CANFORGEN 97/08 LDA FAQs

[shantzy]

For what its worth I did some of my own digging around and apparently the CANFORGEN States that if your on TCAT then you will be getting the LDA, if your on PCAT - you will not.  According to one of the clerks - the higher-ups have temporarily placed a hold on ppl with either a TCAT or PCAT so if they indeed do not qualify for the LDA they will not be overpaid come MID April's pay.  The higher-ups have to review each TCAT/PCAT individually and decide whether each individual qualifies. 
  Thanks for your help PMEDMOE Cheers*

 

[shantzy]

I also found this located in the CANFORGEN :

205.33(6) (Start and End Dates) Entitlement to Land Duty Allowance starts on the day on which the member reports for duty and ends on the earliest day on which the member:

(a) departs the unit as defined in CBI 205.015;
(b) is assigned a permanent medical category with medical employment limitation indicating unfit field environment;
(c) begins retirement leave;
(d) is posted to the Service Personnel Holding List;
(e) sick leave is extended for more than 180 days; or
(f) is subject to paragraph 3, attach posted in excess of 6 months.

So according to the CANFORGEN...TCAT members should get the LDA.
so why does my pay not reflect that?  any suggestions?

 

[PMedMoe]

People can be on a TCAT and still be unfit field.  They might want to re-think that CANFORGEN.

 

[Armymedic]

Reservist are not entitled LDA, only "casual" LDA. If you are in Afghanistan you do not recieve LDA.

If you posted to a unit entitled LDA then you will get. Be patient. the bugs are not all sorted out yet.

 

[DJessome]

Just a note.  The back pay is not in for everyone, even those without unusual circumstances.  At my unit, it is only going to arrive at the end of the month.  So if you don't see it on your pay statement, don't panic; it's still coming.

 

[helpup]

Just a heads up, it is not in for all.  Those people with odd circumstances (attach posted to a LDA unit) may or may not have it.

Take that to heart and was already mentioned dont spend what you dont have in your account.  One of my guys banked on the money for his wedding.  And his slipped through the cracks and is not going in on time.

 

[CountDC]

Take that to heart and was already mentioned dont spend what you dont have in your account.  One of my guys banked on the money for his wedding.  And his slipped through the cracks and is not going in on time.

ouch

 

[helpup]

I looked into it for him and he slipped through the cracks but he got little sympathy from me as he has worked long enough with me especially to know my rants on what not to do in life to live happy.

 

[PMedMoe]

I looked into it for him and he slipped through the cracks but he got little sympathy from me as he has worked long enough with me especially to know my rants on what not to do in life to live happy.

He would get little sympathy from me, too, for committing money he didn't have.

 

[DJessome]

If he's new, he has my sympathy.  Anyone not familiar with the military would think that when dates are given, that they're solid.  After a few times of waiting for backpay on cost of living increases though, new people will learn.

 

[CountDC]

If he's new, he has my sympathy.  Anyone not familiar with the military would think that when dates are given, that they're solid.  After a few times of waiting for backpay on cost of living increases though, new people will learn.

?? perhaps you didn't understand helpup last?  "know my rants on what not to do..."

Seems to me it is clear that mbr had been warned several times not to be spending money until received.  No sympathy for those that ignore good advice.

 

[helpup]

Thanks for the assist Count, I wasnt going to point out that I thought I made it clear.  BTW the guy is a Cpl and I have been ( as stated ) working with him long enough to know he has more then a familiarity of the way things work. 

 

[Eye In The Sky]

On the flip side, if the mbr is entitled and should have it now, is the system not at fault for NOT having the $$ in the mbr's account now?

Mbr was supposed to have X amount of $ deposited on Y day.  $ was not deposited.  It is now the mbr's fault for counting on the correct $ being deposited?

So, following that line of thinking, if my pay doesn't go in on the 15th, and I can't make my car payment, my CoC would then say "you should know better than to rely on your pay being in the bank on time to pay your bills".

???

I know our pay system is not perfect, but I don't agree with the idea here that the mbr shouldn't be looked after, when its already been acknowledged he slipped thru the cracks.  At worst, a local payment or something could be made, as the mbr didn't expect something he was not entitled to, based on the info provided.

 

[helpup]

I disagree Eye, this is not normal pay we are dealing with.  And cases of that do happen and I am all over that for the soldier.  As it was in this case I also got this Cpl's problem sorted out and his paperwork that did fall through the cracks has gone through.  But as this site noted the definate date for this payment to be made was up in the Air. Way back when I knew from the horses mouth so to speak it was going to be in April.  Yet some did get it end March.  Some will not get it untill later. 

I stand by my statement of no sympathy ( although I will work for him to get it as it is my job)  Counting on this money for his wedding is like counting on a pay incentive or promotion increase to get a loan or make payments.  The banks wont do it untill they see a pay statement showing that money is there vice should be there.  And a soldier should do the same thing.  It does not equate to normal pay being screwed up.

I also never said I didnt look after or ensured he was looked after, if I made it look like that then my bad.  I did council him on his poor planning though

 

[helpup]

Too Add;  As was already mentioned to all out there getting this allowance.  Do not make your lifestyle change due to the extra money.  You can be posted out of this allowance and if you base payments on having it you will soon find yourself in the hurt locker.  I am not saying you must bank it ( t'would be smart though) But paying down outstanding bills should be your first priority.  Treating yourself is also ok, just ensure you are not including it in your budgetary planning for major purchases or lifestyles.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

helpup,

I guess my post made it sound like I was directing it at you when I intended it to be directed at 'the system', which worked for some, but not this lad.  I wasn't trying to suggest you didn't look after your troop, and apologize if thats the way it sounded.

I guess I just don't like it when people slip thru the cracks and think the system owes it to them to get them out of there.  8)

EITS

 

[helpup]

EITS
        No worries, and I agree with the bit about people think the system owes it to them.  In a way it does but alot of the onus must fall onto the individual to be aware of his pay, situation and bring to light any problems or seek to address them as soon as possible.  By and large the system works but it's size does mean problems can and will happen. 

 

[CountDC]

as for entitlement - that is a term I sooo love - he is not entitled to the money until the calculations have been done, approved and entered into the system.  Once that is done the system will calculate his pay and he is entitled to receive it on his next pay.  If it doesn't show up into his account on his next pay then he should be able to get a cheque or EFT done by his pay clk. Until then anything that they may choose to issue would be an advance on his pay.

 

[PMedMoe]

So, following that line of thinking, if my pay doesn't go in on the 15th, and I can't make my car payment, my CoC would then say "you should know better than to rely on your pay being in the bank on time to pay your bills".

That's what allotments are for.  Even if your pay doesn't go through, the allotment does.

I see where you're coming from, however, this mbr, being a Cpl and knowing how screwed up this LDA thing was, should have known better.  No different from waiting for a claim to be deposited.  It's not there until it's there.

 

[CountDC]

uh oh - the dreaded allotments enter the picture.

May not be the answer for car payments.  Sometimes the financing is not through an insitution we can make EFT to (went through that myself).  Even if we can make the transfer your payment date may not correspond to the EFT date (end month) so you may have to pay a hefty penalty to have the payment date changed.  Some used to get around it by setting up an allotment to their bank account but we are not allowed to set it up to the same account your pay is going into. DND is trying to get away as much as possible from doing allotments thus newer rules restricting them are added often - eventually you may not even be able to get an allotment.  Not like the old days when the guys would bring in all their bills and we set up allotments for everything.