COLA eliminated for Incirlik Airmen

  • Published
  • By 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
  • Staff Sgt. Eboni Reams
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  As of March 15, 2015, the cost of living allowance entitlement for Incirlik Air Base has been eliminated for all assigned U.S. Air Force personnel until further notice.

"Personnel will see a small COLA entitlement which is for the 1st through the 15th of March," said Master Sgt. Gregory Proffitt, 39th Comptroller Squadron financial services flight chief. "There was no entitlement for the period of the 15th to the 31st of March. All other locations in Turkey will see a reduction, but personnel assigned to Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir will still receive a COLA entitlement."

Proffitt mentioned COLA is re-calculated on a bi-weekly basis and is based on the current exchange rate among other factors.

"Over the past few months, the exchange rate for the Turkish Lira has experienced a sharp drop against the U. S. dollar," mentioned Proffitt.  "This is the most likely reason the COLA entitlement was greatly reduced in February, and now been effectively eliminated. With that being said, COLA is still an entitlement prescribed for Incirlik; however, I do not anticipate a return of COLA until the exchange rate goes back down."

With allowances being a changeable entitlement, Proffitt provided words of caution for financial responsibility.

"This is not the first time COLA has been abruptly reduced to $0," said Proffitt "This happened over the summer of 2013 as well. Therefore, it is extremely important Airmen do their best to not count on COLA when drafting a personal budget for bill paying purposes."

The 39th Comptroller Squadron and Wing Staff Agency superintendent explained the importance of checking leave and earnings statements for correction and updates.

"Changes to pay and allowances happen for various reasons to include permanent change of station, dependence status, public law, and in the case of COLA, economic shifts" said Senior Master Sgt. Angela Stout. "It is every Airman's personal responsibility to know there authorized entitlements, review their LES monthly, and be financially responsible. It is also important Airmen know COLA is reassessed often and is subject to change. This understanding will help them avoid financial instability and potential hardships. Our team is available to answer any questions regarding the most recent COLA change and are standing by to help educated our Airmen."

For questions regarding finance or COLA, contact the 39th CPTS customer service line at 676-8114.To review the Overseas COLA Frequently Asked Questions and calculators, visit the Defense Travel Management Office here.