Posted on 04/14/2014 9:52:56 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
What started as a hard-charging Marine comment to Congress has turned into a public relations emergency for Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett.
Speaking to the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel on Wednesday, Barrett was making the case that personnel costs needed to be reined in to maintain readiness — as all the services have in recent testimony — but went a step further by saying that lower pay would actually improve discipline within the Corps.
“I truly believe it will raise discipline,” Barrett said. “You’ll have better spending habits. You won’t be so wasteful.”
(snip)
Barrett wrote in his open letter to Marines, posted on usmc.mil on Monday, that his comments were miscontrued.
“Recent reporting of my testimony may have left you with a mistaken impression that I don’t care about your quality of life and that I support lower pay for servicemembers. This is not true,” he wrote.
“Nobody wants less,” Barrett continued. “But if we don’t slow the growth of our hard-earned generous compensation/benefit entitlements that we have enjoyed over the past decade, we don’t have sufficient dollars for what we need — investment in our warfighting capabilities and our wonderful Marine and family care programs.”
(Excerpt) Read more at stripes.com ...
Its amazing how many of the senior military leaders push socialist agendas.
Yes, enlisted personnel on food stamps is a moral booster.
lol
Yeah, like how wasteful can someone be, who is getting $17,000/year or whatever the boots get? For working FULL TIME. Instead of sitting around collecting benefits for years on end....How about we take some money away from the freeloaders and give it to the young Marines?
Let's see him put his money where his mouth is.
Chart reflects Basic Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits. Learn about
total Army compensation.
|
Rank
|
<2 Years Experience | 4 Years Experience | 6 Years Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private (E1) | $18,378** | — | — |
| Private (E2) | $20,602.80 | $20,602.80 | $20,602.80 |
| Private First Class(E3) | $21,664.80 | $24,418.80 | $24,418.80 |
| Specialist or Corporal (E4) | $23,994 | $27,936 | $29,127.60 |
| Sergeant (E5) | $26,172 | $30,661.20 | $32,814 |
| Staff Sergeant (E6) | $28,569.60 | $34,171.20 | $35,578.80 |
*Based on 2014 pay tables.
**Pay for Private (E1) will be slightly lower for the first four months of service.
Chart reflects Basic Pay only and does not include bonuses, allowances and other benefits. Learn about
total Army compensation.
|
Rank
|
<2 Years Experience | 4 Years Experience | 6 Years Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second Lieutenant (O1) | $34,862.40 | $43,866 | $43,866 |
| First Lieutenant (O2) | $40,165.20 | $54,464.40 | $55,587.60 |
| Captain (O3) | $46,486.80 | $62,013.60 | $64,983.60 |
| Major (O4) |
$52,869.60 |
$66,196.80 |
$69,987.60 |
*Based on 2014 pay tables.
http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/portals/61/Docs/SMMC_letter_to_Marines1.pdf
I’d guess he has around 26 years in Service for an E-9 (highest enlisted grade). If so his base pay would be about $6,500/month. An O-3 with no prior service would be making about $4,800/month.
:: “I truly believe it will raise discipline,” Barrett said. “You’ll have better spending habits. You won’t be so wasteful.” ::
Socialism.
AKA: I have a position of influence! Do as I think you should be doing [insert “for the good of...” comment here].
Here is something I hope someone in Congress will try:
Introduce the Barrett Theory Test Bill the purpose of which will be to test Barrett’s theory that people will be more disciplined in their spending habits if they have less money. That bill will have the following provisions:
1. The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps’ pay will be cut 10% immediately.
2. The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps must report his daily spending and borrowing to Congress on a quarterly basis.
Let’s see how much discipline a 10% reduction in his income will make him.
My prediction is the maggot will retire rather than take a cut in pay.
Did he really write “to serve an idea”????
This SMMC must summarily resign for lack of intelligence.
Let’s see him put his money where his mouth is.
Well in fairness, he did put his money where his mouth was when he was a low E-1 and survived.
“Anyone know what an E-10 (or whatever his rank is) makes per month? My guess is that it’s a whole lot more than what an E-4 makes.And maybe even more than an O-3 makes. “
No such thing as an E10.
Talk about using your moral position to kill moral.
And where does he get off unilaterally declaring that Marines are wasteful?
This jackass should be fired.
Classic Blue Falcon.
again this is a case of rejecting his premises of wastefulness and such.
Yes, and he, of all people should know better. It's hardly FAIR to use your position to push an administration agenda that negatively impacts the very force you are charged to protect as its senior non-commissioned officer. It's NOT all about him and his precious opinion that supports an agenda driven effort to weaken our military.
So, if he's all concerned, he can make out a fat check to the US Treasury as a refund for services rendered and lead the way for his fellow Marines to follow. Otherwise, the SGM needs to STFU and get back to work doing what he's payed handsomely to do in his prestigous position.
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