Combat pay put to good use

DuncLJ

DuncLJ

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The few of you who know me, know that I have been in Iraq for the past 9 months on my 4th (and final) deployment. I took advantage of my Combat Zone Tax Exclusion and various special pays to make some upgrades to the Jeep. I just got home last week and had a decent pile of goodies waiting for me.
The Jeep isn't my daily driver so I plan to spend awhile installing things and getting it all right. Here's what I have waiting.

*Savvy 1.25" body lift
*Savvy transfer case shifter cable
*JKS 1" MML
*Rancho 5000X shocks
*MetalCloak front track bar
*MetalCloak rear track bar
*UCF transfer case skidplate
*Rock Hard front diff guard
*Grab Bars
*35" BFG KM3's on Ansen AR969 wheels
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I am still waiting on some Currie 4" coils, and I'll be getting new axles and gears in the next few months. I already have adjustable control arms, ZJ steering and Black Magic brakes. I'll replace and add new things as it becomes necessary. I may need an SYE and DCDS, I have an LJ with the MML, so I might be right on the cusp. We'll see.
Well, I have 8 weeks of leave with pay, so I've got nothing but time.

Day 1, paint the Skid plate.... I'll update as challenges and changes occur.
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When I was in Vietnam, combat pay was $65 per month. I sent it all home as well with some of my other regular pay money. What is combat pay now days?
Thanks for your service!
 
lowranger said:
When I was in Vietnam, combat pay was $65 per month. I sent it all home as well with some of my other regular pay money. What is combat pay now days?
Thanks for your service!
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Thanks,
With Family Separation Pay at $250, Hardship Pay at $100, and Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay at $225, that's $575 a month. With the Combat Zone tax exclusion, that means no Federal or state taxes taken out, so it adds up month after month. It's nice. but still a small price to pay for all the bullshit. LoL, I'm home so life is good now!
 
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DuncLJ said:
Thanks,
With Family Separation Pay at $250, Hardship Pay at $100, and Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay at $225, that's $575 a month. With the Combat Zone tax exclusion, that means no Federal or state taxes taken out, so it adds up month after month. It's nice. but still a small price to pay for all the bullshit. LoL, I'm home so life is good now!
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Yep.....life is good.....good for you!
 
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Glad you're home now, and congrats on all the parts. That's a nice reward for yourself, and a great way to spend the combat pay.

I have to imagine that 4 tours of Iraq gets pretty damn boring. How many troops are still left there anyways?
 
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wigsajumper said:
Awesome. I bought a CJ7 with my combat pay in '06. Actually my gf (now wife) did all the dickering. Took it to a mechanic and everything. Guy I bought from was awesome.

Welcome back. Best of luck being a civvy. Mind me asking branch and Unit? I was Army when I got out I was with 101st 506th
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Thank you, I was with 1st ID, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade. Apache Helicopter Mechanic/Inspector.
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Chris said:
Glad you're home now, and congrats on all the parts. That's a nice reward for yourself, and a great way to spend the combat pay.

I have to imagine that 4 tours of Iraq gets pretty damn boring. How many troops are still left there anyways?
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Thanks, my first few tours were anything but boring, but it has slowed down a lot now. It was pretty quiet most of the time, which made time for a lot of online shopping (obviously). 🍻🍾
 
DuncLJ said:
Thanks, my first few tours were anything but boring, but it has slowed down a lot now. It was pretty quiet most of the time, which made time for a lot of online shopping (obviously). 🍻🍾
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Yes, if you were there in the early days, I imagine that wasn't boring at all. Somehow I managed to be in for 4 years as an 11 Bravo (active duty) in the mid 2000s, and never get deployed once to Iraq. How that's even possible, I'll never know, but I'm told it's because my unit (2 ACR, which later became the 4th Brigade of the 2nd ID) was brand new when I got there (which was obvious) and simply wasn't ready.
 
DuncLJ said:
Thank you, I was with 1st ID, 1st Combat Aviation Brigade. Apache Helicopter Mechanic/Inspector.
View attachment 129947
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One Helicopter really saved our bacon when were up one of the rivers. Always brings a warm feeling to my heart every time I hear one to this day.
 
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Chris said:
Yes, if you were there in the early days, I imagine that wasn't boring at all. Somehow I managed to be in for 4 years as an 11 Bravo (active duty) in the mid 2000s, and never get deployed once to Iraq. How that's even possible, I'll never know, but I'm told it's because my unit (2 ACR, which later became the 4th Brigade of the 2nd ID) was brand new when I got there (which was obvious) and simply wasn't ready.
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Yeah, that's how it works sometimes. Especially in the early 2000's, there was a lot of restructuring in the way the Army put units together. I just deployed with guys who have 16+ years in, and this was their first deployment.
 
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lowranger said:
One Helicopter really saved our bacon when were up one of the rivers. Always brings a warm feeling to my heart every time I hear one to this day.
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I can't even imagine being up a river in Vietnam. The thought of that terrifies me even after 4 desert tours. Mad respect to you!
 
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DuncLJ said:
Yeah, that's how it works sometimes. Especially in the early 2000's, there was a lot of restructuring in the way the Army put units together. I just deployed with guys who have 16+ years in, and this was their first deployment.
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Yep, I believe that. When I first got to my unit, it had been relocated from Fort Polk to Fort Lewis. The entire unit was being rebuilt as a Stryker unit from the ground up, and I just happened to be there right when they started it.
 
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