Cut in military pensions reconsidered

Under intense pressure from veterans’ groups, members of Congress are pledging to revisit a controversial provision of the weeks-old federal budget that would reduce pension payments for younger military retirees.

The cuts to military pensions quickly emerged as the most contentious aspect of the two-year budget passed by Congress late last month. Since then, lawmakers have introduced a slew of proposals to reduce or reverse cuts that outraged veterans’ groups and active duty military personnel.

“If they want to deter people from making the military their career, they are on the right track,” said Thomas Lussier, public relations officer for the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Maine.

The two-year budget deal was touted by lawmakers from both parties as an important, if modest, first step toward avoiding another government shutdown and restoring a semblance of “regular order” to the federal budgeting process.

The deal reduced sequestration spending cuts imposed in March by $63 billion, in part by trimming annual cost-of-living adjustments for younger military retirees. Under the plan, working-age retirees and some disabled vets would receive a one-percentage-point reduction in their cost-of-living adjustments until age 62. Upon turning 62, their pensions would jump to what they would have been without the yearly reductions.

An estimated 800,000 people are affected, but the changes are not set to begin until January 2016, so lawmakers have time to work on an alternative plan.

Three members of Maine’s congressional delegation – Republican Sen. Susan Collins, independent Sen. Angus King and Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud – said they opposed the military pension changes but voted for the budget compromise to avert a government shutdown. Each one has signed onto legislation seeking to restore the full cost-of-living adjustments for military retirees.

“Some of these people who are going to be affected are people who deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan four or five times and have really paid their dues,” said Brodeur, an Air Force retiree who would not be affected by the changes because he is older than 62. The opposition from veterans and active-duty personnel was so strong that many lawmakers pledged to revisit the issue even as they voted in support of the budget deal. “It has no impact on me at all, but in the military we are a team,” said Ham, who is 71. And as members of a team, he said, veterans never want to see changes that hurt those who followed. Lussier, the public relations officer for the VFW in Maine, said the budget vote will be the No. 1 topic of conversation when VFW members from around the country visit their representatives on Capitol Hill this winter during a conference. Lussier said it is often harder to undo a policy shift than it is to make the original shift, but veterans organizations aren’t likely to let Congress to “kick the can down the road forever.” “We’re not going to forget about it,” he said.

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This article from Maine speaks to a very important development of the firestorm that has arisen since military retiree pensions (including widows and disabled veterans) were cut by Congress and signed by Obama.

And that is this: I do not believe that Washington DC realized that the opposition against screwing over these few Americans (less than 1% serve in the military) would generate any light or heat. Washington is used to dictating to lowly service members to do their bidding (whether it is more diversity training, swallowing horrible social policy, etc), and getting zero push back.

This cut, which saves chump change to the Federal government $6 Billion over ten years while our government spends $10.46 per day) has stirred up a hornets nest of justifiable outrage. It has also highlighted a wonder thing: military members, military families, supporters of the military, disabled veterans, and patriots stick together. Congress is realizing they just didn't pick a fight with the few, they picked a fight with millions of Americans.

The budget must be cut, but not on the backs of those who have given more to this nation than millions of takers who do nothing but ask for more free stuff.

The article also mentioned there were GOP efforts to undo the cuts in the Senate, but failed to mention that Sen Session's amendment would have replaced the cuts 7 times over by eliminating the loophole that allows illegal aliens to claim child tax credits they do not deserve to the tune of $4.2 Billion per year.

Almost all the media article hide this fact. They also speak towards alleviating the cuts to disabled veterans. This is not entirely true - the provision will only cover those military who retired early. God bless that bunch, some were combat injured, but many were not. The provision does not help the military member who was injured and served the regular 20 years and now has a VA disability rating (even a 100% rating). Those military retirees will see their pensions cut, period.

Hagel wants any exemption to be as narrow as possible, because he has plans for much bigger cuts down the road.

This is only the beginning: Lawrence Korb (a truly horrible man who is paid by the Center for American Progress - a George Soros front organization) is all over the medial spreading half truths and lies. The left is in an open war to not only take from military pensions, but to destroy the military healthcare system.

Should lawmakers repeal cuts to military pensions?

Korb is also a member of the Honorary Board of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, an organization dedicated to ending discrimination against gay and lesbian people serving in the U.S. military, and to repealing the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy. Korb also serves on Military Advisor Committee for Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, whose aim is to redirect 15% of the military's budget to social programs like education, healthcare, job training, humanitarian relief, renewable energies and reducing the deficit.

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