COLA survey will determine future rates

[unhappycamper]

Cola survey in March will determine future rates


COLA survey will determine future rates
By Bryce S. Dubee, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, January 22, 2008

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — People who think their cost of living allowance should be higher will soon have a chance to do something about it.

A Living Pattern Survey will be conducted in March in which servicemembers stationed in Japan and on Okinawa will be asked what types of items they purchase off base and from what stores.

Officials have yet to announce the dates the online survey will run.

COLA is a supplement designed to offset the higher prices of goods and services overseas and help servicemembers’ purchasing power equate with what they would have in the States.

“The COLA index is highly dependent on the proportion of shopping done in on-base facilities,” the Department of Defense COLA Web site says. “In general, the higher the proportion of on-base shopping, the lower the index.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51801