European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 5, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                May 2007 stars and stripes Mideast edition Page 19 your Money panel votes bigger 08 blocks Tricase hikes military people next january would get a percent pay under a compensation package voted wednesday by the House armed services subcommittee on military in shaping the personnel Section of the fiscal 2008 defense authorization the subcommittee approved other initiatives to please healthcare surviving spouses and some disabled retirees forced from service Short of 20 years by combat related injun the Senate will Mark up its ver Sion of the 2008 defense Bill later this no doubt approving a somewhat different set of person Nel a House Senate con Ference later will smooth out the Here Are details of what the House panel unanimously approved 2008 pay raise the per cent raise for next year would be the ninth straight set at least a half percentage Point above private Sec military update Tom Philpott Tor wage growth As tracked by the governments employment Cost Index the Bush administration wanted to end the string of  raises with a 3 percent hike in 2008 to match average private sector Rais but breaking the pattern will be difficult politically during War especially with a War that most lawmakers would end if they Tricase fees once the subcommittee has voted to Block the administrations plan for Sharp increases in Tricase enrol ment deductibles and phar Macy Vic Sny said defense officials left a billion projected savings Hole in the Tricase budget in Antici pation that the departments task Force will Send interim recommendations to Congress this month in time to be approved and included in the 2008 Sny Der said he didst expect that to and his subcommittee needed to fill that billion fund ing Csc expansion eligibility for combat related special compensation Csc would be expanded for the first time to Benefit a limited number of chapter 61 retirees forced by disabilities to leave service Short of 20 the subcommittee provision would limit Csc eligibility to those chapter 61 retirees who served at least 15 were forced from service by combat related injuries and have disability ratings of 60 percent or those who meet the criteria would be Able to draw their a Dis ability compensation plus a monthly Csc equal in value to a Mili tary retirement annuity calculated on their years actually for an eligible Retiree forced out after 16 years would receive a monthly Csc payment equal to percent of monthly Basic pay multiplied by 16 this As Sumes they were not serving under a discounted retire ment survivor indemnity allowance surviving spouses unable to draw full survivor benefits be cause of the so called so Pic off set would begin to receive a new survivor indemnity allowance valued at up to a it is touted As a first step toward eliminating the offset for surviving spouses who see their survivor Benefit plan sep Dollar for by amounts they receive in dependency and indemnity compensation dig from the department of veterans the allowance would begin John Mchugh of new ranking Republican on sub said the Csc expansion and the survivor allowance Are modest in part because the subcommittee had Only sketchy Cost estimates to rely he predicated More Steps would be taken in the future to help these Active Force increases a Tiv duty forces would increase by Over Levels requested by the army strength would increase to or More than Marine corps strength would climb to a bump of air Force strength would be or 963 above the administrations Navy strength would be 698 higher than the ser vice Reserve i Bill the sub committee is taking a first step to Ward raising Reserve Montgom Ery i Bill benefits by voting to Transfer oversight for the program from Dod to the where re serve benefits would be raised annually in lock step with the a Tiv duty i Bill to email , write to military Box 201201111 or visit buying new forever Stamps could be right move for some by Vicki Lee Parker the news observer with Little Flash and the postal service released its new forever stamp last but dont let the Lack of pomp fool for this stamp could add up to some Lon term the forever which is available nationwide for 41 can be used for mailing on ounce firs class letters any time in the future regardless of Price that 41 cents reflects the next in coming May the forever Stamps will also be sold for Ever and their Price will increase As the Price of a firs class stamp its being marketed As an inflation proof so is it a Good Deal lets look at the after the Price the Cost of Stan Dard Stamps will have risen 86 percent in 20 from 22 cents in 1987 to 41 cents in lets say you use 60 Stamps per in you would have paid a year for after the increase this you would pay if the forever stamp had been Avail Able in 1987 and you were still using those you could be saving up to a now fast Forward to if you buy the same 60 Stamps and the Cost increases at the same you would pay that year for 60 but if you buy the for Ever Stamps you could save up to a of investing the same amount elsewhere might pay off but that int nearly As much fun As saving Money at the governments thursdays Market summary indexes 52 High Low Nam last Dow Jones industrials Dow Jones transportation Dow Jones utilities nose composite amex Index Nash a composite Russell 2000 do Wilshire 5000 net chg Ltd chg chg nose most Active or More name last chg amex Motorola Pfizer Verizon Nam Geneles inc Gnu or Coeur sprint nex and pm cup 455400 406188 303032 267510 255361 247316 233547 215756 213919 205328 most Active or More name vol 00 last chg Spur ishr2k nya up engy Pru Shouq n up incl Greywolf Djina diam Semi her oils vat retail let 750112 450852 165346 123749 89993 82017 80040 76564 63377 51811 Nash a 52wk chg most Active or More name last chg Sun Micro pm she Sqq Microsoft Intel Levels Syman Tec Cisco ads uni is arc dec Char Tom 969271 891615 803826 689677 402267 385479 353981 327425 290429 267845 key defense stocks chg Valliant techno system Armor computer general general Harris Allied l3 Lockheed Rockwell Seq a Texas text Ron United key Mutual funds name Nav Ltd ret Fidelity invest Greco Fidelity invest Grolnic Fidelity spartan  Putnam funds a or snap Amer Century inv Ultra Fidelity invest amgr50 Fidelity invest Oversea Fidelity invest us i aim investments a const p Frnk a Sec Para aim investments a Charta p Dws Scudder cd s grown is Fidelity advisor Fidelity advisor Putnam funds a Globe qty p Dws Scudder cd s into ads Fidelity advisor lord Abbett a Devota p Dws Scudder cd s corp sinc Putnam funds a gig a p Exchange rates military rates euro costs May 7 Dollar buys May 7 British Pound May 7 japanese yen May 7 South korean won May 7 commercial rates Bahrain Dinar British Pound Canada Dollar China Yuan Denmark Krone Egypt Pound euro Hong Kong Dollar Hungary print Israel shekel Japan yen Kuwait Dinar Norway Krone Philippines peso Poland zloty saudi Arabia Riyal Singapore Dollar South Korea won Switzerland franc Thailand Bant Turkey new lira military Exchange rates Are those available to customers at military Bank ing facilities in the country of issuance for South the Netherlands and the United for no local currency Exchange rates purchasing British pounds in Germa Check with your local military Bank ing commercial rates Are inter Bank rates provided f9r reference when buying All figures Are foreign currencies to one except for the British which is represented in and the which is precious metals new York merc close Gold Silver interest rates prime discount Federal funds Market rate 3month Bill 30year sources the associated Bank of America if Lents and sensibility Money tip of the Day Start your new Job right by Marshall Loeb Market watch new York you made it past the multiple rounds of in background checks and countless congratulations you got the Job so now what Many employees forget that the real hard work begins after they Start a new not in the Steps it took to get youve sufficiently wowed your future employers so that they have decided to hire but its important to make a solid first impression on the Job and assure them that they did not make a Martin professional development Counselor and author of Knock pm dead the ultimate Job seekers says there Are several things to keep in mind when starting off at a new among them learn your your first goal should be to understand How your new office How and Why do things get done the Way they do learn How the company operates and the people who run dont Start reinventing the focus on not at this if you suggest grand changes from the your coworkers May see you As arrogant or be offended by your be a team always be ready to take on any task and help colleagues willingly Dur ing this during the probationary period typically the first 90 your colleagues will be watching and evaluating you to see How you fit ask for advice from your they will feel youll get some insider information and youll probably Bond along the save your big ideas for when you Are More firmly entrenched in the company Cul smaller ideas Are easier to sell and help you build a foun Dation of says god forbid should some thing go its no big