But stripping pay and benefits from those who have already served is, at least, unethical. Congress has done so for at least 50 years. Never have COLA adjustments met inflation. Benefits have diminished year by year.
Trying to start a new occupation at 45 or even get a job at 75 can prove impossible for many without civilian skills.
I agree. I don't believe people who are promised pensions should find their pensions cut after they retire or when they're preparing to retire.
I went into retirement and found out the paradigm...
“If you aren't a doctor, lawyer, or accountant or someone with cyber skills (excludes grunts all around), it was "What can you sell?”
23 year infantry careers don't prepare you for sales... You have to re-invent yourself and become someone that people “like”... You are too serious and regardless of how hard you try “sucking up” to get a sale and a commission you still scare people.
I found a place but it took years and I ended up back working with the military. The fact that you become a professional at managing violence just doesn't read well on a civilian resume so you word it to conform and still end up in sales. Bottom line... without a good retirement benefit a military career is not worth the sacrifice. Once your uniform is off you are just another guy starting at the bottom of the food chain only you are middle aged.
What is so outrageous about the Ryan-Murray "deal" is that future Federal employees have to contribute more to the pensions, but for military, they reached back to veterans who retired years ago. This is nothing but a 20% tax on those Americans who have given the most to this nation.