Navy Allowances for operations / exercises

[MasterInstructor]

I am wondering if there are overseas operation specific allowances or benefits for Navy members?

I am aware of the sea duty allowance which I believe is paid as long as you are posted to a ship, even if the ship is at home port.

Do Navy members get any extra pay while on operations or exercises outside of Canada?

Is the money earned during these international operations/exercises tax free?

Thanks

 

[PMedMoe]

Any operational pay for Navy personnel would be the same as for the Army or Air Force.  Sea duty allowance (or land) would cease when you are in receipt of another allowance (e.g. personnel in Afghanistan) or when you are no longer posted to a ship.

As for the allowances and pay being tax-free, depends on the operation.  Right now, I believe Afghanistan is the only one.

 

[PuckChaser]

Risk and Hardship both need to be at "Level 2" for the Operation to be tax-free, unless its changed from my tour. I think you're right on the Afghanistan bit, Moe.

 

[Pusser]

OP HAMLET - the longstanding UN mission in Haiti (as opposed to HESTIA which is the recently started relief mission) is also tax free.

For the most part, the major allowances paid to personnel posted to ships are Sea Duty Allowance (for everyone), Diving Allowance (qualified divers in diving positions), and Aircrew Allowance (for aircrew).  These are paid for normal operations, which includes, exercises, patrols, etc.  When the ship is deployed as part of a CEFCOM operation (ie. the ship is actuall transferred or "CHOPPED" from Maritime Command to CEFCOM), the operations allowances kick in and Sea Duty Allowance stops.  Sea Duty Allowance is taxable.  Operations allowances are not.  Whether the rest of your salary is taxable depends on the operation.

 

[CountDC]

There are a bunch of small ops that qualify as tax free - if you have access look up FSS Ops at CFSU(O) and they should have a link that will provide info on the different ops including RA and HA level and dollar amounts paid.  These ops are mainly manned by Officers but there are a few NCM spots.  Most of them used to have between 1-10 officers if I recall correct.  My favourite was in Florida - no RA or HA for some reason but they did have a clerk position and you could go accompanied.  Egypt is a good one to go on, or at least used to be.