Action Line: COLA surveys

  • Published
  • By Col. Jay B. Silveria
  • 48th Fighter Wing commander
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  
COMPLAINT:

In the year and a half that I have lived in the UK, I have only seen and completed a COLA survey for utilities. However, myself and others have
noticed that compared to our experiences at other overseas duty stations (such as Kadena), we have not seen an annual or bi-annual COLA survey for general expenses such as groceries, clothing, etc.

Is a survey for these types of expenses forthcoming?


RESPONSE:

The Cost of Living index is based on data furnished by uniformed members assigned to each overseas location. The Per Diem, Travel and Transportation Allowance Committee uses two surveys to determine the relative cost of living: a Living Pattern Survey and a Retail Price Schedule.

The Joint Federal Travel Regulation dictates how often the Living Pattern Survey (LPS) is conducted, which currently is every three years. The LPS is required to determine where service members shop and how they allocate their purchases between local market and U.S. Government shopping facilities. The most recent LPS for Lakenheath was completed in Oct. 09, with 584 people taking the survey. The LPS was advertised through wing staff meetings, the Commander's Access Channel and e-mail distribution through Commanders and First Sergeants.

The Retail Price Schedule (RPS) is conducted annually in October, but is not actually a survey. Instead, it is a report that records actual prices for a
market basket of goods and services at an overseas location. This RPS is handled by a few people at Lakenheath every year as it does not require the base population's inputs.

Thanks for your concern and willingness to ensure everyone gets the appropriate Cost of Living Adjustment in the Liberty Wing. The annual utility expenses survey should be coming down in April or May, and this year's will also include a move-in expenses survey. I thank you in advance for your inputs, and be sure to ask your Commander or First Sergeant for more information once it is advertised publicly.

For further information, please refer to http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/faqcola.html