stupid war question

[marbles]

At what point do the soldiers overseas qualify for combat pay? Are they getting paid at this rate right now, or not until they engage the enemy?

In other words, how much money is it costing us to have the guys waiting there? I know it's way, way less than the cost of war, but if war is imminent anyway (as it appears to be), what is the delay itself costing us? Anyone out there have numbers, fuzzy or otherwise?