emails were sent around but likely not forwarded to everyone.

[Tanimaga]

Funny, but it was an online survey. It was talked about in the OkiMar (small blurb) and emails were sent around but likely not forwarded to everyone.

Why wouldn't everyone who recieves COLA be included in the survey?

[Richard Burns]

IMHO I don't think it matters what people fill out on the survey. I think the survey was just to make it seem like your feedback counts but they had plans to lower it anyway.

Seriously, when does the military ever care what their people think?

[Tanimaga]

Richard is making sense.. whats wrong?

[DoctorP]

IMHO I don't think it matters what people fill out on the survey. I think the survey was just to make it seem like your feedback counts but they had plans to lower it anyway.

Seriously, when does the military ever care what their people think?

There is an error in there somewhere....anyone see it? :D:rolleyes:

[Richard Burns]

Richard is making sense.. whats wrong?


I'm turning a new leaf.........again.

[OtisPMerriweather]

Why wouldn't everyone who recieves COLA be included in the survey?

They BEG people to fill those things out. But people chuck it to the side, most people aren't going to do anything that they aren't absolutely REQUIRED to do these days.

Another part of the problem is that the military inundates people with so much bullshit, it's hard to tell what's relevant and what's not. When I was there, everytime anybody went to medical they'd mail out a survey. There's surveys for the commissary. Surveys and ICE comments for MCCS. The list goes on.

They should make that damn thing part of the check-out package. It might be too late for the guy checking out, but it would benefit those afterwards. Eventually, new arrivals would be covered by those who left before.

But what do I know? Smarter men than me get paid much better than I to come up with these policies. :D

[socalheart]

:mad: This sucks big time! So much for Christmas... :(

[Carl]

At least you get COLA. I don't get shit. No COLA, no housing, no DoDDS, nothing. Just a paycheck.

[DJ Tak]

:mad: This sucks big time! So much for Christmas... :(

$250 less a month is really gonna dent your budget that much?

[DJ Tak]

At least you get COLA. I don't get shit. No COLA, no housing, no DoDDS, nothing. Just a paycheck.

Your choice in all of the above.

[DoctorP]

At least you get COLA. I don't get shit. No COLA, no housing, no DoDDS, nothing. Just a paycheck.

Lucky Bastard!

[Carl]

Your choice in all of the above.

More like my employer's choice. Job market is slim pickings here. Got to take what I can get.

[Sex Wax]

lol @ COLA. My COLA is a second job.

[Mizzes V]

Funny thing, Cola in Spanish means : butt, ass, rear rack ...

[OtisPMerriweather]

Thought that was "culo." At least that's what it sounds like they say in all those regGAYton songs all the cool kids listen to at those hip latin clubs on Oki. :D

[Mizzes V]

Thought that was "culo." At least that's what it sounds like they say in all those regGAYton songs all the cool kids listen to at those hip latin clubs on Oki. :D

See it like this, if a kid says cola its not a bad word, if a kid says culo, you are in big trouble.

[Richard Burns]

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6256/orlypt6.pngYour choice in all of the above.


Please explain this one. I opened a beer and everything. I really wanna hear this.:scratchchin:

[ukreal1]

someone had told me about this the other day and they said that it was just being reduced for Marine and Navy. Can anyone verify this? I cannot believe that, but on the other hand, nothing would surprise me anymore...

[DoctorP]

someone had told me about this the other day and they said that it was just being reduced for Marine and Navy. Can anyone verify this? I cannot believe that, but on the other hand, nothing would surprise me anymore...

COLA is a State Dept thing, how can they only reduce it for 2 services? Think!

[ukreal1]

how did I know I would get a sarcastic reply. I am thinking, thinking of asking people with more info. sheeeetttttt. just a yes or no would suffice, thanks anyway

plus...let's see, they often start out with things just effecting the USMC (think snorkeling vests, no off base housing, pit bull ban on USMC bases, stuff like that). I don't know if cola is a state thing or not. cheers.

[DoctorP]

how did I know I would get a sarcastic reply. I am thinking, thinking of asking people with more info. sheeeetttttt. just a yes or no would suffice, thanks anyway

sarcastic? No way!!!!! <<<<<<that's sarcasm

Yes, they are only cutting it for Marines and Navy and increasing for AF, Army will stay the same. <<<<<<sarcasm


What I gave you was fact.:rolleyes:

[0341isa]

haha. Housing. (small side rant) Let me tell you what some upper staff guys in a certain contracting co tried to pull on their workers. They had the nerve and F* audacity to chastise their employees over how the employees should be grateful about the housing allowance they recieve and how they are all gettin gover, because its a known fac tthat they employees dont spend the full housing they are alloted on rent. the y pocket the excess.


MF! now put this in context. Lets use some arbritraty numbers, Lets say you do a job that makes 100K in the states. This exact same company itself even pays your equivalent position in the states 100K. However, when they hire you for Okie work they say "well, we pay you 60K in regular salary and then you get another 40K in living expenses. its good for you the title living costs gets everybody a tax benefit..."
(understand at this point, that they clearly portray the "living allowance" as something to be factored inyour salary when negotitating, and everyone is well aware that they could NEVER get you to take the job at the base salary without living add on...)

The Truth, the Govt foots the bill for contractor living expenses. So, the company pays its employees less than a competitive wage, since the govt add on covers the gap.

WHAT???!!! The company has found a way to push off like 40 percent of employee salaries off onto the Govt, and pocket the savings, then they have the F* nerve to send their reps out to accuse the WORKERS of getting over????:cursing::cursing::cursing:

[Tanimaga]

They are cutting COLA for Marine corps local hires.. possibly Air Force as well. (New hires, not the current employees recieving it). Branches apparently have some differences.

[0341isa]

They are cutting COLA for Marine corps local hires.. possibly Air Force as well. (New hires, not the current employees recieving it). Branches apparently have some differences.

now I am confused. Local hires get Cola?

Why would a Japanese hire get cost of living here?

[ukreal1]

What I gave you was fact.:rolleyes:

the fact part was that COLA is state run. I didn't know that.
The think comment wasn't really called for now was it?
I do think, that's why I asked.
:rolleyes: right back at yer
:grin1:

[DoctorP]

now I am confused. Local hires get Cola?

Why would a Japanese hire get cost of living here?

So they can screw local hires out of housing allowance but still hold them to BS 5 year rules!

[vanderbogart]

Do you have a link so I can check this out?

[P_chan]

fill out those cola surveys people!:D

:edit: IIRC they don't call it a "cola survey", they call it a "living assessment survey" or something gay like that. They should come out yearly and I remember doing two of them while I was in okinawa.

[Tanimaga]

Local hires as in Americans already living in Japan being hired for MWR/MCCS type jobs. We began recieving COLA last year.. also recieved backpay from end of 2001 on.. got screwed for the years in between ('94-'01)

Now they are dropping COLA for new hires, but grandfathering the ones currently getting it.

BTW.. no 5 year rule or housing allowance for the MWR/MCCS guys, unless it's a special case.

[DoctorP]

for civvies isnt it called Post Allowance...

Yes, but still same thing.