Page 2 - Living Pattern News Today

HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — The Department of Defense will start reducing the Overseas Cost-of-Living Allowance, or OCOLA, for service members in Guam on May 15, Del. James Moylan

At issue are the overseas COLAs the Pentagon uses to ensure military members are compensated fairly, regardless of their duty station.

New law limits reductions to overseas COLA to no more than once every six months.

New law limits reductions to overseas COLA to no more than once every six months.

Service branches in Hawaii are urging active-duty troops to complete a cost-of-living questionnaire by month’s end that could adjust a drastic reduction in service members’ cost-of-living allowances.

Marine Corps Forces Pacific Headquarters warned that cuts to the allowances could translate to a "$280-$500 per month" decrease starting in November.

The cost of living allowance for the Kaiserslautern Military Community is set to drop by 10 index points starting June 1, meaning many service members and Defense Department civilians will receive hundreds of dollars less each month.

The decrease in the monthly allowance depends on rank, years of service and number of dependents.

Cost-of-living surveys are available for all U.S. military bases in Japan, the results of which will determine future monetary allowances for service members stationed in the country.