[SkyPilot]

Paul Ryan told reporters at Politico that Chuck Hagel insisted on the pension cuts, that save a whopping $6 Billion over ten years (our Federal government spends $10.46 Billion per day).

Hagel denied it and suggest Paul Ryan was not telling the truth. Someone is lying. Sen Graham has vowed to find out who is lying (I doubt he will get to the bottom of this).

Ryan is a traitor for agreeing with this "deal." Hagel has tasted blood, and wants more massive cuts in military pay, health care, and retirements.

Also, people should take note that the rhetoric about changing the pension cuts for disabled veterans (following public outrage) is now shifting.

Earlier this week, Sen Murray noted (correctly) that even disabled military retirees have their pensions cut. She vowed to introduce a "technical correction" in January to fix it. Now, her stance has changed.

One part of the retirement cuts in the budget agreement is likely to quickly be altered. Murray said this week that the benefits cuts for veterans who retired for medical reasons were included in the budget deal due to a technical error. Murray said that would be “fixed in short order.”

First of all, very, very few military retirees are able to navigate through the mountains of bureaucracy and get their military retirements for "medical reasons" approved. You can also be medically retired for non-combat injuries or conditions, such as sleep apnea.

Under her proposed "fix", those veterans who have fought the VA for years to get a percentage rating that documents their injuries will still get their pensions cut. Even if you lost a leg in Afghanistan, and got a percentage VA disability, you will lose your full cost-of-living raise under the "fix."

Congress is trying to squash the public outcry by proposing a "fix" that is really just political cover.

[SkyPilot]

Please send to your retired ping list. Thank you jet, and Merry Christmas. God bless.

[maine yankee]

Good strategy.

Threaten the financial security of a group with combat experience.

I seem to remember a large group of vets carrying barricades across the elipse to be thrown down at the white house fence.

And that was for just not letting them visit their memorials.

This will not end well.

[rbg81]

Not one penny in cuts while tens (if not hundreds) of billions of $$ are going to fund illegals.

[vaudine]

Most helpful cut=Hagel. I am betting he ordered all cuts. He is such a tool!

vaudine

[CitizenUSA]

Like I wrote on several threads, the cuts themselves are not the issue.

#1 The budget deal reneged on a full inflation protection promise made to military retirees. It’s one thing to change the terms for future retirees. It’s much worse in my opinion to renege on an agreement after one party, the retirees, have done their part to earn it.

#2 There were no significant cuts to other government programs. Of all the myriad government programs that could be cut, cutting military retiree benefits (after the fact) says something very bad politically about our side.

#3 The pension cut itself did essentially nothing to fund DoD programs or balance the budget.

[Iron Munro]

Democrat politicians and their butt lickers like Hagel are always telling us we are running out of money for the military, for social security, for medicare.

But we never hear them warning that the government is running out of money for welfare, Obama Phones, free medical, housing and schooling for illegals, the EPA, NSA, NEA, pay raises for elected officials, or ObamaCare.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Compensation costs had long been off limits for budget cutters

Yes, how about compensation for civilian government workers, including congressional and white house staffers. The new rich and power elite. Do they deserve a 30% haircut or a 50% cut in total compensation, including converting their pensions and health care to private industry norms? We may be limited in what we can cut for retired federal workers, but we could throw a bone to the left's "soak the rich" crowd by instituting a Federal Cadillac Pension Tax. It would only be 'fair.'

[freeangel]

They can thank Paul Ryan for that stupid pos he called a “compromise”. This will probably lead to the first time(in 2014) that military votes will be counted by the dems.

[excalibur21]

If this is such a good idea, they will start by applying their cost cutting plan to their own benifits first. Otherwise, it’s nothing more than a sham.

[Jet Jaguar]

Active Duty/Retiree ping.

[RetiredArmy]

I told soldiers back in the early 1980s, when they first stopped retirees from using dental care, that one day we would be lucky to have just the retiree check. That the stinking, lying, cheating, government would take everything they ever promised us for our battered and broken bodies away from us and we would be lucky to have the check. I said back then that they would take everything away from us. Man, I should have been a prophet.

[Alas Babylon!]

The whole debate, while noble and true as far as reneging on a promise made to the military retiree, forgets one very important issue:

How are you going to retain the best and brightest that right now, make our military the best in the world?

People (like myself—you too, I’m sure, but I can only speak for myself) who stayed in at least 20 years or more were PROMISED these benefits in lieu of lower pay, hazardous duty, constant moves, not being able to quit, to agree to be punished (up to DEATH) if you don’t do what you are told (orders)...

Now, how are they going to get men to re-enlist if it not worth it?

I would have gotten out after 4 honorable years if there wasn’t those promises. I certainly would not have stayed for 22 years. I saw friends from school build families, lay down roots, acquire homes and property, why I was always a will-o-the-wisp, constantly moving (11 assignments in 22 years). I never owned my own home until I retired. I still owe a lot on my 30 year mortgage and at 55 am not at the end of the mortgage period.

Again, I can’t speak for others, but I would not have stayed in as long. Most of the time it was fun, and I am grateful. I learned to be a man, see the world and was given a lot of responsibility at a young age. Still there were times when it was a REAL pain in the a$$!

The whole thing is penny-wise and pound-foolish. To quote Joe Biden: Retention is a Big F’n Deal! They’ll wind up spending more in the long run.

[meadsjn]

The political arithmetic is simple.

There are 22 Million US veterans, or about seven percent of the population.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, 49.2 percent of Americans received benefits from one or more government programs, according to data ... 151,014,000 beneficiaries equaled 49.2 percent of the population.
Census: 49% of Americans Get Gov’t Benefits; 82M in Households on Medicaid - See more at: http://cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/census-49-americans-get-gov-t-benefits-82m-households-medicaid#sthash.5OcwHXHm.dpuf

Obviously, a political critter (of either stripe) would shamelessly throw away 22 Million votes for the opportunity to get a bigger share of the 151 Million votes.

[DJ Taylor]

Because of this Paul Ryan stab in the back of us military retirees, I’m making no more contributions to the Republican Party. I will only contribute money to and vote for whoever runs against the current Republicans in Congress.

This email is being passed around the military retired community, and I’m now passing it on to you. It sums up what every retiree I know feels about Paul Ryan and this Republican led Congress.

From Chief Master Sergeant Chuck Wooten:

FB Friends,
I’m still mulling this Paul Ryan budget deal that stole money from every military retiree (past, present and future). This morning, upon opening my email, I noticed I had a letter from Congressman Paul Ryan…and it was begging me for an “emergency end of the year donation.” It only proves what we already know. The folks in Washington are indeed clueless. Instead of hitting the delete button, I decided to call Congressman Ryan out on his audacity and lack of self-awareness. I sent the following to him. I’m also posting it on the FB USAF Chiefs page as an open letter to the Congressman. If you’re a retiree, I will tell you we may have lost the battle, but not the war. If you’re inclined and find it worthy, let’s flood social media with this letter and see if we can get some traction. Thanks.

To Congressman Paul Ryan
Today at 8:19 AM
Congressman Ryan,

Please note that this request by you for a cash donation from me is extremely unfortunate and very ill-timed. You see sir, I am one of the military retirees your “bipartisan” budget just impacted. You and every Republican (both in the House and Senate that voted to pass this travesty betrayed and broke trust with me and everyone like me. You may not know us by name, but we’re the people, Congressman, who answered our Nation’s call, some of us at a very early age to willingly serve YOU and others LIKE YOU so you could safely attend college and pursue your personal ambitions without fear of harm.

You might also want to note that for at least 20 years, my brothers-in-arms answered that call of duty EVERY SINGLE DAY, without fail, without complaint, without enough money to sustain our loved ones we had to leave behind while we DID OUR JOB in every corner of the Earth. And for that service, we were given absolute assurance our so-called retirement benefits would be protected by law. The very law you shattered in your zeal to impress your Democratic cohorts in your back room deal—with the enemy. Yes, I said it. The liberal Democrats are an enemy to the American people and our Nation. Your lack of judgement and eagerness to compromise on the backs of us who protected you is sickening. Congressman, you and every Republican that voted for injuring military retirees have engaged in a complicit, sordid affair with the Democrats who’s objective has always been to dismantle the military. By climbing into their bed on this issue, you have confirmed you are absolutely no better than they and have proven it with your vote.

Congressman Ryan, the audacity which you display is noteworthy, but to unceremoniously snatch earned money from a small group that has added so much more value than the paltry $6B you looked to “save” (which is all smoke and mirrors and you know it), is reprehensible and insulting.

We have, despite the hardships, meager salaries and harsh conditions, have performed with honor and excellence…in silence, which is something most members of Congress have no idea about doing. Our job approval was, is and always be better than yours. We knew our mission and we got it done, then handed it off to a new generation in better shape than we found it.

Your ability to look us in the eye, take money from us (apparently there was ZERO, other source of waste within the federal government that you could have recovered this money from…right, got it), while simultaneously holding your hand out to beg (with passion) for our cash is stunning. Your actions have proven you do not have the tremendous intellect you’ve sold the American people on. I say, with all seriousness, Congressman, what you lack in intellect and spinal rigidity, you make up for in cajones.

I hope you and your cowardly, Republican “colleagues” hear a message from me loud and clear. You will NEVER receive another cent of financial support from me. Further, if you happen to be at a Capitol Hill dinner or at a K Street cocktail party with RNC Chair Reince Priebus, Rep. Ron Barber, Sen. Jeff Flake or Sen. John McCain, I would be honored if you communicate with them that I am launching an effort to ensure NONE of you traitorous “representatives of the people” ever receive another vote from a military retiree. Remove me from your contact lists.

Chuck Wooten,
Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret)

[RKBA Democrat]

“Congress is trying to squash the public outcry by proposing a “fix” that is really just political cover.”

Truer words have not been spoken.

[Poundstone]

Compensation is already eating up half of the DOD budget. We can’t continue the status quo. The COLA reduction for retirees able to work is qyite small. Seems like a sensible reform.