European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes tuesday. April 21,1687 letters Plaw clarify the Pio posed involuntary tour Cuton Slont listed in f he stars and stripes i am a first term or Lesiw on a four year contract. In july 1 will have served 24 months in Germany. According to inc article tin tar Mars will Only serve 24 months and that length will not be extended also it stated that the extensions would affect All personnel serving in a 36-month tour area. Does this include me since i am Only supposed to be Here for 24 months not 36? i have talked to my personnel Section and All they can say is thai All personnel scheduled 10 Deros from july i to sept. 30 Are going to stay. I telephoned a Branch and talked to my military occupational specially manager bul he had not received any word on exactly who will slay and who will leave. My main concern Over the Extension is that if 1 am extended for 90 Days thai will result in my having less than one year remaining in service when i do Deros. This being he Case 1 could very easily be extended until my ets which would mean i would be remain ing in Germany is months longer than originally scheduled name and location withheld editor s note chief warrant officer John v. Taylor chief management actions Branch lit personnel come he l Vaseur replies based on similar questions from other readers and numerous Telephone rails to 1st personnel come re Garding longer Tours to Europe and involuntary Exten Sions for certain categories of soldiers the following information is provided regarding recently announced department of the army policies concerning these mat ten. These new policies an directed at three primary Anas. Each one is summarized below. Change in tour length the current 18 month tour has been changed to a 24-month tour. Sol Diers affected by this change Are first term enlistees whose service commitment is for two or three years to tour Extension policy clarified Filc Fonfe sol dam nil Ned la cohort Wilts. All Soldier in Ihl ral Eury who Bate Deros of april to 1987, or later a Lull required to May in Europe to Complete the be 14-Moalh Lour by remain until their ets. Soldiers Are exempt from the change of our length if As of feb. 12,1987, they hid already re  for an option that directed permanent change of station or if by feb. 12,1987, they bad already extended their enlist ment in order 10 hate More than 12 months service remaining to ets and be eligible for reassignment to the United state or if they had previously extended their foreign service tour by six or More months. First term enlistees with a service commitment four or More years also Are not affected by this i since they ire Dready serving a 24-Mdnth Lour involuntary extensions Cai diera defined As soldiers setting on t second Anent term of service who have a Deros be Rajm july 1,1987, and not 30,1987, inclusive will by soldiers Are exempt from the in they will have completed the pre least three months Deros. Other exemptions include sold modernization assignments such units multiple launch rocket missile units and the White Agency. Soldiers scheduled Vance no courses pcs selected functional mos instructor or recruiting d service Revit for reassign states effective i months on if in pins at Ling to Force he helicopter. Units Patriot communications Basic and and is of 20 weeks or More or assignment to Drill exempt g requirements to toe United lately All enlisted soldiers it Deros or dote of arrival in than 12 months Active service regardless of rank Europe must have remaining upon do soldiers who twi More than 12 months service remaining Between Lideros and ets Are eligible to re turn to the vhf pm reassignment. Those that do not Nutil extend  or re Enlil in order to satisfy the i Soldier fib not Lake action la extend or it a Willil to meet  and them who ire precluded from Nett mini or re enlisting will be involuntarily sex tendnt4lntra Days before ets and remain in Europe. Be writer s particular situation since he or she h Herm enlisted currently serving on a 24-month in there is no change of tour involved nor is he or she 1 by the involuntary pcs delay since that is applicable Only to career soldiers. Also based on the fact that the writer stated that be or she has More than ii months service remaining from Deros to ets the provision of involuntary Extension to ets also does not apply. Realizing the inconvenience that the new policies May have on soldiers and families All readers need to be aware that some alternatives do exist usage Ltd is strongly encouraging first term sol Diers to extend their enlistments to avoid a further involuntary Extension because of insufficient remaining serv ice to be eligible for reassignment to the United states upon Normal Deros. Career soldiers woo Are extended and who desire to relocate during the summer months Are offered the Opportunity to voluntarily extend to Europe without regard to the Normal Lead times for which extensions must be submitted or the fact that they May already have received reassignment instructions except to certain High priority activities stations. Procedures also exist to allow spouses to apply and sign for family housing daring the period june 10 through nor 15,1987, should soldiers and their ural lies deride that the family will return Early. The above summarizes the new pcs policy changes. Personnel service centers can provide additional information relative to an individual s particular situation. Comparability increases cola explained on feb. 5. The majority of Federal employees received a Cost of living allow Ance cola pay increase As authorized in the fiscal 1987 budget. The exception id this not to include non appropriated fund Naf employees is the wage Grade to employee. I happen to be one of these was. Employed via the family member employ ment program. This denial of a cola for individuals such As myself confuses me As the cast of living increased for me and the Many other was As it did for everyone. F recently talked with my payroll clerk in Heidelberg and questioned her on the subject. She referred me to my civilian personnel office where a clerk informed me that the we employees were not included in the authorization received by that office. Further she was not sure if we would receive a cola increase. All of which leaves a number of ques Lions unanswered. The  specific divided Between is and other Emp yes were was intentionally excl from the cola How Many other groups of c pcs were excluded from inc cola am i to understand that to was Are not Federal employees Ever though we took inc same oath As Alt men employees do does our  believe that we was arc just Noel subject to he same Economy that we amoust live in is this  purposely discriminating up list its Blue Collar work Force will we pjs Ever receive a cola this year Scott  Valb Fen Germany note John m. Brown management specialist Corn management Branch civilian. I division office of the Deputy of staff personnel he Usas eff replies so of lifting increases for All overseas in employees both Blue and while in Are granted when surveys reveal living costs overseas exceed the Cost of living for the Washington , area. As explained in previous responses in this column � cola is not expected to be triggered in Tel and ii the Dollar de creases to Ink Marks. Your letter indicates thai the different Bun and procedures that affect Blue col Lar and White Collar pay Are confusing we Welcome the Opportunity to explain this Issue. Comparability pay increases not cola for while Collar employees Are determined annually based on studies of Var ious private sector occupations through out the United states under current Federal Law the presi Dent s pay agents annually recommend a pay increase that would be necessary for Federal White Collar or is employees to achieve Overall oomph Rumuly Trilb those same private sector jobs. The president then submits his proposed pay increase if any for White Collar employees to the Congress. If neither the House nor the Senate vote to override the president recommendations within 30 Days his proposal becomes Law. In 1985, although the president s pay agents advised that an increase of More than 20 percent would be necessary in 1986 to nuke the Federal White Collar work Force pay comparable to private Sec Tor pay the president proposed and the Congress accepted a fro increase. The reason for this was because of the Federal deficit. In 1986, the scenario was repealed except this time the president recommended a 3 percent increase delayed unlit the first pay period of Calendar year 1987. For most is employees Here in Europe ills increase was Elt Clive Jan. 11, and it is this increase to which the writer refers. By operation of a different Law wages for Blue Collar or Federal wage system fwd employees in overseas areas Are set based on the average of the 135 fed eral prevailing wage areas throughout the United states. Annual surveys deter mine what wage arc paid for various bade Craft and labor occupations throughout inc United Stales private sector. Overseas wages Are adjusted As Nec Essary to reflect Overall Industry practice in the United states. The last wage in crease for Blue Collar employees did not exceed 4 percent and was paid beginning in october 198s, retroactive to april 1985. For fiscal 1986, Blue Collar employees like White Collar employees received no nay increase the office of personnel management has advised that the fiscal 1987 comparability increase for Blue Collar employees will not exceed that granted White Collar employees 3 percent. The Over seas wage schedule should be ready for distribution by the office of personnel management this month and will be implemented according o be instructions immediately upon receipt. So you see no one discriminate against the Blue Collar work Force they Are however subject to different Laws for pay purposes than in the while Collar work Force. Thank you for Hie Opportunity to explain the major def Levno Between comparability increases and Colas. Pen pals i would win my Mim to m pub Yard y i m vary in Latium to lung pen pin Iron Avn whare. I m a bom again can Titan. 26 years Duldt and i gnaw up in Tais by Rabbai Art trial. F Ewing. Co Jung and Nad Jno. 1 Reavo Iho ont pm a Maaja old and of in a Buiar p3c no. I. Boi 1772apo mt., it 04113-5369 i m Mylbra us in corresponding Ontl Anyon new rom. I am 1ft Para of 9. My Inaita tre Leiding. Mule mount a holography and Weling. Janina Lonnie co Spac. 4 g. Luan Zoho bin id diva hts . Os034