TDY
aka Temporary Duty Assignment.
Yes! I got picked to go work overseas for six months. Starting January. In Kuwait. With lots of overtime and pay differential.
No worries though, not going to be on the front lines. I do something much more passive and safe. More with numbers and less with fighting.
The company pays for living expenses and I get a personal trainer to boot! Could be buff when I get back. I’ll continue to update this blog on my personal laptop when I get there but I’m sure my frivolous expenses will drop down close to nil since I will no longer pay for food ‘n stuff. Only necessary expenses will be the condo mortgage. With the overtime and pay differential I should be able to save up quite a nut. Now what to do with it…
ETA: I noticed that I have started one of the goals on my Goals for 2010 (1st Draft). I’ve updated that post to show it and will cross it off once I’m offically done with the TDY. I’m glad that I’m getting a kick-start off my goals for 2010! Also, I think I’ll end up saving the nut for another downpayment on a real estate property. Seems to be a good time to do that since the price range is still rather depressed in my area.
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Wow, what a great opportunity. Hope you have a safe and fun time in Kuwait.
Thanks! I’m hoping to apply for other opportunities in the future to places like Germany and Japan (3 year stints). Kuwait (6 months) will be my first toe dip in the pool of overseas travel.
Hello,
My husband is thinking about going TDY to Kuwait as a civil service worker.. He wants to do it for several reasons. The most important one is the money to him. I tell him to do it for the experience of seeing somewhere you would not otherwise go. He is previous military so he has been some places before but never Kuwait. We are told by him doing this now he will be able to be promoted faster. We just have lots of questions and were wondering if anybody had any real answers like do we have to pay for his plane ticket? We know they will pay per diem and his pay will change a little bit. It would be a great adventure that he would not be able to get otherwise. Anybody else who has gone on this adventure. Please share your thoughts and let us know what you think? We want to be well informed before we make this decision.
I don’t know if your husband’s situation would be the same as mine but I can let you know how it was for me. I didn’t have to pay for the plane tickets, it was covered by my company. In addition, there are multiple DFACs (cafeterias) on base that serve food buffet style and so they don’t provide me with a per diem, I just eat at the DFACs for free. My pay is a bit higher but most of the extra money would be due to overtime and saving on food/rent.
Most people I know that have gone here like it because it is an adventure going to the Middle East. Also, it is not dangerous here so you don’t need to worry about that. In my situation, going to Kuwait definitely helps me in my career and moves me up a bit quicker. Overall I think it was a good idea for me to do it. But it might be a bit different in a family dynamic (although you can still Skype everyday to talk and see each other).