Jughead

Gotta give that one bonus points for the alliteration!

The hit parade keeps on comin' as I'm subjected to AFN commercials. Apparently USAREUR wanted their own path to glory. The commercial had an absolutely riveting performance of "Turn the Beat Around"--I sure hope they add Iraq to their show schedule!! Found their website: https://www.hqusareur.army.mil/band/ It doesn't tell the same story--maybe they really do focus on historic & ceremonial events (like the D-Day commemoration on the home page)...? Nahh...!

Whit: what HiFlyer said. Also (if I'm reading your question correctly), keep in mind that the "mileage" limit is simply miles x rate (just like for a POV). Say you've got a 200 mile (flight planned statute mile) trip; that's 400 miles r/t x $1.26 / mi = $504 claimable. Add in all the extra expenses like tie down, say it comes to $550. Now compare that amount to the government ticket--the lower amount is what's paid. Say it's a $400 govt ticket--you get the gov't cost limit, $400. Now let's say you have 2 official travelers--now the govt cost limit is $800, so you get the full $550 (what I loosely called the "mileage limit"). The "saving money" I referred to was the unit's TDY funds--in the second case above, it would cost the unit $550 to fly two of us TDY, vs the $800 it would have cost to fly commercially. Everyone wins. My commander loved it that I could routinely get three travelers TDY for a bit more than the cost of one; my fellow travellers loved it as a (generally) new experience--I've given more than one "dollar ride" to my TDY compadres; and I loved it that I could fly cross country for free (more or less), the convenience of flying direct, and simply the enjoyment of flying (the main reason I fly GA to begin with). I deliberately left the taxi cost you mentioned out of the previous paragraph. Claim the taxi fare separately, you'll get fully reimbursed for it without making it part of the constructed cost calculation. Have fun!

True. Not unique to the Aero Club, though--you can, in fact, use *any* GA aircraft (owned or rented) for TDY travel. The rules are pretty similar to using a POV: you get reimbursed for your direct costs (from memory, I believe the rate is $1.26 / flight-planned mile [be sure to convert from nm to sm]; then add landing fees, parking fees, etc.); not to exceed the cost of government ticket(s). Whether or not you can get the whole mileage amount boils down to how expensive the government fare is (helps if you're in a non-city-pair location going to another) coupled with how many official travelers you have and how far you're going. Whether or not you "cover" your expenses depends on those same points, plus how expensive the plane is that you're using. That said, if you enjoy GA flying, it's a nice way to subsidize the costs, even if you end up with some out-of-pocket expenses. Free (or cheap) cross country? Sign me up! I do this as often as possible. No reason your boss shouldn't support--worst-case, it costs him the same amount of money; more often, I end up saving money (by virtue of hitting the mileage limit before the gov't cost limit).

If you'll permit me a slight thread derailment...: WTFO?!? "Gunshot dectectors"??? Guess I'm not sorry I've never lived in Palo Alto!!

I've been pleasantly surprised by just how well DTS does handle accruals. (Note, the DTS folks were adamant that it is NOT an "accrual voucher" I've been filing, it's an amendment to the authorization--but the end result is the same.) Basically, set up a travel auth with the best info you have before you leave. For a TDY over a certain length (45 days, maybe? I'm not sure), the routing for the auth goes to "deployment" (I assume that will vary from base to base). I go into DTS as often as required to update my expenses via "amending" the auth; someone from the "deployment" office approves my expenses; and on the same day of each month (25th in my case, I don't know if that's standard or just how mine worked out), the reimbursements I'm due get credited to the GTC & my own checking account, according to how I have the individual expenses allocated. I haven't had any changes to file for the last couple of months since I've been in the AOR, so I just get the $105 / mo ($3.50 x 30) in my checking account w/ no interaction through DTS. Before I got here, though, I had a lot of big itinerary changes that involved additional reimbursible expenses & per diem changes--I've gotten every bit of it. It's also pretty easy to follow, since there's a "scheduled payments" page that lets you see what payment to expect & on what date. When I get home at the end of the deployment, I'll wrap up the DTS voucher per normal--but most of the info will already be there from my monthly updates, it will only be my redeployment expenses needing inclusion. That's also where (I assume for now; I will be checking at the time) the exact days will get cleaned up (e.g., the 30 day months that are assumed for a $105 monthly deployed per diem, vs the actual number of days). BL, DTS has its issues, but this seems to be working (at least in my case).

True--but that's not my question. I'm asking about being unable to contribute to a Roth (due to income limits still in effect), so instead making that contribution ($5K or less for 2010) to a Traditional IRA, then immediately converting it to a Roth (which has no income limit on doing so starting in 2010). I found an article on Schwab's website confirming that you CAN indeed do this--for now. The author speculates that Congress will close this "loophole" soon, since it totally defeats the purpose of having income limits for contributions to a Roth in the first place. I tried to get back to the article, but I've been locked out of Schwab's website (don't think it likes my IP location in Iraq); if I get back to it, I'll post the exact quote. True also, but a separate question. Don't confuse the annual *contribution* limits ($5K for 2010, subject to income limits in the case of a Roth) with the income limit to *convert* a Traditional IRA to a Roth (the elimination of the income limits on *conversion* is the change in the 2010 tax law, and the basis of this discussion).

No, because that same $5K would be lessened by the taxes you'd pay along the way. If you acheived that growth solely in the form of capital gains at the end of the 20 years, then the amounts would be the same. If (as is FAR more likely) your gains include dividends and/or capital gains along the way, you pay taxes on it as you go, reducing the amount available for compounding. "Tax deferred growth" is less attractive than "tax free growth," but once you've maxed your Roth, the TSP can be an effective way to get the deferral. EDIT to add: Oh, and unless you withdraw the entire amount at the end of the period, the tax deferral continues on each dollar until you actually withdraw it....

Here's my Roth question: OK, so starting in 2010, Traditional IRAs can be converted to Roth IRAs regardless of income, with the taxable amount treated as income in the year converted (but without any tax penalty); those converted in 2010 (only) can have the taxable amount spread out over 2011 & 2012. Got it--good news for anyone who believes in the Roth (me) but has money in a Traditional that for whatever reason couldn't formerly be put in a Roth (also me). One catch: there's still an income limit for making contributions to the Roth. If I assume I'll hit that limit again (which I will in years without > ~3 months CZTE), I can't make the Roth contribution, so I put it in the Traditional. But, wait... what's to stop me from immediately converting that to a Roth? And, if I can do so, what's the point of having the limit in the first place? I'm confused.....

No--unless you're 59 1/2 or older. Only hardship or age-based withdrawals are available while on active duty (and in this context, the rollover you want is included in the term "withdrawal"). If you have any tax exempt contributions to your TSP, those are not eligible for rollover treatment (whether age-based or after separation). https://www.tsp.gov/forms/tspbk08.pdf Moot point, since you can't do it--but, my understanding of how the CZTE works would be as you say, and any such taxes would still be due. You'd still have the advantage of (potentially) being in a lower tax bracket due to CZTE and therefore paying lower taxes on the conversion....

Not to dispute anyone's comments on TIB, but I've got to give a huge "2" to this! I don't see AFN unless I'm deployed (which I currently am), so I managed to miss the Sea Chanters' infomercial until now.... Holy Shit! Two biggest cringe-inducing quotes: "I like to think that our performances exemplify all of the technical expertise in the Navy, and all the Armed Forces!" and "This is a permanent duty station. We're here in Washington, DC, with each other for 10 years or more, so we become a family."

!!2!! That thought alone is making my current 179 (MC-12) seem like a dream job....

Received this in a typical base-wide email. Stopped reading at the title. Don't forget to put on your "system" before you go to work...! 01-10_Newsletter.pdf

Add some more to the not inconsiderable quantity of which FG has coming to him.... The approval from DFAS was pretty quick--less than a week after the local FM forwarded my form to my homestation, they came back with their answer. Getting the actual money "deposited" was a different story. After some hemming & hawing, mostly about what office could take the money (local AEW FM, Shaw [AFCENT/FM], or homestation), the locals finally deigned to take my money, so the Nov TSP contribution has been made; I'm told it will be credited to my TSP account at MM pay cycle of January. Quote of the DFAS response below, in case anyone else can use it. BL, thanks again, FG!

Oh, no doubt!! I was referring specifically to the *phrase*, "Do more with less," not the underlying assumptions/problems. I'd thought that was a new-speak coined in the early 90s, not dating to the late 70s.

Copy, thanks! Good explanation of the letter's basis on p. 66, too.

CH, I've seen several versions of this, but usually attributed to a group of folks, not one individual. Reading this one, two questions come to mind: - If Capt Ron Keys wrote this, how did he end up retiring as Gen Ron Keys? - I thought the "do more with less" bs mantra was a product of the early 90s--does it really date back to the 70s?

Actually, we are: https://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1880.shtm Now, I've no doubt you saw what you saw at Denver Int'l--but that's a case of the local TSA inspectors not knowing/following their own guidance. My own take on the sheer silliness of a "universal" policy got expanded several notches on the way to my current deployment. The pax terminal at Ramstein takes the pax screening stuff pretty seriously (which, I guess, would make sense for an aircraft bound for a civilian airport and debarking behind the security line, e.g. BWI)--we went through the full "empty your pockets" routine & got wanded anyway because of the 427 zippers on a flight suit. (Mil in uniform got to keep their boots on.) No sooner were we through security than those hand-carrying weapons into theater were handed back their weapons and ammo. Good thing they took my shampoo away!!

and If you're gonna make a spelling/grammar flame, may I suggest triple-checking your own work...? PS: Oh, yeah--I actually agree w/ your point, though I wrote off Cptmorgan4me's post as flamebait....

FG, first of all, for your help--thank you!! I certainly will follow up on this. The pessimist in me wonders, though, if my situation truly is (or will be viewed as) an "agency error," or just bad timing? I'll keep you posted. Thanks again! EDIT UPDATE: Turned in the form yesterday. They accepted it, but w/in the hour had turned it & forwarded to my home station FM. I think that's pretty weak, but, as long as it moves along.... I'll keep an eye on it & keep you updated. Thanks!

This topic has been touched on recently in at least two other threads ( and ), but my question is specific to the SDP itself, so this old thread seemed more appropriate.... I'm recently arrived in the AOR. I want to start my SDP. I know the rules call for "receiving Hostile Fire Pay and be deployed for at least 30 consecutive days" (source). My understanding of that--and my recollection of how I've seen it applied in the past--has been that one has to be on *orders* for 30+ days. The finance office here, however, is insisting that I cannot enroll until Day 30 (effectively "costing" me one month's worth of interest). Finance Guy/anyone, any better answer...?

Additional Question: Finance here is telling me I'm out of luck for making a TSP contribution for Nov. I arrived in the AOR on 24 Nov. In preparation for this deployment, I maxed out my deferred contributions to the TSP in Sep--so no TSP contribution could be made for Nov, absent a CZTE. Now I'm here, but they're saying since the month already closed out, there's no way I can make a tax exempt TSP contribution (despite the fact that I have the tax exemption entitlement and my TSP contribution numbers set). True/False? Any way around it? As I've said before, I'm trying to max roll the TSP while I'm here....

No worries--sorry for my own delay, just getting my feet under me in the AOR. Thanks for hitting the questions. I'm not sure I follow--does the issue of doubling the tax advantage only occur with a partial Base Pay contribution? My Base Pay exceeds the CZTE limit (O-5 18+ yrs), but the 92% limit does not. Taking the flight pay (100%) will cover the difference with a bit left over. As I understand your point, I should make a lesser Base Pay contribution in order for the full flight pay to happen? I don't see what difference that would make. Since I want to maximize the amount into the TSP, I don't want to do that for Dec--but I can experiment in January, if you like. BL, we seem to agree on all the mechanics, just not the result..... Wilco, thanks!

I didn't know what to make of this & other examples I'd read on here. Unplanned layover at Ramstein, grabbing a rental car & lunch at the KMCC before going out to play tourist, I saw the same thing: midday, folks in uniform (lots of blues, but utilities here & there), and about 1 in 6 wearing RBs. Looked very strange/out of place, especially on the blues. One guy (blues) had one w/ cute little lightning bolts embroidered on it.... I'm proud to say I didn't see a single flight suit meeting that description. As for those I did see... I just don't get it....

kdwntwn: I think I saw a sticker for your product! I'm on an unplanned layover at Ramstein, found myself on the base shuttle (billeting has us way far away from the central building, and their shuttle driver didn't show up for work this morning until 11... ). Was checking the various tags on the bus, and a great slogan caught my eye: "Aviate, Navigate, Calculate!" Sure enough, it was a plug for an iPhone app. Is that you guys? How's it going overall?