Alaract for SDAP (Special Duty Pay)

2013-11-22T10:48:20-05:00

This question/discussion mostly pertains to the Drill Sergeant that work 18 hours a day, 7 days a week in Red Phase and 6 days a week the rest of the cycle for two years. The Army has decided in order to "work" on the budget...they will reduce the SDAP. I personally feel if they reduce the pay...they should also reduce the hours. What are your professional thoughts?

Response by CW3(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 22 at 2013 12:07 PM

2013-11-22T12:07:34-05:00

Think about all of the drill sergeants they took out of AIT. Take Fort Gordon for example. A platoon sergeant replaced them. This sergeant has the same job but greater responsiblity. They

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 22 at 2013 12:14 PM

2013-11-22T12:14:26-05:00

What jobs are "worst" than DS duties that does not receive SDAP?

Response by CMC Robert Young made Nov 22 at 2013 12:29 PM

2013-11-22T12:29:30-05:00

SSG, if I may offer some input from the Coast Guard's world. Our CCs (Drill Sergeants) deal with same op tempo you describe for the three years they are assigned to the training center. The routine is supposed to be on station for a class followed by a week of downtime. The pace however precludes that from happening, and CCs work three straight years with very little leave of liberty; a fact widely know in the fleet. The result is that during assignment season, the special assignment detailers historically have a difficult time filling all of the open CC billets at the Training Center, and at the USCG Academy where Company Chiefs (E7s) are in residence to help guide our future officers. Everybody to whom I have talked expresses their positive experiences, but none of them would ever do a second tour because of the personal stress and family sacrifices. We haven't reached a place with USCG budget that SDAP is being reduced, but I'm certain that our difficulties staffing these incredibly important jobs will increase if the incentive is reduced. For those of you who give of yourselves so completely regardless of which branch of service, you have my admiration and respect. Hoorah!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 22 at 2013 2:50 PM

2013-11-22T14:50:04-05:00

Well, theyre not going to reduce the work hours because theyre cutting the sdap. Everybody is gonna have to work the same hours, regardless of pay differences. It would be a good thought to say Lets Work Less, but then they're gonna throw the "You are a Soldier 24/7, regardless of the money you receive". I just feel that the govt should get this economy together, so that we don't have to suffer more pay cuts.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Nov 22 at 2013 2:53 PM

2013-11-22T14:53:27-05:00

That's why they give you the pretty badge and the cute hat. Those don't come free, they cost hours of your life you aren't getting back. That's the job though.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 19 at 2014 3:55 AM

2014-02-19T03:55:41-05:00

The military should not fix its budget issues on the backs of thier Soldiers... even if they reduce SDAP, it is not going to fix the real problem of us spending millions (probably billions) of dollars paying DAC or contractors for jobs that we have MOS's for.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 3 at 2014 9:15 PM

2014-04-03T21:15:36-04:00

So if they only give us a 1% raise were only supposed to give 1% more hard work. I have received SDAP before for a different mission. Anyone remember when soldiers joined for country or patriotism. I was talking to some others today about almost the same thing, look at the average pay outside the gate against the pay we make. When the neighbors make AVG 30k a year and were making 50K+ for avg rank how can you complain.

I understand the job has got to be hard, trying to make soldiers out of kids, most of the time you are successful. And some just don't get it, and that makes the job hard, long hours. But the Army is not supposed to be what's in it for me.

The budget battles suck, but if anyone is only doing this for a job or pay or no jail time they are not in the Army for the right reasons.