I couldn't believe it myself when I first heard, so did some digging.
The people now in charge of ASA have no empathy for other human beings.
These trainees will be six months behind where they were told they would be financially. Makes a difference at the end of your career.
They are not being forced to be on $35k for an extra six months, but really being denied six months pay on whatever they are on at the end of their career.
The bureaucrats running this place simply don't give a stuff about these people.