STARS & STRIPES CALLS COMBAT PAY THE "SILVER LINING" OF BEING IN IRAQ

Me, I'd swap it for CPT Patti's return.

Anyway, here is a recap of what that extra pay and incentives are.

And its all tax free.

For those sitting in Iraq for a year, there is a silver lining to the cloud: Deployments to a combat zone show up as extra money in the paycheck.

Not a fortune, certainly, but enough money to pay bills, buy a new car or make the down payment on a new home.

Here is a look at them:

Combat zone income tax exclusion: Not paying the IRS income tax can save thousands of dollars. Those who benefit the most are in the government’s highest tax category: unmarried members without dependents or mortgages.

Family Separation Allowance: For servicemembers with families, this helps pay the added housing expenses resulting from enforced separation. In April, Congress enacted a temporary increase, to $250 per month from $100 per month.

Imminent Danger Pay: All servicemembers deployed to Iraq qualify for $225 per month in danger pay, which was boosted from $150 per month by Congress in April. Servicemembers get a month’s worth of this pay even if they were assigned to a designated area for just a single day.

Hardship Duty Pay: All military personnel in Iraq get $100 per month.

Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay: This generally is paid at a rate of $150 per month to officers and enlisted members whose orders require them to participate in “frequent and regular” duties considered unusually arduous or hazardous. The pay is prorated, meaning someone who works less than a month would get $3.33 per day. The pay comes in several categories, such as Crew Member Flight Pay, Non-crew Member Flight Pay, Parachute Duty Pay (“jump pay”), Demolition Duty Pay, Toxic Fuels (or Propellants) Duty Pay, Dangerous Viruses (or Bacteria) Lab Duty Pay, and Chemical Munitions Pay.

The boosts approved in April for Family Separation Allowance and Imminent Danger Pay, which were retroactive to October 2002, expire Oct. 30. But both pays are funded through the end of fiscal 2004 — October 2004 — in the Iraq supplemental bill now making its way through Congress.

But there is a little known insidious threat to the financial well being of the soldiers.

Capt. Catherine Lev, 26, said she is just hoping to pay off her 2002 Honda Civic. Anything left over will go toward a week’s vacation in Japan, followed by a week in Australia.

“And I can do it — if I stay off Amazon.com and off all the Internet retail sites,” said Lev, who is assigned to Headquarters, Headquarters Company of the Baumholder, Germany-based 2nd Brigade. “That’s what most soldiers do here — shop online.”

I know a lady who was surprised to find that her husband had time on-line to send her the briefest of e-mail notes...but then went on to e-bay to bid on items there!

Frankly, CPT Patti has neither the time nor sufficient internet access to be shopping...that's why she has me!

This week it was coffee, creamer, sweetener, Matrix Reloaded and CSI, the complete first season.