Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

[bripat9643]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

 

[Jroc]

How about a restraint medal....

A medal for restraint?!

U.S. troops in Afghanistan could soon be awarded a medal for not doing something, a precedent-setting award that would be given for “courageous restraint” for holding fire to save civilian lives.

The proposal is now circulating in the Kabul headquarters of the International Security Assistance Force, a command spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

“The idea is consistent with our approach,” explained Air Force Lt. Col. Tadd Sholtis. “Our young men and women display remarkable courage every day, including situations where they refrain from using lethal force, even at risk to themselves, in order to prevent possible harm to civilians. In some situations our forces face in Afghanistan, that restraint is an act of discipline and courage not much different than those seen in combat actions.”

Soldiers are often recognized for non-combat achievement with decorations such as their service’s commendation medal. But most of the highest U.S. military decorations are for valor in combat. A medal to recognize a conscious effort to avoid a combat action would be unique.

Consideration of such an award, first reported by an Associated Press reporter in Afghanistan, doesn’t mean that, if approved, troops would be pressured to prevent such casualties at risk to themselves, Sholtis said.

“We absolutely support the right of our forces to defend themselves,” Sholtis said. “Valuing restraint in a potentially dangerous situation is not the same thing as denying troops the right to employ lethal force when they determine that it is necessary.”

A spokesman for the 2.2 million-member Veterans of Foreign Wars, the nation’s largest group of combat veterans, thinks the award would cause confusion among the ranks and send a bad signal.

Michelle Malkin » A medal for restraint?!

 

[thereisnospoon]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

Obama is an out of touch elitist.

 

[healthmyths]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

Obama is an out of touch elitist.

“Patrol only in areas that you are reasonably certain that you will not have to defend yourselves with lethal force,” the laminated card reads. For a soldier who has traveled halfway around the world to fight, that’s like telling a cop he should only patrol in areas where he knows he won’t have to make arrests. “Does that make any f–king sense?” Pfc. Jared Pautsch. “We should just drop a f–king bomb on this place. You sit and ask yourself: What are we doing here?”

 

[JakeStarkey]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

Unlike you, I know military procedures and policies and how they are reached. BHO did not pull this out of his butt. The stars at the Pentagon came up with this and sold it to Panetta and the Joint Chiefs who sold it to the President.

Keep your story believable. This was a joint decision.

 

[Salt Jones]

Well, I guess people won't be able to get their tax free reenlistment bonuses by flying over the region for one minute in their reenlistment month. No taxes on $33,000 is nice.

 

[Mr. H.]

Wife's kid heads out for his 2nd tour this month.
Last time, he came home with a Bronze Star.

We just want him to come home this time. And not go back.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

After following all the links and reading what is actually being said I have to call bullshit.

 

[candycorn]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

Unlike you, I know military procedures and policies and how they are reached. BHO did not pull this out of his butt. The stars at the Pentagon came up with this and sold it to Panetta and the Joint Chiefs who sold it to the President.

Keep your story believable. This was a joint decision.

Actually, the entire OP is just another pack of lies. He quotes a blog that quotes another blog without really posting anything official. Typical republican/bripat attempt at fudging the facts.

Read here for the explanation and links to military--you know; the authority--releases describing the new pay policy.

snopes.com: Obama Eliminates Combat Pay

What actually happened is that there are now "qualifying areas" that qualify for the combat pay of a laughably low $7.50 per day. That is what the wingnuts should be upset about; not the re-designation of what a "qualifying area" is. So if you take a deuce and a half from the depot to a QA and come back, the grunts on the truck get $7.50 for that day. The depot may or may not be in the QA.

Combat pay is an extra $7.50? That is outrageous. It should be $750 minimum.

 

[Salt Jones]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

Unlike you, I know military procedures and policies and how they are reached. BHO did not pull this out of his butt. The stars at the Pentagon came up with this and sold it to Panetta and the Joint Chiefs who sold it to the President.

Keep your story believable. This was a joint decision.

Actually, the entire OP is just another pack of lies. He quotes a blog that quotes another blog without really posting anything official. Typical republican/bripat attempt at fudging the facts.

Read here for the explanation and links to military--you know; the authority--releases describing the new pay policy.

snopes.com: Obama Eliminates Combat Pay

What actually happened is that there are now "qualifying areas" that qualify for the combat pay of a laughably low $7.50 per day. That is what the wingnuts should be upset about; not the re-designation of what a "qualifying area" is. So if you take a deuce and a half from the depot to a QA and come back, the grunts on the truck get $7.50 for that day. The depot may or may not be in the QA.

Combat pay is an extra $7.50? That is outrageous. It should be $750 minimum.

$750 per day?

 

[candycorn]

Unlike you, I know military procedures and policies and how they are reached. BHO did not pull this out of his butt. The stars at the Pentagon came up with this and sold it to Panetta and the Joint Chiefs who sold it to the President.

Keep your story believable. This was a joint decision.

Actually, the entire OP is just another pack of lies. He quotes a blog that quotes another blog without really posting anything official. Typical republican/bripat attempt at fudging the facts.

Read here for the explanation and links to military--you know; the authority--releases describing the new pay policy.

snopes.com: Obama Eliminates Combat Pay

What actually happened is that there are now "qualifying areas" that qualify for the combat pay of a laughably low $7.50 per day. That is what the wingnuts should be upset about; not the re-designation of what a "qualifying area" is. So if you take a deuce and a half from the depot to a QA and come back, the grunts on the truck get $7.50 for that day. The depot may or may not be in the QA.

Combat pay is an extra $7.50? That is outrageous. It should be $750 minimum.

$750 per day?

In my mind, it's not enough. I'm shocked that combat pay is so low. It comes out to about 255 a month...for risking your life.

 

[Lakhota]

Risks of Afghan War Shift From Soldiers to Contractors

By Rod Nordland

KABUL, Afghanistan — Even dying is being outsourced here.

This is a war where traditional military jobs, from mess hall cooks to base guards and convoy drivers, have increasingly been shifted to the private sector. Many American generals and diplomats have private contractors for their personal bodyguards. And along with the risks have come the consequences: More civilian contractors working for American companies than American soldiers died in Afghanistan last year for the first time during the war.

American employers here are under no obligation to publicly report the deaths of their employees and frequently do not. While the military announces the names of all its war dead, private companies routinely notify only family members. Most of the contractors die unheralded and uncounted — and in some cases, leave their survivors uncompensated.

“By continuing to outsource high-risk jobs that were previously performed by soldiers, the military, in effect, is privatizing the ultimate sacrifice,” said Steven L. Schooner, a law professor at George Washington University who has studied the civilian casualties issue.

Last year, at least 430 employees of American contractors were reported killed in Afghanistan: 386 working for the Defense Department, 43 for the United States Agency for International Development and one for the State Department, according to data provided by the American Embassy in Kabul and publicly available in part from the United States Department of Labor.

By comparison, 418 American soldiers died in Afghanistan last year, according to Defense Department statistics compiled by icasualties.org, an independent organization that monitors war deaths.

More: The New York Times - Risks of Afghan War Shift From Soldiers to Contractors

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

....And, the folks at FAUX Noise don't wanna hear.....​

.....anymore WHINING about rape!

*​

"That's funny, I thought the mission of the" armed forces "was to defend and protect us, not the people who were fighting the war."

​

 

[Conservative]

fuck saving money by cutting entitlements... let's just cut combat pay to our military!

fucking morons in DC.

 

[High_Gravity]

This has to be a fuckin joke.

 

[Claudette]

This has to be a fuckin joke.

I agree.

Don't even think I believe it either.

Sounds like pure D bullshit to me.

 

[mudwhistle]

When I was in Somalia Clinton tried to turn us over to UN command. Congress stopped him.

This is just one more case of a Democrat President playing games with the military.

 

[High_Gravity]

When I was in Somalia Clinton tried to turn us over to UN command. Congress stopped him.

This is just one more case of a Democrat President playing games with the military.

Why was Clinton trying to do that? US Forces taking orders from a bunch of blue helmet faggots is a disaster.

 

[California Girl]

No congress critter or president should earn more than our front line troops.

 

[theHawk]

Obama: Soldiers in Afghanistan Must Be Fired Upon to Receive Combat Pay

As of February 1st 2012, President Obama has determined that Combat Pay for US forces will be determined by a new criteria. In general, Afghanistan has been deemed a combat zone and all US forces deployed in that region have been eligible for combat pay due to the certainty of encountering dirt-bags in firefights, ambushes, IED’s or suicide bombings. This new policy now requires having been shot at first. For those not understanding the problem with this, it now says that the US Government has effectively declared Afghanistan a “safe zone”! And this in spite of the nearly daily reports of Americans being either wounded or killed!

There is no way that can be true, because #1 nothing in government happens that fast.

Also I have heard nothing of this where I work (Army).