Re-upping a $4,000 gamble as Congress dawdles

[unhappycamper]

Re-upping a $4,000 gamble as Congress dawdles
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Dec 11, 2007 18:19:16 EST

An Army sergeant faces a $4,000 decision about re-enlisting now or waiting until January — and is waiting for Congress to give him a sign.

Staff Sgt. Erin W. T. Dobbins Sr., 36, an instructor with the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, 23rd Quartermaster Brigade at Fort Lee, Va., has the opportunity — for the first time in his nine-year career — to receive a selective re-enlistment bonus.

He can get $21,000 today. But he can get $25,000 in January, when his basic pay, upon which his SRB multiplier is based, will increase when he gets a 3.5 percent pay hike and also passes a time-in-service “fogey.”

He knows the smart move is to wait for the bigger payment — but Dobbins worries because he is aware the Army could lose authority on Dec. 31 to pay SRBs unless Congress approves, and President Bush signs, an extension of that authority.

“I don’t know what to do,” he said. “I have never seen a re-enlistment bonus before, and I don’t want to mess this up.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/military_reenlistmentbonuses_071211w/

[acmavm]

1. Golly, isn't God, Country, and EXXON good enough? Where's his

patriotism? Doesn't he want to kill Middle Eastern peoples for fun? He wants to do it for fun and profit.

Whatta guy.