Think that the return of the draft has no implications for current service members? Think again. DoD Directive #112A, released to coincide with the revised Selective Service Act, contains specific policy for active duty personnel and Guard and Reserve personnel currently on active duty status. As of October 1, when the first batch of recruits are expected to finish their abbreviated basic training:
1. All enlisted personnel currently in the paygrades E1-E8 will be promoted one (1) paygrade.
2. All enlisted personnel currently in the paygrades E1-E7, who have not received disciplinary action for drug usage or desertion in the last 180 days will be promoted an additional one (1) paygrade.
3. All officers currently in the paygrades of O1 and O2 will be promoted to the paygrade of O3.
4. All officers currently in the paygrades of O3-O9 will be promoted one (1) paygrade. (New recruits with college credits will enter the service in the O1 paygrade. Those with associate degrees or higher, JROTC, ROTC or Civil Air Patrol experience will enter the service in the O2 paygrade.)
5. Service members currently serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom will not be allowed to come home for any reason until these operations are ended by an act of Congress.
6. All service members will have their monthly paychecks reduced by $1,200.
While this will severely constrain the finances of those in the lowest
paygrades, in some cases, forcing them to remit money back to DFAS on a monthly
basis, it is noted that these service members will still be granted permission
to eat free of charge at on-post dining facilities.
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