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Recovery from Mormonism (RfM) discussion forum.
Will the church follow this advice and pull all the missionaries from Japan?
They have probably just been waiting for the free US govt chartered planes that will fly them out. I only wonder about the non US Non Japanese mishies, what is in store for them?
Not true, that the ride is free. Unless they are FSO or military that is.
Private citizens not working for the US govt get the ride out of town--then wherever they are dropped in the world, they or their companies have to pay Uncle Sam back for the remainder of the trip to wherever their home or company HQ is.
ie: those who left Libya that got taken to Italy, had to pay on their own to fly from Italy to wherever home is for them. Private companies pay huge amounts for charter flights, then write off the cost of the flights as a business expense.
Now, FSO and State Dept people have to wait for evacuation orders, but once they come, they and their fams can go home on our dime, all the way.
FSO and military get free rides a lot of the time, anyway. They can fly military, or charge the commercial trip and get reimbursed when they arrive stateside.
We definitely pay for their home leave family trips, typically two per year, from their assignment city to the airport nearest their home city, or base to which they are assigned. They do have to fly "cheapest way", and lower level employees have to get written approval for their flight plans, but it's free to them, paid for by your and my tax dollars.
FSOs also get free housing, in very high standard flats in very nice buildings in very affluent areas, or private villas and gated communities, at very high rental rates. Which we pay for them.
For FSOs those houses are completely furnished top to bottom with pretty nice stuff, when they walk in the door, they can hang u their clothes and be ready to roll. The local consulate or embassy group even fills their fridge!
Some get free utilities and insurance, and their kids all get free schooling in either a base public school if military, or in a private int'l school, if FSO (ours here costs $30,000 per year, per kid, no discounts or scholarships available, and the bus service, per kid, is $3000 per kid, per year).
The working FSO spouse gets a vehicle, a nice one, and all expenses paid on it (gas is $8.00 per gallon, and a typical 4 door Peugot minivan costs $65,000 here), and, key in high cost locations, money back to equalize the currency inequality of the US dollar to the local currency. Paid to them automatically, quarterly. Tax free, of course!
PLUS they get every cent of the very high VAT tax paid back to them, typically 25% of all money spent on food, clothing, servces, etc.
People like us who work for private companies can negotiate some of these things for ourselves (except the VAT tax thing), but all of us over here have to pay country tax on income earned here AND tax on US income earned or paid to us back home.
We are one of only 3 countries in the world who imposes that double tax burden on its citizens, and is why the US gov't gives away all the freebies to its people overseas.
Private companies "gross you up" on income, ie: on paper, on your W2, it looks like you're earning 1 million USD a year. Then the tax is autopaid for you by a tax company (ie: Deloitte) in the US. You end up with about what you'd earn states side, in the end. But you do make out on the schooling and housing and car issues.
Just my 2 cents...
Private citizens not working for the US govt get the ride out of town--then wherever they are dropped in the world, they or their companies have to pay Uncle Sam back for the remainder of the trip to wherever their home or company HQ is.
ie: those who left Libya that got taken to Italy, had to pay on their own to fly from Italy to wherever home is for them. Private companies pay huge amounts for charter flights, then write off the cost of the flights as a business expense.
Now, FSO and State Dept people have to wait for evacuation orders, but once they come, they and their fams can go home on our dime, all the way.
FSO and military get free rides a lot of the time, anyway. They can fly military, or charge the commercial trip and get reimbursed when they arrive stateside.
We definitely pay for their home leave family trips, typically two per year, from their assignment city to the airport nearest their home city, or base to which they are assigned. They do have to fly "cheapest way", and lower level employees have to get written approval for their flight plans, but it's free to them, paid for by your and my tax dollars.
FSOs also get free housing, in very high standard flats in very nice buildings in very affluent areas, or private villas and gated communities, at very high rental rates. Which we pay for them.
For FSOs those houses are completely furnished top to bottom with pretty nice stuff, when they walk in the door, they can hang u their clothes and be ready to roll. The local consulate or embassy group even fills their fridge!
Some get free utilities and insurance, and their kids all get free schooling in either a base public school if military, or in a private int'l school, if FSO (ours here costs $30,000 per year, per kid, no discounts or scholarships available, and the bus service, per kid, is $3000 per kid, per year).
The working FSO spouse gets a vehicle, a nice one, and all expenses paid on it (gas is $8.00 per gallon, and a typical 4 door Peugot minivan costs $65,000 here), and, key in high cost locations, money back to equalize the currency inequality of the US dollar to the local currency. Paid to them automatically, quarterly. Tax free, of course!
PLUS they get every cent of the very high VAT tax paid back to them, typically 25% of all money spent on food, clothing, servces, etc.
People like us who work for private companies can negotiate some of these things for ourselves (except the VAT tax thing), but all of us over here have to pay country tax on income earned here AND tax on US income earned or paid to us back home.
We are one of only 3 countries in the world who imposes that double tax burden on its citizens, and is why the US gov't gives away all the freebies to its people overseas.
Private companies "gross you up" on income, ie: on paper, on your W2, it looks like you're earning 1 million USD a year. Then the tax is autopaid for you by a tax company (ie: Deloitte) in the US. You end up with about what you'd earn states side, in the end. But you do make out on the schooling and housing and car issues.
Just my 2 cents...
Wow. The beurocracy has gotten thicker since my army brat days. The DOA would just hand out free gas vouchers as a bennefit and provide stateside pricing for goods and serviced through the PX at US prices and tax you at the standard fed tax rates plus your claimed state of residence and all flights were free if ordered or dirt cheap on space-a. I guess I thought the govt would save civies for free as well.
FSOs also get what are called pouch privileges--US goods at US prices, shipped in the pouches to the consular or embassy offices, from either other consular offices/areas, or from a PX nearby. They also get PX privileges, as military do, for regular shopping, if they happen to be near one, or wish to drive or train to the nearest one. And, add in US mail postage privileges, at US postage rates.
Private citizens, of course, do not get any of these.
Private citizens, of course, do not get any of these.
FSOs==foreign service office/consular attache, Military was not mentioned in the car/house/money issues I brought up.
Now, as for 2010-2011 issues of housing and car, anyone in officer ranks, stationed in Westrn Europe right now, gets off base housing in a gated community or very high standard apartment if no kids, if no base is near. ie: Krakow, Poland. Mons, Belgium. Brusels and Waterloo here, too. And if they work in Brussels, their kids (age 5+ only, grade K and up) sit in class with mine. At $30,000 per kid. And Uncle Sam pays.
And the townhouse, same as mine. But we pay $4000 US per month (split halfsies wth our company), where they get it for 10% ($400) + 20% of the total utilities cost. We have to pay 100% of our utilities.
And the car. This year, for FSOs, it's brand new white SUVs for families with 2+ kids. Or 4 door Mercedes or Audi sedans--the standard company car here in Europe. In Poland last year, it was white SUVs, or minivans, but they were all at least 1-2 years old. And all maintenance and services on the house AND the vehicles were paid for by the US government.
We of course, pay for that ourselves.
Now, as for 2010-2011 issues of housing and car, anyone in officer ranks, stationed in Westrn Europe right now, gets off base housing in a gated community or very high standard apartment if no kids, if no base is near. ie: Krakow, Poland. Mons, Belgium. Brusels and Waterloo here, too. And if they work in Brussels, their kids (age 5+ only, grade K and up) sit in class with mine. At $30,000 per kid. And Uncle Sam pays.
And the townhouse, same as mine. But we pay $4000 US per month (split halfsies wth our company), where they get it for 10% ($400) + 20% of the total utilities cost. We have to pay 100% of our utilities.
And the car. This year, for FSOs, it's brand new white SUVs for families with 2+ kids. Or 4 door Mercedes or Audi sedans--the standard company car here in Europe. In Poland last year, it was white SUVs, or minivans, but they were all at least 1-2 years old. And all maintenance and services on the house AND the vehicles were paid for by the US government.
We of course, pay for that ourselves.
What's with the rant on Foreign Service Officers?
My brother is a FSO and works his ass off. He has served in some pretty dodgy countries and helped people evacuate when things got bad. This was often while he was in extreme danger himself and his family had already been evacuated. It is not as cushy a job as you might think.
You know--if you're so envious of their lives, the exam is free and is offered multiple times a year. I have a feeling you would not pass the first stage, much less the oral assessment round. Sorry. Just my two cents.
My brother is a FSO and works his ass off. He has served in some pretty dodgy countries and helped people evacuate when things got bad. This was often while he was in extreme danger himself and his family had already been evacuated. It is not as cushy a job as you might think.
You know--if you're so envious of their lives, the exam is free and is offered multiple times a year. I have a feeling you would not pass the first stage, much less the oral assessment round. Sorry. Just my two cents.
and the Sendai missionaries to Sapporo.
http://presidentmcintyre.blogspot.com/
I'm in the Kansai area in western Japan, and I have no plans to evacuate at this time. Neither do any other of the foreigners I know.
http://presidentmcintyre.blogspot.com/
I'm in the Kansai area in western Japan, and I have no plans to evacuate at this time. Neither do any other of the foreigners I know.
The government has asked citizens in a 50 mile radius around the reactors to leave... That's all...
Japanese had asked for a considerably smaller area, on the order of 10 km... That's what the argument is about...
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2011/0317/Japan-nuclear-crisis-US-announces-evacuation-options
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/03/white-house-says-us-citizens-in-japan-should-listen-to-us-not-japan-on-evacuation-but-refuses-to-jud.html
>White House Says US Citizens in Japan Should Listen to US, Not Japan, on Evacuation, but Refuses to Judge
Fact checking this hysteria has been driving me nuts. Okay, in reactor 4, where the spent rods have been stored in water that is recirculated to keep it cool, and if the water has indeed run dry, then the zirconium could catch fire, and that would release some really toxic stuff into the atmosphere, but it would not be a meltdown...
Japanese had asked for a considerably smaller area, on the order of 10 km... That's what the argument is about...
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2011/0317/Japan-nuclear-crisis-US-announces-evacuation-options
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/03/white-house-says-us-citizens-in-japan-should-listen-to-us-not-japan-on-evacuation-but-refuses-to-jud.html
>White House Says US Citizens in Japan Should Listen to US, Not Japan, on Evacuation, but Refuses to Judge
Fact checking this hysteria has been driving me nuts. Okay, in reactor 4, where the spent rods have been stored in water that is recirculated to keep it cool, and if the water has indeed run dry, then the zirconium could catch fire, and that would release some really toxic stuff into the atmosphere, but it would not be a meltdown...
The 150-200mi distances from the disaster site are not worth much as protection, if the wind blows that direction. Especially Sapporo, only 150mi away and generally low terrain.
I wish they would get them out, but I suppose I'm overly alarmed.
I wish they would get them out, but I suppose I'm overly alarmed.
"We definitely pay for their home leave family trips, typically two per year, from their assignment city to the airport nearest their home city, or base to which they are assigned."
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NOT TRUE. I was stationed in Japan with the military for four years (2000 - 2004). Yes you "qualify" for special leave for a trip home but the government doesn't pay for anything. Transportation was 100% out of the serviceman's pocket.
The only "free" or government paid option was trying to get on the contract or military flights on a "space available" basis which didn't cost the govt any more than it would anyways because the plane was making the flight with or without me ... we did that ONCE and said never again because it took over a week to make what would take 14 hours commercial. To come home for a visit on a regular flight was 100% on my own dime!
Now, in an evacuation situation things for military and their dependents are a bit different ... for example when they evacuated the Phillipines after Mount Pinatubo ... then there's reimbursement and such, but it's considered a PCS (permanent change of station) as well but on a new timetable sort of.
edit to add: regarding the last part: "to the airport nearest their home city, or base to which they are assigned."
I just reread this last part of the earlier post .... which MIGHT apply to servicemen deployed with their "unit" from a stateside location (e.g. combat troops in Afghanistan). However the majority of the U.S. military in Japan are there as their permanent duty station and the base their assigned is in Japan. TOTALLY different situation.
Also for other things mentioned ... we had to buy a new car when we got there (couldn't take one over from U.S.) and sell it when we left, buy extra Japanese insurance for it and more ..... military (I don't know about Foreign Service?) definitely do NOT get all the benefits mentioned above and cost the government as much as implied.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2011 08:14AM by Scott.T.
-------------------
NOT TRUE. I was stationed in Japan with the military for four years (2000 - 2004). Yes you "qualify" for special leave for a trip home but the government doesn't pay for anything. Transportation was 100% out of the serviceman's pocket.
The only "free" or government paid option was trying to get on the contract or military flights on a "space available" basis which didn't cost the govt any more than it would anyways because the plane was making the flight with or without me ... we did that ONCE and said never again because it took over a week to make what would take 14 hours commercial. To come home for a visit on a regular flight was 100% on my own dime!
Now, in an evacuation situation things for military and their dependents are a bit different ... for example when they evacuated the Phillipines after Mount Pinatubo ... then there's reimbursement and such, but it's considered a PCS (permanent change of station) as well but on a new timetable sort of.
edit to add: regarding the last part: "to the airport nearest their home city, or base to which they are assigned."
I just reread this last part of the earlier post .... which MIGHT apply to servicemen deployed with their "unit" from a stateside location (e.g. combat troops in Afghanistan). However the majority of the U.S. military in Japan are there as their permanent duty station and the base their assigned is in Japan. TOTALLY different situation.
Also for other things mentioned ... we had to buy a new car when we got there (couldn't take one over from U.S.) and sell it when we left, buy extra Japanese insurance for it and more ..... military (I don't know about Foreign Service?) definitely do NOT get all the benefits mentioned above and cost the government as much as implied.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/18/2011 08:14AM by Scott.T.
family, and they won't leave when they are needed.
My cousins' son was in the quake in Sendai,Japan...teaching English....after many days of being in a hotel up north, then at Misawa AFB, he had to leave there and he got to Tokyo....was to have only 5 hrs. there and board a plane out...it took 18 hrs.for his plane to leave. And yes, he had to pay. He got as far at Honolulu where he will spend several nights getting some much needed sleep. A coworker's grandma lives there. He is exhausted.
The ticket prices were out of sight....to get to the US mainland it would have been 5,000 on the flight he took. Talk about price gouging. Initially it was only going to be 2,000 total and in less than half a day it went up to 5,000. He was on Good Morning American Fri. morn. But I didn't get the message in time to look for him. Bet I would have been at work anyhow. So glad he is out of Japan.
The ticket prices were out of sight....to get to the US mainland it would have been 5,000 on the flight he took. Talk about price gouging. Initially it was only going to be 2,000 total and in less than half a day it went up to 5,000. He was on Good Morning American Fri. morn. But I didn't get the message in time to look for him. Bet I would have been at work anyhow. So glad he is out of Japan.