Be careful of what you wish for....you are receiving field conditions because you are on a pre-deployment exercise. LSSA is not a factor, you receive this regardless, your LOA will be exercise rates. The fact you have access to a phone in the first place is a bonus. Although not a JPA guru or even an adminer, my understanding is that incuded in exercise rates of LOA is "an amount" to allow for calls home. It could be worse, if they had gone hard over and issued an Operational Welfare Package you would be getting nothing but LSSA. Finally, remember, as you sit in your airconditioned room with cable at the southern end of Craycroft Rd, the remainder of the CE troops are nowhere nearly as well off as you. JOINT Helicopter Command.