The White Falcon - 09.04.1993, Qupperneq 3

COLA: Uncle Sam’s way to
By LTJG Mike E. Moore
Navy Disbursing Office

The cost of living allowance, (COLA), is
allowance paid to service members sta-
tioned in high-cost areas overseas. COLA is
intended to help maintain the purchasing
power of members so that they will enjoy
approximately the same standard of living
they would in the United States.
The Per Diem, Travel and Transportation
Allowance Committee of the Department of
Defense uses two surveys to determine the
relative cost of living overseas: a living
pattern survey and a market basket survey.
The living pattern survey determines which
local stores typical service members shop in
and how much they buy from the commissary
and the exchange.
Information from the living pattern survey
is used to conduct a market basket survey
each year. The prices from the overseas sur-
vey are compared with prices for equivalent
goods and services at the same point in time.
If the overseas cost is greater than the U. S.
cost, a COLA equal to the difference is paid.
For example, the survey may show that in
January the market basket cost $100 in the U.
S. and $124 in Iceland. The cost of living is
24 percent higher in Iceland and members
would receive COLA to help pay the extra
costs associated with living in Iceland.
But, if the cost of living is 24 percent, it
does not mean that a member’s pay will be 24
percent greater. COLA is figured on
spendable income, not total income. Spend-
able income is total income minus housing
expenses, taxes, savings, life insurance, and
gifts and contributions. The Per Diem
Committee uses spendable income tables
computed for different family sizes and in-
come levels. These tables are based cm con-
sumer expenditure surveys from the Depart-
ment of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics
that show how people typically spend their
income.
COLA is also affected by the exchange
rate. The Per Diem Committee monitors
foreign exchange rates throughout the year.
help out
As the amount of kronur the dollar “buys”
changes, the Per Diem Committee increases
or decreases COLA to maintain a member’s
purchasing power. COLA is adjusted only
for the portion of income that the typical
member spends on the local economy and the
value of the dollar against the local currency
falls four percent, their COLA would be
increased by two percent.
One must remember that COLA is subject
to fluctuations during the year. Care must be
taken to allow for changes in COLA when
preparing a personal budget.
Hangar gets clean bill of health
Authorities reopened Hangar 885 for
normal operations last week, following
negative results from lead testing. The
hangar was closed due to concerns about
dust from lead-based paint being removed
from hangar doors. Cleanup of the con-
struction area was completed and work
has resumed with increased safety meas-
ures.
Alcohol doesn’t make sense for the nutritionally minded
By AZC Kim Taylor-Fields
CAAC Office
Nutrition seems to be an important topic
for most people these days. Whether you’re
concerned about cholesterol, cancer, or los-
ing weight, nutrition and diet enters in. But
what about alcohol? Is it a food? Does it
count in my daily intake? How does it fit into
the four food groups? Alcohol is considered
food because it contains calories. It belongs
in a fifth miscellaneous food group. It counts
against the daily intake of calories but not nu-
trients. Alcohol’s calories are empty calo-
ries, meaning they contain very little, if any
vitamins or minerals.
Carbohydrates have four calories per gram,
proteins have four calories per gram and fat
has nine calories per gram. Alcohol contains
seven calories per gram and one ounce of
pure alcohol delivers about 170 calories.
In an alcoholic, up to two-thirds of the
body’s total energy needs may be satisfied by
substituting alcohol for other foods. This
explains why alcoholics often neglect eating
for several weeks at a time. Also the liver
must work overtime to constantly break down
and flush out alcohol taken in large amounts.
Nutritional functions of the liver can be dis-
rupted and toxins will accumulate.
Malnutrition is not in just the starving chil-
lin we see on television news programs.
Malnutrition simply means bad nutrition, malnutrition regardless of what or how much
An overweight person may be as malnutri- they eat. Are you interested in nutrition and
tioned as that child. All alcoholics develop health? How does alcohol figure in for you?
Kinser retires after 22 years of service
AGC (AW) Bill G. Kinser, Naval
Oceanography Command Facil-
ity, (NOCF) retired last Friday.
CDR Kristine C. Harper, Com-
manding Officer, NOCF, was on
hand to congratulate Kinser. Ice-
land was Kinser’s third overseas
tour and he has been stationed
here since November of 1990.
Kinser reflected on his final duty
station during his ceremony. "My
twilight tour was a great way to
end my career because of the beau-
tiful scenery in Iceland and the
people I haveworkedwith. “People
should remember a career is like a
marriage. You will have bad times
and good times but you should
never give up because if you work
at it, things will get better," Kinser
stated. Kinser and his wife, Susan,
and children Stephanie, 10, and
Jessica 6, will later move to
Jacksonville, Fla. (Photo by J02
Colleen C. Casper)
April 9,1993
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