Posted on 12/13/2013 5:39:14 PM PST by ReaganCowboy
the problem with govt pensions isn’t the military pensions... it’s all the govt employees with 6-figure salaries that retire after 15 yrs to 6-figure pensions (a CA lifeguard w/ $200k pension comes to mind)... only to grab another gig and start building another.
of course, when budget cuts come... the very first place the big govt type aim at is military and military pensios
Thank you for your service.
I have even more contempt for the gangsters in DC.
If that were possible.
Very good essay!
i just returned this evening from ft benning. said good bye to my son at his infantry graduation. pray for him please.
Thank you...I served 21 years on active duty and retired as an Major, after working my way up the enlisted ranks. My pension (before takes and deductions) is about $3,000 a month. I consider it quite generous and I am eternally grateful for my opportunity to serve and the benefits I’ve received.
By comparison, Lois Lerner spent 34 years working for the government. She never had to pass PT tests, lead men and women in combat, or meet exacting standards for personal conduct. Instead, she devoted most of her time to advancing political agendas and persecuting individuals who had opposing views. Much of her conduct was criminal and she should be in federal prison. Instead, she retired as a senior civil service employee earlier this year...her annual pension: $110,000 a year, and with far better health care benefits.
But it’s military retirees who are breaking the bank, you understand.
First, the pace of operations the past twelve years has been ridiculous. The size of the force that would be necessary to maintain the kind of expeditionary forces we have fielded would be three to five times the size of our military. The planners anticipated the need we have had, and decided to squeeze the regular, reserve and guard units, instead of put the actual cost of the wars to the Congress.
But, if we can think of the military experience apart from the strain imposed by the recent pace of operations, its a good deal, albeit with pluses and minuses. The writer dwells on the negatives. But, what about not having to contribute to the cost of your health insurance or to your pension plan, like us PFCs; and, being able to retire after twenty years? The proof that, everything considered, it’s a good deal is to be found in recruitment and retention.
Now, with regard to promotion, the military has its reasons for recruiting more junior officers than it will probably need as senior officers down the road ten to twenty to thirty years. A consequence of this is that there normally is an “up or out” policy. What is unfair about this “up or out” policy is that if you’re forced out, you lose what would have been your equity in your retirement plan. Over in the private sector, companies have to fund their pensions and the pension vests to the employee. But, in federal service, you have an unfunded pension that just goes away if you’re in for, say, twelve years and then forced out. This can and should be addressed.
Another item that can and should be addressed is allowing those retirees and others who qualify for medical care, to receive a voucher for private health insurance so they’re not tethered to certain medical facilities. I realize many vets prefer their VA medical facilities to dealing with the private sector for health care, so I wouldn’t just make a 100 percent conversion. But, I would develop an option for those currently in the system.
I only have two words: Thank you!
My family’s military service to the republic date back to the Revolutionary War and include a stint of body guard duty for a general named Washington. Was given a nice piece of land on the south bank of Potomac River near Mt Vernon as a reminder. The Civil War almost wiped the family out; we wore both Blue and Grey.
Among our papers are hand written litters from Wilson and FDR directing male members NOT to accept wartime commissions because they were performing critical duties for the Federal Government. There is also a “Short Snorter” Silver Certificate from mid 1942 with Recife and Dakar on it.
I was the last to serve the Republic in a military capacity, career AF with the majority of it spent in SpecOps. When my son wanted to join in the late 1990’s I did everything I could to convince him not to, the writing was already clearly on the walls. I was successful. And everything I have seen since then tells the two of us we made the right choice.
The Republic can not long stand when its civilian leaders, such as they are, refuse to be honorable men and live up their and their predecessors promises to those who stood on the walls defending them.
I think you will appreciate this perspective ping!
One side of my family prior to my generation was on both sides of WWII, European part of war .
Naturally after the war they could see each other again, the ones who made it.
When they start taking down crosses and nativity scenes, and letting homosexuals in, and putting women on the frontline, its time to just stop your kids signing up.
If there was a draft tomorrow, what would you do? Make sure your kid was hidden, or let him go to war for a TOTUS who lives by the codes of Lenin, to get shot and killed because his overwatch was applying lipstick, then have him buried in some dank little grave site with a totally 100% secular obelisk that just bears a number rather than a name?
That’s the future.
My family all wore Grey. We were pre Revolution settlers to boot, just went west. Whatever that means today. I hate to say but I think we may all be scr*wed.
Thank you for the service by the way. Though I guess right now you must wonder why you bothered. America has declined faster than anyone predicted. I mean... Obama... president?
Tell the government they’d better start recruiting illegal aliens as no one else capable of critical thought would fight or die for the corrupt controlling ruling class in D.C.
But welfare and all the countless other government giveaways remain intact?
Obamaphones remain but our valiant veterans get stiffed on their retirement?
Dishonorable, disgusting and delusional.
Excellent essay.
My ancestors served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, WWI and WWII, Korea, and Vietnsm. My dad served 31 yrs in the Air Force, my husband 21 yrs in the Navy, and I served 20 yrs in the Air Force. My stepson now serves in the Air Force and just was selected for staff sgt. I am proud of serving, and it was an honor to medically support our nation’s finest & their dependents. But I do not want my stepson to make it a career, that is for certain. And I have to let him make that decision. The military is NOT the same, and our country is in its final days like Rome. Its time for my family to take care of itself and not waste tears on what is left behind. I believe we are living in the endtimes. Nuff said....
Thank you brother, for your service. Our political leaders have let us down.
I know exactly how you feel.
Thank you for posting. You’re right on so many levels.
“My wife...who gave up a career of her own to be my support system...”
THIS part sucks. I am watching this play out with my little bro. Georgia, Colorado, Iraq, S Carolina, Iraq...
He’s got a girlfriend. Very, very smart. She has a career. I understand why they haven’t married.
So does he get out and live off of her, or does he stay in and never have kids...
The whole thing sucks.
The DRAFT will be back....mark my words, and GIRLS will be included!!
“...I’ve been shot at, had grenades throw at me, had a pistol put to my head, seen a SCUD missile blow up overhead and it’s wreckage land a quarter-mile away, and been in two riots, one of which required getting helicopter gunships cover my escape ...”
... and that was just North Philly on a typical Friday night in summer...
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