Sea Duty Allowance backpay

[S McPhee]

I know that a CANFORGEN was sent out earlier this year stating that personnel who has their SDA ceased while their ship's were temporarily in shore offices would be getting audited and receiving retroactive pay for the missed allowance.  It stated that the aim was to have it all paid out by September.  95% of the people I know who were eligible have already received it, but unfortunately, I haven't.  Does anyone on here in the loop and know what's going on with this?  I've e-mailed my unit's office, but haven't received word as of yet since I'm away at the time.... 

 

[jollyjacktar]

I have not hard jack shit either, my file would have been processed on the east coast.  As I understand if you were lucky enough to have been vetted by the west coast, they're complete and the files are in Ottawa.  Most of those guys have indeed seen some money.  It depends upon what your service number starts with, if it's the latter half of the alphabet then you're with me on the east coast review.  My clerk tried to make some inquiries with the people across the river.  They're not acting too chatty, I'm afraid we'll both just have to wait a bit longer.  If I do hear something, I'll let you know.

 

[S McPhee]

Yes, I know of three of us East coasters who seem to be in a small minority.  Ah well, what can you do. 

 

[jollyjacktar]

Not a thing, brother, not a thing.  It will come when it does.  They owe me about 25 months worth and adjustments, it will be nice to see.

 

[NavyShooter]

I'm owed a bunch as well.  Joined MON while she was in the ditch in '13 and SDA didn't start until April 14....plus probably another stint with STJ in the 04-ish time frame.

That said, the original message gave some useful tidbits of info.

1.  A-M processed on the East
2.  N-Z processed out West
3.  Released/etc in the Center

February timeline for self-ID of personnel who were on MEL's during refits and thus not entitled.

Estimated time of completion was 9 months.  Given in Jan/Feb-ish.  So, add 9 months and you get October/November.

Ish.

I've not seen a dime yet either, so I'm considering it as a potential Christmas bonus.

NS

 

[jollyjacktar]

Your #1 and 2 are reversed.  A - M was processed out west, N - Z out east.  WC have finished and folks have been seeing the money come to them.

 

[NavyShooter]

I stand corrected. 

(Teach me to post from home without the reference in front of me.)

Of note, I'm in the A-M pile.....nil money yet....again, not expecting before last quarter of the year though.

 

[jollyjacktar]

You should see it soon, I expect.  Anyone I know who has seen some dough has been from the A-M pile.  Hell, one guy here got his money in Feb.

 

[Lumber]

I stand corrected. 

(Teach me to post from home without the reference in front of me.)

Of note, I'm in the A-M pile.....nil money yet....again, not expecting before last quarter of the year though.

I hope they didn't misplace those of us who aren't currently serving with the Reg Force. I too am from the A-M group and haven't seen anything yet, but another Officer who was with me on MON, who's from the N-Z group, received his months ago.

 

[CountDC]

A-M and haven't seen anything yet.  Maybe they disowned me for working with the army?

 

[CountDC]

kind of on my own as my pay office doesn't know anything about this other than what I sent (the canforgen http://vcds.mil.ca/vcds-exec/pubs/default-eng.asp?path=/vcds-exec/pubs/canforgen/2016/015-16_e.asp ).  Looking at it I don't see anything there indicating that the coasts will be doing the audits.  Does anyone have another document reflecting this?

 

[S McPhee]

For anyone still following this topic:  I was told yesterday by my BOR that any file that had been missed during the original processing has been sent to Ottawa and that those files will not see the funds until after December.  Another CANFORGEN is supposed to come out soon RE: this topic. 

 

[jollyjacktar]

What.A.Shit.Show...

 

[PuckChaser]

What.A.crap.Show...

Did you expect anything less? You owe CAF money, pay tomorrow or we put you on extras. CAF owes you money, it shows up 2 years later due to "manning shortfalls".

 

[jollyjacktar]

Did you expect anything less? You owe CAF money, pay tomorrow or we put you on extras. CAF owes you money, it shows up 2 years later due to "manning shortfalls".

I guess if I have anything positive to say atm it's that I know I won't get seen off in the long run.  It's just that I wish the run wouldn't be an around the world marathon distance.  Sigh, someone has to be last, I suppose.

 

[NavyShooter]

I got similar word from my OR as well.

Not too pleased, but not a heck of a lot I can do about it.  No contact point given either.

*shrug* 

I wasn't spending the money on anything important anyhow....

Of note, this causes me to recall the first SDA review when they discovered that they owed me $6.80 for 2 days that they'd missed giving me somehow.

I signed the form, then held my hand out...the pay clerk looked at me like I had 3 heads and said it'd follow on when he had time. 

I responded with "If I owed you money, it'd be getting collected right now, and my next pay would be short.  Now go get the cash-box and get my $6.80."

Clerk looks at the Sgt over his shoulder. 

Sgt says "Cashbox.  The Master Seaman (my rank at the time) is right.  Get his money."

I walked away with the money. 

I'm probably paying for that now....

NS

 

[S McPhee]

An update for anyone still affected by the SDA backpay issue.  I've heard there was a CONFORGEN released this week stating that all active service members have now been paid out.  My end Dec pay stub was e-mailed to me today, and unfortunately I still haven't received it.  I plan on inquiring again with the unit's pay office when returning from annual leave.  From what I understand, there are still a fair number of people who have not received it, so I'm surprised to hear about the CANFORGEN stating that the audits have been completed for active members.  What a mess.....

 

[NavyShooter]

The CANFORGEN provides direction that anyone that hasn't had their issues addressed is to contact their pay office this month.

I've contacted mine, and will see what the story is.  I'm due approximately 9 months from my time on MON, and there are 4 other periods that I was on a ship in refit that may have moneys owing.  I'll have to see, since I don't recall what SDA I got in 2004....

NS

 

[jollyjacktar]

That's strange, you should have been paid out by now.

 

[NavyShooter]

I am supposing that I fell through the cracks due to postings, and perhaps the fact that I was at the school, but not 'at the school' because I was out at DC DIV....so I belonged to them, but didn't really get seen by them much.

*shrug*  It'll work out in the end, 9 months of SDA at my level is just over $6K, (which means about $3500 after taxes...ish) but it may bump my SDA level up to the next one as well. 

I'm not stressed about it, but when they do sort it out, it'll be damn nice to put that onto the Christmas Visa bill, especially considering the last minute trips to Disney and Sea world with the family in December.

CANFORGEN 221/16 RCN 052/16 071301Z DEC 16
SEA DUTY ALLOWANCE (SDA) VERIFICATION (REFIT) UPDATE
UNCLASSIFIED
REFS: A. CBI 205
B. CFAO 205-25
C: MARCORD 205-1 (CANCELLED 18 JUN 14)
D: CANFORGEN 015/16 RCN 005/16 031427Z FEB 16
1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CANFORGEN IS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE ONGOING SEA DUTY ALLOWANCE (SDA) VERIFICATION (REFIT) AND TO PROVIDE FURTHER DIRECTION TO SERVING AND RETIRED PERSONNEL. IAW REF D THIS VERIFICATION ENCOMPASSES ONLY THOSE PERS WHO SERVED ABOARD AN HMC SHIP AFTER 01 SEP 2001 THAT WAS IN REFIT FOR GREATER THAN 180 DAYS
2. THE SDA (REFIT) VERIFICATION TEAMS HAVE IDENTIFIED OVER 4000 FILES OF PERS AFFECTED BY CHANGES TO THE POLICIES AT REF. ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBERS HAVE NOW BEEN REVIEWED AND PAY CORRECTION IS COMPLETED. PROGRESSING OF RELEASED MEMBER FILES I CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
3. THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY END DEC 2016. CURRENTLY SERVING PERS WITH CONCERNS WRT THEIR COMPENSATION OR WHO BELIEVE THEY HAVE BEEN MISSED SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR PAY OFFICE IN JAN 2017.
4. TO ENSURE TIMELY RECEIPT OF ANY COMPENSATION, RETIRED PERSONNEL SHOULD CONTACT THE RELEASED PERSONNEL PAY OFFICE (RPPO) AT 1-800-773 -7705 TO VALIDATE THEIR BANKING INFORMATION AND TO SUBMIT ANY QUERIES ON COMPENSATION
5. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS PROCESS CAN BE DIRECTED THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO LCDR SUZANNE OTCHENASH, DIRECTOR PERSONNEL AND TRAINING 2-2,------ OR NAV P AND T 2-2-4, CWO BOB POTTER, -----

(Phone numbers redacted from section 5)