thedrifter
08-01-07, 12:01 PM
Marines devise new formula for dwell time plan
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, August 1, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps has announced its plan to give time off to Marines who have to break dwell time to deploy.
Under the plan, active-duty Marines are supposed to get two months of dwell time for every month deployed, while Reserve component Marines should get five months off for every month deployed, a recent Corpswide message says.
If Marines do not get this dwell time, they are awarded leave based on the following formula:
One day off per month for the first five months deployed.
Two days per month for months six through 10.
Four days off per month for months 11 and beyond.
Marines who serve seven-month deployments are entitled to 14 months of dwell time.
But, as an example, if a Marine deploys after only seven months of dwell time, he is entitled to at least nine days of leave.
For active-duty Marines, computation of time off is retroactive to Jan. 19, 2004, or the end date of their last deployment, whichever came first, the Corpswide message says.
The Marine Corps is the first branch of the services to announce its plan to implement the Defense Department’s policy on giving time off to troops who have to break dwell time to deploy, Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington said.
The other services are finalizing their plans, Withington said.
In April, Defense officials announced that troops who do not get their full dwell time would be given extra leave, not money.
The Defense Department had looked into the idea of giving troops money if they had to break dwell to deploy, but ultimately decided against it, Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said at an April 18 news conference.
“We weren’t trying to find some metaphysical balance between the service you are rendering and a bucket full of gold,” Dominguez said.
Under the baseline for leave established by the Defense Department, active-duty troops are awarded leave based on a 36-month window. Troops are awarded one day off for every month deployed beyond 12 months. After 18 months, they get two days off per month. After 24 months, they get four days off per month deployed.
Each service was then tasked with developing “comparable or greater benefits” established by the Defense Department, according to an April 18 memo from Dr. David Chu, undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.
For more information, go to MARADMIN 448/07 at: www.usmc.mil.
Ellie
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, August 1, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Marine Corps has announced its plan to give time off to Marines who have to break dwell time to deploy.
Under the plan, active-duty Marines are supposed to get two months of dwell time for every month deployed, while Reserve component Marines should get five months off for every month deployed, a recent Corpswide message says.
If Marines do not get this dwell time, they are awarded leave based on the following formula:
One day off per month for the first five months deployed.
Two days per month for months six through 10.
Four days off per month for months 11 and beyond.
Marines who serve seven-month deployments are entitled to 14 months of dwell time.
But, as an example, if a Marine deploys after only seven months of dwell time, he is entitled to at least nine days of leave.
For active-duty Marines, computation of time off is retroactive to Jan. 19, 2004, or the end date of their last deployment, whichever came first, the Corpswide message says.
The Marine Corps is the first branch of the services to announce its plan to implement the Defense Department’s policy on giving time off to troops who have to break dwell time to deploy, Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Withington said.
The other services are finalizing their plans, Withington said.
In April, Defense officials announced that troops who do not get their full dwell time would be given extra leave, not money.
The Defense Department had looked into the idea of giving troops money if they had to break dwell to deploy, but ultimately decided against it, Michael L. Dominguez, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said at an April 18 news conference.
“We weren’t trying to find some metaphysical balance between the service you are rendering and a bucket full of gold,” Dominguez said.
Under the baseline for leave established by the Defense Department, active-duty troops are awarded leave based on a 36-month window. Troops are awarded one day off for every month deployed beyond 12 months. After 18 months, they get two days off per month. After 24 months, they get four days off per month deployed.
Each service was then tasked with developing “comparable or greater benefits” established by the Defense Department, according to an April 18 memo from Dr. David Chu, undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness.
For more information, go to MARADMIN 448/07 at: www.usmc.mil.
Ellie