prayers up for the neph.
Oh and I will state for the record I recvd combat zone pay when we ported (navy vet here) in the PI because the communist guerillas were acting up in the early 90s and I thought it was a farce - since I have tried to make amends for this fiasco as I felt it was an injustice for what it was intended. However, this boots on the ground denigration of our boys is beyond repulsive.
It should be simple. If your commander says here is a gun, ammo, and you have to wear your helmet and body armor, then you should get combat pay. If you are a pilot and they give you a pistol, ammo, a blood chit, and a much better survival radio than you get in the States, you should get combat pay.