2 Maine soldiers help Collins craft provision

WASHINGTON – It’s not often two sergeants in the U.S. military have a direct hand in legislation, but Sen. Susan M. Collins, R-Maine, attributed a provision in the current defense authorization bill to their important contribution.

The soldiers – Air Force Master Sgt. Jay Mason of China, Maine, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Jennifer Meuth of Thomaston, Maine – told Collins just a month ago that their biggest concern was the lack of adequate housing near the front lines and that troops who are stationed in Korea don’t receive a special financial benefit that is afforded other troops who are considered to be facing imminent danger.

Collins had been on an extended Asian military tour of installations in Korea, visiting the Demilitarized Zone separating North Korea from South Korea, when she went to Osan Air Base and met the two sergeants.

She promised to look into the issue and did immediately after returning to Washington and beginning hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee to craft a new defense authorization bill.

Collins gained the support of Sens. John Warner, R-Va., the committee chairman, and Sen. Carl M. Levin, D-Mich., the ranking Democrat, to include the provision increasing military deployment pay for soldiers in Korea by $100 a month. The issue was worked out through the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on military personnel and with Sen. Saxbe Chambliss, R-Ga., and Sen. Ben Nelson, R-Neb., she said.

“Both [Maine sergeants] said housing is often substandard and they live under the constant threat of North Korean aggression,” Collins said in a speech on the Senate floor on Monday. “I want to thank the two Maine sergeants for bringing this to my attention.”

According to a Senate Armed Services Committee staff report accompanying the bill, the so-called “assignment incentive pay” would be given to all military members stationed in the Republic of South Korea.

Separately, the report – which does not have the force of law but serves to instruct the Defense Department of congressional concerns – said it is “concerned about substandard living and working conditions in Korea and recognizes a need for additional incentives for military members ordered to duty in Korea.”

The staff report also said the Army should have used existing authority to set up the incentive pay system.

The measure was in its first day of debate in the Senate. The legislation still has to be reconciled with the House version of the defense authorization bill before it is forwarded to President Bush for his signature into law.