Debt-to-Income Ratio for Sea Duty?

[osdad]

OPNAVINST 1740.5B says members will be approved for overseas orders if DTI <30%.

Question for you old salts:

Is "overseas duty" the same as "sea duty"? Meaning, is being stationed in Naples the same as being assigned to the USS Alwaysunderway?

If not, is a sailor (E4) prohibited from going to sea by his DTI ratio being >30%?

Also, not to sea-lawyer this too much, but 1740.5B says "will be approved" ...it doesn't say anything about being denied. Is there a process to have this waived? Anyone know what this might be?

 

[Navy1981]

Overseas duty is not the same as shipboard duty.

As far as the DTI ratio being used as a factor in deciding if a sailor is eligible for overseas duty, the process isn't as formal as the OPNAV makes it sound. I've have had sailors arrive at my command with severe debt problems that were not discovered until a few months after checking onboard. The sailor is required to complete and overseas screening package that includes medical, dental as well as financial suitability. Unfortunately, a majority of that paperwork is completed by the sailor; so the command may recommend approval to an overseas assignment because the sailor's financial problems are unknown to them.

The primary reason for having a low DTI is because overseas assignments are inherently more expensive than those within the continental United States (CONUS). And a sailor with existing debt problems is at risk of getting into deeper debt while residing in a foreign country.