“the retirement was a big part of why I stayed in”
That’s the problem. Too many people serve their country for what it does for them.
If we had a vibrant private sector we could, perhaps, pay “selfless” patriots like you everything they want.
But we don’t. And we can’t.
Get mad at me all you want. It changes nothing. We’re broke.
“Too many people serve their country for what it does for them.”
A man who doesn’t look at what happens to his family is a man who isn’t worth squat. Yes, I looked at the total cost/benefit, including the possibility of retirement - assuming I lived that long. My last combat tour was at 49 - the age my Dad died in Vietnam. Like him, I had the option of retiring instead of going into combat, and this self-serving greedy bastard WENT, like my Dad before me. Unlike my Dad, I also came home!
“It changes nothing. We’re broke.”
No, we are not. We are spending money on things like Obamaphones, or tax rebates for people who never paid taxes. We are giving endless jobless benefits. We are shelling out uncounted billions in disability fraud. We gave vastly more money to GM in the bailout, supported by the GOP & Democrats alike, then we will ‘save’ by cutting the retirement benefits of the military. But then, government, democrats and the GOP-E like the UAW, and hate the military. As do some Freepers.
I’m still waiting to hear what good things you think Congress will do with this $600 million/year ‘savings’...
So enlighten us then. Do you work for free? I bet you Ryan and Murray believe they earn every darn cent and perk they get plus more. Now what do they risk personally? Nothing but perhaps returning to heaven forbid a corporate job requiring work.
Again those serving in the military especially in the enlisted ranks do so at a far less wages per hours worked than any civilian government employee. Name me even one federal agency that has been cut to anywhere near the extent the military has in active service has been cut since 1989. Name me even one agency that has been cut. It takes what twenty years vested time to draw retirement in the armed services? Some civilian jobs offer better. Or again I ask you are those in the military who retired are they actually retired? NO! Can the EPA for example by federal law call back it's retirees on an involuntary basis? No! No existing federal agency can do that.
When an armed forces member retires they have choice A or B. Choice A is to accept retirement under condition of a reservist status. Choice B is to simply get out with no compensation. How many federal workers do you see putting in twenty years with no compensation to follow?
If you start removing what little incentive that is left to remain in the armed forces for twenty years you destroy an essential part of military readiness. NCO's are a must for the services to function effectively. They have the knowledge and experience to not only do needed task but to train and lead others as well. This isn't corporate America where you can hire off the streets for those skills.
You want to talk cost? Jimmy Carter was paying $18K plus next rank reenlistment bonuses. That was just to keep a warm body there. Why? Because conditions and pay got so bad even lifers were leaving. It hurt the services substantially.
“Levin initially told reporters Tuesday that he would back Ayotte’s bill, providing a big boost to the effort to reverse the military retiree cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) reduction included in the last month’s budget deal.
But a Levin aide said that the Armed Services chairman endorsed Ayotte’s bill before realizing that it restored the cuts by preventing illegal immigrants from claiming a child tax credit.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3109428/posts