I LOVED Pay Day Activities and not just because it was pay day. We'd only have PDA once a month, the first duty day of the month. Usually, we were required to wear our Class A uniform, the kind of dressy business suit type. We'd have formation and uniform inspection. I didn't like that part so much but it usually went pretty fast. I loved wearing my Class A uniform because it was so girly as opposed to wearing combat boots every day. Our BDU's (battle dress uniform) was the standard duty uniform (shoe-shine boy) so I was ever so happy to have the opportunity to wear heels and a skirt!
I also loved PDA because everyone was in a good mood. People get happy when they get paid, soldiers were no exception. We also got time off, sometimes the whole day, sometimes 1/2 a day or sometimes just a few hours off but any amount of free time was welcomed. The whole premise behind giving soldiers time off on pay day is that they were supposed to take care of their financial obligations --go pay bills. Keep in mind, we didn't have direct deposit so we'd have to go to the bank and if you had German financial obligations such as rent, utilities, etc. you'd have to exchange your American dollars for German marks then go pay your bills in person in cash. So the Army's take on this was that they'd give you the time off to take care of these things so you'd have no excuse for not paying your bills.
The first time I ever got a check from the Army I was surprised because it looked like a tax refund check to me. I didn't realize all government checks looked like that. Some of the guys in the barracks would play pay day poker, which I always found amusing to watch but stupid as ever. They'd play a poker hand with the serial number on their check, winner got all the checks. I told you it was stupid.
What I loved best about PDA was the pay officer. In our barracks, as usually right outside my room door, a small field table would be set up. A finance officer (usually a lieutenant) and a guard (usually a private) would cash your pay check for you. They were both armed, the officer with a 45 on his hip and the private with a M-16. The field table would have stacks and stacks of money --just sitting out in the open. You'd go up to the table, hand them your endorsed check and they'd hand you the cash back. I loved it. I don't even know why I loved it. I guess because it was so different than anything I had ever seen before --money just sitting out like that, not behind a glass or counter or anything. It was kind of comical to me, even now I chuckle as I recall the image of it. The pay officer would stay there until everyone had their checks cashed --he'd then pack up his stuff, the table and left over cash, and head back to the finance office. Oh, I forgot to mention the money would all be stacked into an ammo box, that's how the officer would walk over to the barracks, stacks of cash in an ammo box.
How Army is that?
I also loved PDA because everyone was in a good mood. People get happy when they get paid, soldiers were no exception. We also got time off, sometimes the whole day, sometimes 1/2 a day or sometimes just a few hours off but any amount of free time was welcomed. The whole premise behind giving soldiers time off on pay day is that they were supposed to take care of their financial obligations --go pay bills. Keep in mind, we didn't have direct deposit so we'd have to go to the bank and if you had German financial obligations such as rent, utilities, etc. you'd have to exchange your American dollars for German marks then go pay your bills in person in cash. So the Army's take on this was that they'd give you the time off to take care of these things so you'd have no excuse for not paying your bills.
The first time I ever got a check from the Army I was surprised because it looked like a tax refund check to me. I didn't realize all government checks looked like that. Some of the guys in the barracks would play pay day poker, which I always found amusing to watch but stupid as ever. They'd play a poker hand with the serial number on their check, winner got all the checks. I told you it was stupid.
What I loved best about PDA was the pay officer. In our barracks, as usually right outside my room door, a small field table would be set up. A finance officer (usually a lieutenant) and a guard (usually a private) would cash your pay check for you. They were both armed, the officer with a 45 on his hip and the private with a M-16. The field table would have stacks and stacks of money --just sitting out in the open. You'd go up to the table, hand them your endorsed check and they'd hand you the cash back. I loved it. I don't even know why I loved it. I guess because it was so different than anything I had ever seen before --money just sitting out like that, not behind a glass or counter or anything. It was kind of comical to me, even now I chuckle as I recall the image of it. The pay officer would stay there until everyone had their checks cashed --he'd then pack up his stuff, the table and left over cash, and head back to the finance office. Oh, I forgot to mention the money would all be stacked into an ammo box, that's how the officer would walk over to the barracks, stacks of cash in an ammo box.
How Army is that?
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