The Assignment Incentive Program (AIP) more commonly known as the Avoid Iraq Program is finally getting a much needed change:
Army officials are considering changes to an incentive program that rewards soldiers who extend their tours in South Korea, the senior enlisted soldier said Wednesday during a monthly American Forces Network radio call-in program.
While “nothing is in print†yet, U.S. Forces Korea Command Sgt. Maj. Barry Wheeler said he suspects modifications to the Assignment Incentive Pay program are on the way. The program pays soldiers $300 extra per month if they extend for a year and $400 extra a month if they extend for two years.
One thought is that soldiers who haven’t deployed could be prevented from taking the 24-month extension option, Wheeler said.
“If you haven’t been on a deployment, it could be that you’re limited to (one additional) 12-month tour†in South Korea, he said. He said he couldn’t provide full details Wednesday because guessing a “final outcome would be pure speculation.â€
This clause should have been implemented from the start of the program, but credit CSM Wheeler for finally implementing this much needed fix. Also CSM Wheeler had this to say about taxi cab related incidents:
A South Korean law targeted to those who attack public transportation drivers: “There is no excuse for assaulting someone providing service to you,†Wheeler said. “It’s not OK … that’s the bottom line.†He said South Korea has stiffened the penalties for those found guilty of assaulting these workers. Offenders face a minimum three-year jail sentence or $20,000 fine.
Several U.S. troops have found themselves in the South Korean court system for attacking taxi drivers in recent months. “It’s unmilitary and it’s undisciplined,†Wheeler said. But those who break the rules will find the punishments are “very, very severe. They’re playing hardball with you,†Wheeler warned.
Wheeler is absolutely correct, taxi cab related incidents now have harsher punishments due to new laws passed by the Korean government I first reported about here. However, I’m still waiting for a law to pass that implements harsher penalties for taxi cab drivers who overcharge GIs with outrageous cab fares. I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath to long waiting for that to happen.
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10:32 pm on February 1st, 2007 1
Hell yeah! Everyone should get a chance to go to the sandbox and get some more medals, a combat patch, and maybe even a Purple Heart or two for injuries or death. I know at least two guys who volunteered solely based on career enhancement reasons.
Also, since most staff sections are already manned dangerously close to 50%, this could greatly assist the effort to pull USFK out of Korea (unless one happens to be command sponsored).
CSM’s are the greatest thing since field grades!
10:35 pm on February 3rd, 2007 2
Ah, I remember when leaders recognized Korea as a “hardship tour”… I guess building a few new barracks buildings and opening a Charlies Sandwich Shop on Camp Humphreys changed that.
These senior ranking command-sponsored individuals don’t seem to recognize that the majority serving over here are without their families, obeying a curfew that is more strict than the one they had when they were 16, working in areas manned at 75% if they’re lucky, and can’t even have their own car…. oh yeah, and a few of the guys I work with came here from Iraq and are going back to…Iraq. Not even being given enough time to go back to the US to get a proper divorce…
1:15 am on February 4th, 2007 3
Hmmm, I can see the points of both red forman and mark. But here is the thing, the incentive to stay here is not get out of war but to make money. I make more money here than if I was deployed to Iraq. So why would I want to leave? The Army is getting what it needs out of me and other married soldiers don’t have to come here to take my spot and be away from thier families for a year. But I want to deploy as soon as I do get back to the states. I feel I have to as a soldier and a human being.
5:30 am on February 4th, 2007 4
The Army is just trying to relieve some of the guys facing multiple deployments to Iraq by trying to grab some of the people who haven’t deployed in Korea. If a guy that has deployed wants to go to Korea and take the spot of someone who hasn’t, I don’t see the problem with it.