02/02/12

DOD begins prorating imminent danger pay

WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2012) -- Service members now will receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas, Pentagon officials said here today. The change, which took effect yesterday, was included in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law Dec. 31. "Members will see the prorated amount in their Feb. 15 pay records," Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said. The act called for DOD to pay service members imminent danger pay only for the time they spend in areas that qualify for the pay. In the past, service members received $225 per month if they spent any time that month in an area where the pay was authorized. "This is a more targeted way of handling that pay," Kirby said. Now, service members will receive $7.50 a day for days spent in these areas. Personnel who travel to the designated areas for periods less than 30 days should keep track of the number of days they are in the area to verify that they are paid for the correct number of days, officials said.

02/01/12

New Law Will Give Tax Relief to Spouses of Disabled Veterans

Tens of thousands of spouses of totally disabled veterans in Texas will qualify for significant property tax relief under a new law. Texas law already exempts veterans who are declared 100% disabled because of combat injuries or other service-related causes from paying property taxes on their home. As of January 1, the homestead exemption will also apply to a spouse after the veteran dies. Texas has about 300,000 disabled veterans, and nearly 25,000 of them are designated as 100% service-related disabled, according to the Texas Veterans Commission.

02/01/12

Resiliency app available on Androids

FORT BENNING, Ga. (Feb. 1, 2012) -- The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Resiliency Goals Book, previously released as an app for iPhones and iPads, is now available for Android users. About 5,700 people have downloaded the app since its debut last summer, said Sam Rhodes, the action officer with the Directorate of Training and Doctrine who was responsible for getting the app developed, tested, revised and ready for use. "(That) is just the beginning," he said. "We're setting the groundwork for years to come. The future of our country will be determined by how resilient our warriors are."

01/25/12

Some Soldiers must make re-enlistment decision now

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Jan. 25, 2012) -- Some Soldiers will need to make a reenlistment decision by Jan. 31, or they won't get to stay in the Army. "If your expiration of term of service is in fiscal year 2012, you have to re-enlist before you hit 90 days from ETS (end term of service) , or Jan. 31, whichever date you hit first," explained Jim Bragg, chief of Enlisted Retention and Reclassification at the Human Resources Command. Historically, the Army's retention mission would encompass October through the following September -- the entire fiscal year. This year, Army G-1, the staff that makes policy for retention actions, has broken the retention mission up into two phases, with the first phase running from Oct. 1, 2011 to Jan. 31, 2012. The second phase will start no later than March 1.

01/23/12

Earned Income Tax Credit may put money in people's pockets

FORT RUCKER, Ala. (Jan. 23, 2012) -- Some people could be eligible to get more money back from the Internal Revenue Service -- as much as $5,751. People who earned less than $49,078 from wages, self-employment or farming last year may qualify for a refundable tax credit called the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. But people must file a federal income tax return claiming the credit to get it. EITC can be a big financial boost for working people in a recovering economy. Millions of workers who saw their earnings drop in 2011 may qualify for the first time.