As of this morning, Yokosuka is at 30% and we need to be at 67%. CFAY has the lowest PAL% of all bases in Kanto. Please get in touch with your personnel office and turn those forms in so we are up to speed with all other bases. Also....spread the word! Follow the links below for more info:

http://www.facebook.com/cfayokosuka...8133499187

We would happily complete the survey but the commands are not making it known who to contact or how to get the survey. You would think that in this day and age they could make a web site for the survey and not go the old fashioned route. CFAY's facebook page talks about it a good bit yet when several people asked where to get the survey, they never responded.

Orthomom -

I pulled this from the CFAY FB page 7 March, POC's for some of the comands are listed at the bottom. If your command is not listed let me know and I can PM you the main POC.


Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka
FAQs to assist employees with completion of the post allowance survey.

1. Q: I live in Negishi but work on Yokosuka. Can I complete a survey?
A: Yes. Employees who work on Yokosuka or Ikego (regardless of their residence location) can complete a survey).

2. Q: Both my spouse and I work on Yokosuka and draw post allowance. Should both of us complete a survey?
A: Only 1 of you should complete a survey to represent the entire household's living pattern.

3. Q: How am I supposed to answer Question #7 - "Outlets"?
A: This question is asking where you shop off base for each of the listed consumer goods and services. Do not list any facilities on base.

4. Q: For question 7, under the column entitled "Currency", what do I list in there? Do I list the amount that I paid for that type of item?
A: Question 7 column "Currency" asks for the type of currency that you use when you shop for the consumer good off base. For example, if you purchase Meats off base primarily at Daiei and secondary at Aeon, you would list "Yen" in the currency column since you spend Yen at either your Primary our Secondary outlet.

5. Q: Question 8b: What happens if I state that I shop off base a percentage of time for a consumer good such as "meat - 30%", yet I fail to list an off base location in question 7?
A: Please be sure to check your survey carefully. We hope that a person who states that they purchase a consumer good such as meat off base 30% of the time in question 8b, will have at least a primary outlet to show where they shop for meat off base in question 7. However, if a survey is sent in as such, the survey will be accepted as is.

6. Q: What if I do not want to turn in a survey?
A: Survey participation is voluntary but highly encouraged. In order for the Dept of State to accept survey results, an aggregate of 67% of the total survey population must turn in surveys.

7. Q: What is the period of time that I am supposed to use when developing answers to the survey? Is it over the past month or year?
A: Your answers should be based on what your normal spending patterns are for the locations that you shop at. A “normal” shopping pattern is what you personally feel that best represents what you and your family use.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOUR COMMAND:

Command Name POC

DLA DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITY Wayne Mattingly
DLA Troop Support Pacific Allen Leach
SPAWAR Wanda Nishida
DODDS Jennifer Birkhead
DECA Daniel (Dan) Smith
NEX Dennis Bael
MWR NAFI Linda Briscoe-Turner
NAVY COLLEGE Jon Way
NCIS Scott Baird
ARMY CORPS OF ENGRS Dean Tom
COMSUBPAC (CSG-7) Medea Outing
TSC WEST SAN DIEGO Mike Kemp
COMAFLOATRAGRUPAC Mike Kemp
RLSO JAPAN Gerald Sauls
NLSO PACIFIC Lea Barcega
USNH Tammy Mason
FLC YOKOSUKA Jon Metcalfe
NAVFAC FE Burvis Robinson
PSD YOKOSUKA CPO Louis Saldana
COMFLEACT YOKOSUKA Patsy Bell
COMNAVREG JAPAN Dean Tom
COMNAVFOR JAPAN Dean Tom
NCTS FE Mie Yamamoto
NAVOCEANASWECEN Dean Tom
NMAWC DET YOKOSUKA Andrew Arena
TACTRAGRU PAC William Rossi
ATG WESTPAC Mike Kemp
NAVSHIPREPAIR FAC (PSNS) Andrew Walker
US NAV SHIP REPAIR FAC John McCray
CENSURFCOMBATSYS DET Dean Tom

I just got a print out of the new PA for the different areas in Japan and Yokosuka was listed as 42%. It was 60% when I got here in September and dropped to fifty now to 42%. I would like to know where the 30% number came from.

I would like to know where the 30% number came from.

I believe he may be referring to the number, percentage rather, of surveys that have been turned in.

We are currently set at 30 points below Tokyo as a default because there weren't enough responses on the last survey to justify Yokosuka having it's own standalone rating.

If people are just too lazy to submit a survey, perhaps we don't deserve the additional entitlement. Everyone in Yokosuka likes to complain with no action and I see this as a continuation of the same.

Of course, when we drop lower, the same people who didn't submit will be the ones on the "Rant and Rave" section crying about how unfair it is.

@amy...that makes more sense. I would LOVE to fill one out but teachers are not allowed to even though we get PA. I have been wondering why but when I filled it out and tried to submit it, I was told that it was not for us...

@ Jennybean
In the response above there is a POC listed for DODDS

DODDS Jennifer Birkhead
Please contact her and get those survey's sent in.

This survey does not take very long. I think it took me about 20 minutes and it could mean a great deal of money.

lol, y'all gonna fall into the same trap that happened to us back in '96 or so. The yen rate had been running around 110 and suddenly it plunged to near 80. Naturally, we expected our COLA to go up, or whatever that allowance is that fluctuates with the exchange rate. Instead, it plunged to near zero. Everyone was outraged & astonished! There was such an uproar in the community that they flew some bigwig out from Washington to hold a town meeting at Benny Decker on the matter.

So it turns out the reason that COLA dropped was because they did one of these surveys just when the dollar was at its lowest. And the survey basically asks how much you shop off base. Naturally, no one was shopping off base much at that moment cuz no one could afford it. So the number crunchers in DC decided that if no one was shopping off base, then naturally we didn't need COLA since the purpose of COLA is to help you afford the cost of living off base. It was the ultimate Catch-22.

Just a word of experience from one who has been there. Be careful how you answer these things.

At that town hall, I remember one great question from a Navy wife after we had gotten this roundabout explanation. She asked the guy: "Where did you buy your suit? At Nordstrom or Mervyn's?" He said: "I assure you, I don't shop at Nordstrom." So of course she replies: "If you don't shop at Nordstrom, the US government should reduce your pay. Cuz that's exactly what you're saying to us!"

God bless Navy wives! :-)

@ Tricia,

I filled the whole thing out and took it to our secretary and was told that it was for the staff but NOT teachers. I don't understand that because we get PA too...I want to fill it out because we do shop off base and we do NOT want the the rate to keep going down.

Jenny, I would ask the secretary "Who says teachers don't fill this out?" And ask for a reference from that person. If you're getting PA, it's absurd that you should be excluded from the survey.

Posted By Orthomom on 03-20-2012 9:00 AM
We would happily complete the survey but the commands are not making it known who to contact or how to get the survey. You would think that in this day and age they could make a web site for the survey and not go the old fashioned route. CFAY's facebook page talks about it a good bit yet when several people asked where to get the survey, they never responded.

This is the exact reason why I posted. Just as suspected, most folks don't even know about this. Trying to spread the word out as much as possible. Sharing the post of Facebook is one way and this was just another so do appreciate the feedback.

This survey is conducted out of Atsugi. If your HR/Personnel Office isn't helping you, you can get the survey directly from the source at 264-3422. Here is a portion of the email I received from my HR (I left the gentleman's name and email addy out):

"All USCS employees,

I'm sure you have noticed that our Yokosuka Post Allowance is 10% less than
any other base/post in Japan.  The main reason is due to lack of
participation in the last Post Allowance Survey conducted over 10 years ago.
Due to the lack of completion we/Yokosuka were linked to Tokyo and set 3
levels/30% below.  This 10% disparity equates to a greater than $200.00 less
Post Allowance each month.

Please help disseminate this to the USCS workforce.  It is important that as
many people participate as possible

The following was on the CFAY Face book:

All Federal Employees stationed in Yokosuka or Ikego who are receiving Post
Allowance are asked to complete a post allowance survey (Form DS-1996 Living
Pattern Questionnaire dated September 2007.) 

The survey will be conducted in the month of March and will determine the
living patterns of the federal workforce to ensure that the proper level of
Post Allowance is provided to employees.

To obtain the form and instructions for its completion and turn-in , contact
your command HR Liaison or at 264-3422."

Posted By Jennybean on 03-21-2012 5:58 AM
@ Tricia,

I filled the whole thing out and took it to our secretary and was told that it was for the staff but NOT teachers. I don't understand that because we get PA too...I want to fill it out because we do shop off base and we do NOT want the the rate to keep going down.

I posted the contact number above and they should be able to give the details in full and who is and not eligible. We are told that all civilians are eligible and not just USCS employees. 

Posted By Tricia on 03-20-2012 9:42 PM
@ Jennybean
In the response above there is a POC listed for DODDS

DODDS Jennifer Birkhead
Please contact her and get those survey's sent in.

This survey does not take very long. I think it took me about 20 minutes and it could mean a great deal of money.

That is so true! 20 minutes tops! Turn them in and lets be brought to speed with the rest of the bases!!!

Posted By Jennybean on 03-21-2012 5:58 AM
@ Tricia,

I filled the whole thing out and took it to our secretary and was told that it was for the staff but NOT teachers. I don't understand that because we get PA too...I want to fill it out because we do shop off base and we do NOT want the the rate to keep going down.

Tricia,
Here's an update. I just got off of the phone with the gentleman at 264-3422. DoDDs teachers are eligible as long as you are full-time. Basically, since you are receiving PAL, you are eligible. He said people that are left in the dark can contact him directly and he will assist you. He did also mention that "anyone receiving PAL is eligible for this survey."

we went from active duty to Civ and the change from Cola to PAL is sickening.
My husband and I sat and filled it out together so we did not miss anything.

Dave, thanks for keeping this post going and spreading the word. I hate survey's but love money so love won and the survey is done and submitted.