U.S. Service members being paid in DINAR!!!

[ckh]

To give credit where credit is due, I, too, found this on another site:

The link provided is invalid though... (placing working link here: http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123253377 )

http://www.af.mil/ne...sp?id=123253377

Sorry, the page you tried to reach does not exist

You may have used an outdated link or you may have typed the address (URL) incorrectly.

To find what you are looking for please use the search feature in the upper right hand corner or try one of the links on this page

...and a quick search of the articles could not produce the one below.

Can anyone confirm that USAF personnel are being paid in dinar?

Eagle Cards Loaded With Dinar Now Airman's job #1 RacerX

Black Diamond

Airman delivers cash, military pay services to austere locations

by Staff Sgt. R. Michael Longoria

9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force - Iraq Public Affairs

4/26/2011 - MOSUL, Iraq (AFNS) -- What was typically a three-hour convoy turned into an 11-hour journey for an Airman and his teammates when their mine-resistant, armor-protected vehicle broke down in the middle of a village.

Senior Airman Jon-Nicos Walker and his fellow service members ran to the next available MRAP to continue on their mission, while Iraqi protesters lined the streets.

This doesn't sound like a common experience for most comptroller Airmen, but this is one of the moments that, according to Airman Walker, sticks out during his first deployment.

"This is my first time overseas and I'm glad to be serving in the role that I am," said Airman Walker, a military pay technician assigned to the Air Force Financial Management Det. 2 at Contingency Operating Site Marez near Mosul, Iraq. "Most people in my career field, when deployed, are usually stuck in an office all day, while I get to travel on a weekly basis."

The detachment is responsible for 17 locations across northern Iraq.

The job is different compared to that of most comptroller Airmen, Airman Walker said, because Det. 2 caters directly to the Army, offering all the services of a stateside base finance office.

"From our location here, we travel out to other checkpoints and offer the same services to the Soldiers there," Airman Walker said. "Some places we visit weekly while others only twice a month. I've been able to travel all over Iraq, via helicopter and ground convoy, to provide support to Soldiers out in austere locations."

To date, he has helped more than 11,000 service members with various pay-related issues, including more than 900 EagleCash card loads totaling $270,000, and more than 850 military pay transactions. In addition, Airman Walker has settled countless overdue travel reimbursements valuing more than $25,000.

The detachment is also a test base for getting U.S. currency off of the battlefield. Instead of disbursing U.S. dollars, the comptrollers are giving service members Iraqi dinar.

"The reason behind (disbursing dinar) is because using the U.S. dollar here isn't giving the Iraqi economy a chance to grow," Airman Walker said. "This gives (Iraqis) a chance to build up what they have, as opposed to counting on us and our dollar."

While the traveling is fun, he said, the interactions with his follow service members are the most rewarding.

"When we go out to those locations, we get a lot more appreciation from the Soldiers," Airman Walker said. "They just enjoy us being there. Even if they don't need anything, they still thank us for coming out. It's an uplifting experience."

Airman Walker travels to locations where the Soldiers don't have many of the base support functions or amenities of other sites, like a base exchange or post office.

"They are outside working all day," he said. "So, it's good that we are here so they can bring their stuff directly to us. We are right here so they can come and talk to us if there are any issues, especially since most of them don't have access to email, and if they do, they probably don't have time to check it."

At any rate, "face to face communication is the key to good customer service," he said. "It makes it easier on the Soldiers who are here for 12 to 13 months at a time."

Since he is on a joint expeditionary tasking, Airman Walker said he realizes he is getting a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"I'm actually rolling outside the wire," Airman Walker said. "I've talked to the senior NCOs back at Grand Forks (Air Force Base, N.D.), and they've never had the chance to do some of the things I'm getting to do here."

http://www.af.mil/ne...sp?id=123253377

Edited May 1, 2011 by pleasantvalleySunday
added working link

[graml]

I would like to see the link to this work. I cant see why they would give them Iraqi Dinar to spend. While I was there the Iraqi's loved American Dollars.

[ckh]

I would like to see the link to this work. I cant see why they would give them Iraqi Dinar to spend. While I was there the Iraqi's loved American Dollars.

Me too, that's why I placed it in rumors... can't be confirmed yet...

The detachment is also a test base for getting U.S. currency off of the battlefield. Instead of disbursing U.S. dollars, the comptrollers are giving service members Iraqi dinar.

"The reason behind (disbursing dinar) is because using the U.S. dollar here isn't giving the Iraqi economy a chance to grow," Airman Walker said. "This gives (Iraqis) a chance to build up what they have, as opposed to counting on us and our dollar."

This fits with what we have heard before about removing the USD and getting the Iraqis used to using the dinar to rebuild their country.

[djgabrielie]

Try this one....

My link

[BanG]

Great Find! +1. This would make perfect sense as stated to circulate the Iraqi currency and to bolster local and emerging markets within Iraq by utilizing their currency structure. I can understand the need to do this and the need to prop up Iraq's currency within their borders and in their markets. Peace.

[ckh]

Try this one....

My link

Yeah! You Rock!

MODS: Please move to the NEWS section!!

[palung]

/

Edited May 1, 2011 by palung

[AK47]

If the link is valid...should move it to the news section.

[aszone]

So why would they pay them in Dinar and then revalue and have to pay them back a 1000 times more?

[Mongo]

I have heard this before, but boots on the ground debunked it then...probably will now too

[Zildjian67]

U.S. military will never be paid in IQD. This article is in reference to what currency the service member can withdraw from ATM's or type of cash received when using their Eagle Cash Card while in Iraq.

They will receive their normal pay in their stateside checking accounts as usual.

Nothing new here.

"D"

[wicked93gs]

It only makes sense...here in kuwait(contractor) I carry two different types of currency...USD and KD....I use USD at some places on base....whereas USD isn't much use off the base at local merchants unless they are willing to exchange it for you...so all in all this means nothing....besides as was mentioned it was strictly an eagle card thing....which is similar to a reloadable debit card....I dont have one myself, I find it simpler to use cash over here(of whatever type) its much more of a cash based economy than the US

[quadraph0nic]

what a ridiculous title...

they are going to start wiring dinars into US service members american bank accounts on pay day??? Oh wait, maybe they still cut old school pay checks, they could do that in dinar huh? okie dokie...har har hargh...

"The detachment is also a test base for getting U.S. currency off of the battlefield. Instead of disbursing U.S. dollars, the comptrollers are giving service members Iraqi dinar.

"The reason behind (disbursing dinar) is because using the U.S. dollar here isn't giving the Iraqi economy a chance to grow," Airman Walker said. "This gives (Iraqis) a chance to build up what they have, as opposed to counting on us and our dollar."

Okay you want a cash advance to buy some smokes - go down and pickup a few thousand dinars and get some smokes. That's all it is...to help curb dollarization at the haji shop or business conducted outside the wire ehhh...

Also, I would be surprised to see the post office accept anything other than the dollar same with the PX. Those are american entities...everything else on these bases i could see them switch over to dinar.

but honestly, I dont care about that....I WANT TO SEE AN RV!!

[wingsofhope]

Base pay remains, no news here, Eagle Card= Debit Card=Visa Card

[jeepguy]

lets get this thing r v-ed before someone findsout

[Tom 777]

To give credit where credit is due, I, too, found this on another site:

The link provided is invalid though... (placing working link here: http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123253377 )

http://www.af.mil/ne...sp?id=123253377

Sorry, the page you tried to reach does not exist

You may have used an outdated link or you may have typed the address (URL) incorrectly.

To find what you are looking for please use the search feature in the upper right hand corner or try one of the links on this page

...and a quick search of the articles could not produce the one below.

Can anyone confirm that USAF personnel are being paid in dinar?

Eagle Cards Loaded With Dinar Now Airman's job #1 RacerX

Black Diamond

Airman delivers cash, military pay services to austere locations

by Staff Sgt. R. Michael Longoria

9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force - Iraq Public Affairs

4/26/2011 - MOSUL, Iraq (AFNS) -- What was typically a three-hour convoy turned into an 11-hour journey for an Airman and his teammates when their mine-resistant, armor-protected vehicle broke down in the middle of a village.

Senior Airman Jon-Nicos Walker and his fellow service members ran to the next available MRAP to continue on their mission, while Iraqi protesters lined the streets.

This doesn't sound like a common experience for most comptroller Airmen, but this is one of the moments that, according to Airman Walker, sticks out during his first deployment.

"This is my first time overseas and I'm glad to be serving in the role that I am," said Airman Walker, a military pay technician assigned to the Air Force Financial Management Det. 2 at Contingency Operating Site Marez near Mosul, Iraq. "Most people in my career field, when deployed, are usually stuck in an office all day, while I get to travel on a weekly basis."

The detachment is responsible for 17 locations across northern Iraq.

The job is different compared to that of most comptroller Airmen, Airman Walker said, because Det. 2 caters directly to the Army, offering all the services of a stateside base finance office.

"From our location here, we travel out to other checkpoints and offer the same services to the Soldiers there," Airman Walker said. "Some places we visit weekly while others only twice a month. I've been able to travel all over Iraq, via helicopter and ground convoy, to provide support to Soldiers out in austere locations."

To date, he has helped more than 11,000 service members with various pay-related issues, including more than 900 EagleCash card loads totaling $270,000, and more than 850 military pay transactions. In addition, Airman Walker has settled countless overdue travel reimbursements valuing more than $25,000.

The detachment is also a test base for getting U.S. currency off of the battlefield. Instead of disbursing U.S. dollars, the comptrollers are giving service members Iraqi dinar.

"The reason behind (disbursing dinar) is because using the U.S. dollar here isn't giving the Iraqi economy a chance to grow," Airman Walker said. "This gives (Iraqis) a chance to build up what they have, as opposed to counting on us and our dollar."

While the traveling is fun, he said, the interactions with his follow service members are the most rewarding.

"When we go out to those locations, we get a lot more appreciation from the Soldiers," Airman Walker said. "They just enjoy us being there. Even if they don't need anything, they still thank us for coming out. It's an uplifting experience."

Airman Walker travels to locations where the Soldiers don't have many of the base support functions or amenities of other sites, like a base exchange or post office.

"They are outside working all day," he said. "So, it's good that we are here so they can bring their stuff directly to us. We are right here so they can come and talk to us if there are any issues, especially since most of them don't have access to email, and if they do, they probably don't have time to check it."

At any rate, "face to face communication is the key to good customer service," he said. "It makes it easier on the Soldiers who are here for 12 to 13 months at a time."

Since he is on a joint expeditionary tasking, Airman Walker said he realizes he is getting a once in a lifetime opportunity.

"I'm actually rolling outside the wire," Airman Walker said. "I've talked to the senior NCOs back at Grand Forks (Air Force Base, N.D.), and they've never had the chance to do some of the things I'm getting to do here."

http://www.af.mil/ne...sp?id=123253377

There are no US service members being paid with Dinars.

[HYDRANT]

THANKS FOR THE POST

[gbosh]

Maybe I can shed a little light on what this article is really saying:

Here in Iraq, soldiers can purchase/exchange Dinar at many (if not all) of the Finance offices at their base/post. They don't receive their PAY in Dinar, but they are able to (and do) get Dinar, either on their own, or on behalf of their unit. This Dinar, as the article alludes to, can then be used when the soldiers interact with the Iraqi populace during convoys, missions, etc. Individual soldiers (as well as civilians and contractors) are permitted to purchase up to US$1000 per month worth of Dinar. Special missions/needs may dictate carrying larger amounts.

The use of Dinar by servicemen in Iraq is primarily a matter of expediency. An additional benefit is that having Dinar minimizes the introduction of extra US currency into the Iraqi economy. I can promise you, however, that Iraqi merchants working around our bases will just as willingly take a dollar bill as they would a 1000 Dinar note (especially since it's worth more).

HTH!

gbosh