Just When You Thought You Heard It All, Pay Cuts Suggested Updated 6/14/11

[bdpreece]

Originally Posted by powerboatr

nope because the new reduction in force program is cutting mid level troops to bare bones
e5-e7 have their heads on the block just waiting for the axe.
number one son with 15 years just got the "we are sorry you cannot re-enlist at this time letter"

we did the same thing in the mid 80's with op upgrade that culled the field pretty sharply in the navy
if you had sneezed during quarters you were not allowed to re-up.

made a terrible gap in mid level leadership

and we were deployed less than the troops are now

5 war fronts now.....geez are we to tell troops its not to worry you can just stay deployed and we will cut your pay.

when i was a e3-and e4 and 35 it was hard living.....we qualled for food stamps as well and WIC, but were to proud to take them.
now we will be forcing troops to the free trough piggy teet.

next is us retirees and 100% disabled folks.....

I commend your son if he was willing to re up. The question is if they had already cut compensation and benefits would he have even considered re upping if he has a family to support? Is it supposed to be God, Country, Family or God Family, Country? I would never let my family or my country down but my family will come first especially if I were a volunteer.

[USMC_Wife]

[QUOTE=MHingFun;875148]Exactly, but I don't think it was off-topic, only responding to the several previous posts that had specifically talked about equating military pay to senatorial/congressional pay.[/QI

I apologize, must have overlooked those post

I was debating whether to suggest which areas need to be cut as far as spending goes, it is definitely a sticky subject but I am very conservative as it pertains to my views. I think we need to restructure our social welfare programs. For instance the law that was just passed in Florida requiring drug test for welfare should be a requirement for all states. Also, a work for welfare program which is a program that requires recipients of welfare to take minimum wage positions like working fields and other agricultural jobs that "Americans don't want" I think both these programs would make a huge dent in the debt caused by welfare.

I also support privatizing social security within guidelines to allow people to invest their own money with guidance. Obviously there needs to be a age cutoff to protect those who are already close to retirement, but this would do away with one of the most costly programs in America.

I know it's obviously more complicated than what I just spelled out but, I think it can be done and more importantly it would avoid stealing the hard earned money our troops deserve and it would cause those who are taking advantage of the system to get off their a$$es!

[GPW]

Support our troops and ex troops !!!!!!!!!!! ... You don't see any politicians running into a fire fight eh ... remember when the Kings would lead the charge ... Not anymore ... Vote those Bums out !!! (sorry, not meaning to be political , but I'm a Vet too... Damn proud of it!!! )

[num1dgh]

Brilliant. That's ridiculous. My niece (husband in Afganistan) was trying to figure out how to buy groceries when they talked about not getting the GI's paychecks cut on time. Difficult to imagine the sacrifices these kids are making and then they have to worry about paychecks to provide for their loved ones back home? Not okay.

[toadswife]

As a current Air Force active duty mbr I can say after 23 yrs svc that its NEVER about $ for me. Serving requires a commitment to our nation, one that I accepted responsibility for long ago. I think a cut in pay is terrible, but so is the $3.50 per day I got paid while in combat. If my pay were cut, I'd continue to serve. Its just what we do and I love knowing I make a positive difference everyday.

[sac1]

All elected and non elected government pay should be cut equally. My retirement pack is better than any citizen could dream about.

[Peppi]

Wake up Cat..... AS LONG AS ITS DONE FAIRLY ! Your talking about our government... They don't understand the meaning of the word fair. Our only hope is a total purging and that will never happen..

[mick]

I suppose Im confused about all this. I spent 6 plus years in the glorious Corps, and I volunteered. I got married in the Corps, had 2 fine children and made 78 dollars a month, plus my wife got 74 a month from the govt. We lived in Calif (it aint cheap there then and it aint cheap there now) .

I worked two part time jobs AFTER MY DAY in the base and still had a hard time. Food stamps? Who dreamed that little welfare scheme up?

When I was sent overseas, my first child was born while I was in Japan. She had to live with her mother cause we sure couldnt afford rent. After returning to statesside, we had it rough, but those where the good ole days, even thought we had to eat corn fritters almost every meal, so our kids could have the right foods.

Compare my pay then to what they get today THEN tell me they are underpaid!!

And before you say it, yea I was there~!!

[MegaRoadie]

To cut military pay is to shoot oneself in the foot, but then we do it every election day when we elect or worse yet re-elect criminals, crooks, lawyers, community planners and corrupt mob bosses to run our congress and the white house.

I did my 21 years, was "Guaranteed free medical for myself and my family for the rest of our lives"; first there was Champus then came Tricare when I go to a dr it costs me 25%, or 20% if I can find one that agrees to the extorted fees the govt demands, thats after paying the first 150 for myself and another 150 for the DW, free my tucas !!! Even prescriptions are NOT free with co-pays and overages for non-formulary meds. Between DW and my monthly prescriptions we pay over 200/month, free my tucas !

I never volunteered to be blown up, burned, shot, stabbed, half crippled, or to do the same or worse to many others, and these thoughts roll over in the mind some nights... but when I was called I went, did what was expected and tried my best to always come home, the bad came along for the ride and life has it's paybacks. I learned to "Ride the Hill" on a gurney at OakKnoll Naval Hospital in Oakland California with the double, triple, and quad amputees, get up at 05:45, and try to make my own bed while blind and badly burned with two tennis racket looking devices on what was left of my hands and skin that split and bled if I even tried to laugh, god help crying as that burned worse than the fires. I got up every morning calling out to the roommate to see if maybe just once one would make it thru the night... my first three weeks were: Grim Reaper 21, returning combatants in arms zero ! Talk about motivation... my DW was 7 months pregnant and she was brought to the receiving area unprepared at 03:00 hrs to walk in and see me black and burned beyond recognition, throwing bedpans to keep people away because I did not want to live blind with no hands or ears, ahhhh yes the fun of it all. And now to be told military will need to take a paycut, we will be paying more for the "Sweet Deal of TriCare" it rubs me in all the wrong places... wow does it rub me wrong !

Especially when we throw away billions on futureistic planes that get scrapped 1 yr from delivery, or millions upon millions to pork barrel projects to keep politician's constituents happy. When we pay 3 or 4 times the agreed to initial price for a new warship because of contractor scams, overruns or plain poor mismanagement... yea I really wanna see a military paycut for helping to support all that... and I get chills thinking of all the boxes of $100.00 bills we gave away to Iraq to help restore their poor war torn country !

But my rant will not see the light of the new day as it will be "political" and deleted... such is life. Please save me from those who know not what must be done to insure their freedoms.

Be safe, enjoy the open road, thank a poorly paid vet for your freedoms...

[USMC_Wife]

Originally Posted by mick

I suppose Im confused about all this. I spent 6 plus years in the glorious Corps, and I volunteered. I got married in the Corps, had 2 fine children and made 78 dollars a month, plus my wife got 74 a month from the govt. We lived in Calif (it aint cheap there then and it aint cheap there now) .

I worked two part time jobs AFTER MY DAY in the base and still had a hard time. Food stamps? Who dreamed that little welfare scheme up?

When I was sent overseas, my first child was born while I was in Japan. She had to live with her mother cause we sure couldnt afford rent. After returning to statesside, we had it rough, but those where the good ole days, even thought we had to eat corn fritters almost every meal, so our kids could have the right foods.

Compare my pay then to what they get today THEN tell me they are underpaid!!

And before you say it, yea I was there~!!

First I would like to thank you for your service! But, you can not compare wages then to wages now simply because of inflation.

Originally Posted by MegaRoadie

To cut military pay is to shoot oneself in the foot, but then we do it every election day when we elect or worse yet re-elect criminals, crooks, lawyers, community planners and corrupt mob bosses to run our congress and the white house.

I did my 21 years, was "Guaranteed free medical for myself and my family for the rest of our lives"; first there was Champus then came Tricare when I go to a dr it costs me 25%, or 20% if I can find one that agrees to the extorted fees the govt demands, thats after paying the first 150 for myself and another 150 for the DW, free my tucas !!! Even prescriptions are NOT free with co-pays and overages for non-formulary meds. Between DW and my monthly prescriptions we pay over 200/month, free my tucas !

I never volunteered to be blown up, burned, shot, stabbed, half crippled, or to do the same or worse to many others, and these thoughts roll over in the mind some nights... but when I was called I went, did what was expected and tried my best to always come home, the bad came along for the ride and life has it's paybacks. I learned to "Ride the Hill" on a gurney at OakKnoll Naval Hospital in Oakland California with the double, triple, and quad amputees, get up at 05:45, and try to make my own bed while blind and badly burned with two tennis racket looking devices on what was left of my hands and skin that split and bled if I even tried to laugh, god help crying as that burned worse than the fires. I got up every morning calling out to the roommate to see if maybe just once one would make it thru the night... my first three weeks were: Grim Reaper 21, returning combatants in arms zero ! Talk about motivation... my DW was 7 months pregnant and she was brought to the receiving area unprepared at 03:00 hrs to walk in and see me black and burned beyond recognition, throwing bedpans to keep people away because I did not want to live blind with no hands or ears, ahhhh yes the fun of it all. And now to be told military will need to take a paycut, we will be paying more for the "Sweet Deal of TriCare" it rubs me in all the wrong places... wow does it rub me wrong !

Especially when we throw away billions on futureistic planes that get scrapped 1 yr from delivery, or millions upon millions to pork barrel projects to keep politician's constituents happy. When we pay 3 or 4 times the agreed to initial price for a new warship because of contractor scams, overruns or plain poor mismanagement... yea I really wanna see a military paycut for helping to support all that... and I get chills thinking of all the boxes of $100.00 bills we gave away to Iraq to help restore their poor war torn country !

Elections should allow us to place people we trust in charge, not someone who promises "change" ...thats all I now have in my pockets is change. Noone in congress should ever serve beyond 6 years and they should get the same social security I get, talk about seeing Social Security fixes !!!!

But my rant will not see the light of the new day as it will be "political" and deleted... such is life. Please save me from those who know not what must be done to insure their freedoms.

Be safe, enjoy the open road, thank a poorly paid vet for your freedoms...

Thank you Sir for your service as well, your views are very valid as the Government did not fulfill their promises to you and even as we speak they keep changing them. I assume you were drafted so after not having volunteered in the beginning a 21 year career is impressive and you have more than paid your share!

[mick]

You should check the inflation tables and just see what we made then and what it would be today .

[Glassalley52]

Where is a Zumwalt when you Need one?

[MegaRoadie]

Originally Posted by USMC_Wife

First I would like to thank you for your service! But, you can not compare wages then to wages now simply because of inflation.






Thank you Sir for your service as well, your views are very valid as the Government did not fulfill their promises to you and even as we speak they keep changing them. I assume you were drafted so after not having volunteered in the beginning a 21 year career is impressive and you have more than paid your share!

I was not drafted, joined the USN under a bit of duress from the local courts as my temperment needed a bit of "fine tuning" around civilians, and I was sick of attending funerals of my former classmates and HS team members killed in Nam cause they were drafted and had no free choices.

I would still be on Active Duty as a Chief Warrant Officer but I had burned my candle from too many ends and unfortunately the mind was writing checks the body could no longer cash. The job and our great country needed some younger more physically capable bodies to step in and replace us and my luck and time simply ran out.

DW still, after 24 years of retirement, wishes we were on active duty even if she did have that continual worry that the phone would ring, the always "ReadyBag" and Red Passport would be grabbed and I would be out the door to parts unknown, returning like a thief in the night and trying to resume where I left off.

The only regrets I ever tolerate are that the promises are being constantly eroded and the benefits die faster than I do. Like my GI bill... I retired 1 Nov 87, my "old school" GI Bill ended 31 Dec 87... so that the "New" Montgomery Bill could give the young bloods the best possible chances for a continued education of 4 years. 4 Years and I got 2 months... that hurts !

I tip my glass of Glen Morange to these young men and women serving today, my son being one of them. He is a Senior Master Sergent USAF and now retiring 1 Nov 2011 with 24 years and 12 trips to the desert and 3 wars !
He too has had his body stopping payment on checks his still young mind continues to write and I pray that our government takes better care of him and his family.

We fly our flags proudly and wish for a better world without wars and suffering. May Peace be with you and all who serve !

Be Safe, enjoy the Open Roads, Thank a Vet for your freedoms !

[golden]

Originally Posted by mick

You should check the inflation tables and just see what we made then and what it would be today .

Very interesting. I found out that my base pay for retirement had gone up about 133% in the intervening 30 years since I retired. What was even more interesting was that the $73 I made when I entered the Army is the same as about $534 now, an inflation rate of about 631%.

In my last four or five last years prior to retirement I had hoped I'd make about $500 in retirement. It turned out to be a little above $700. Since I retired in 1981, that retirement pay has gone up to over $1,500. The company from which I retired after 17 years following that has given me the same amount every year since I retired from them 11 years ago, in other words, no COLA raise. Although I made well over 10 times the amount of yearly income as a civilian, I make less in pension than I did in the Army.

Since I, as did many others, enlisted out of patriotism and pride in my country, I never felt the burning need for money (until I retired and realized that money makes the world go round). I did it for love and never regretted joining for one minute.