Guy, I start with the point that I am a strong supporter of our Military and I sincerely regret the abuse that it is taking under it's present incompetent leadership. That being said, the entire government retirement system, including the Military needs to be remodeled. There is no economic justification for a totally healthy and educated 40esh adult to be receiving a retirement check. There should be some transition money, and may be mid to late 50's retirement checks. No double dipping should be allowed, you get the higher check plus some small % of the other one.
Retirement? LOL **** your face...
- Thread starter ssj4sadie
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I know that I should really be on top of this, but what exactly changed?? I haven't been following shit recently since I've been on leave.. Gahhh to military.com I go.
As a recent (2010) retiree, this is my take. I am willing to take a "haircut" to get our spending in order. BUT so does EVERYONE else on the Gov dime! Cut my cola 1%, cut EVERY program 1%. All or nothing. We all have skin in the game, except the fools in DC... As noted by others, the direction our military leadership was taking motivated me to punch at 21yrs. Best decision I made to leave when I did, as the Air Force did mandatory outs 6 months after I retired. Local job market got flooded with vets. I was already one yr into my new job. My fear is this is only the start, I will be surpriced if I even get a retirement in the next 10 years...
While I agree with your example comparing a flag officer with a CEO of a major company I disagree with the implication that military pay for enlisted troops compares to the civilian sector. Many technical job fields pay trained workers at rates that the military, with it's rank based pay scale, approches only as the member nears the end of their career, if at all.
I also agree with your statements regarding a 401k (assuming government contributions are adequate) or a reserve point style system. A point system could, if properly implemented (which it would not be) actually help make up for those " full bird colonels with 28 years of service and zero deployments " that someone was complaining about above.
I full understand why they are trying to change the retirements, I just do not agree with the way it is being implemented.
Guys, my dad was raised in a family of ten. His first three brothers fought in and over Europe during WW 2. I used to play cards with my uncles and ask them questions about " what it was like" All 3 received Purple Hearts. Some of them would share tearful stories some would not. My dad and his brother served in Korea. Please share what war was like with your children, grandchildren. It was the greatest lesson I received as a youth. I know you guys are humble. Thank you for your service brothers.
You're leaving out the allowances that military members receive as well. The base pay sucks yes but the allowances sometimes double their base pay, depending on location.
This. You have to include medical insurance which even if including a family is FARRR cheaper than anywhere in the private sector. Also add in that BAH and BAS are untaxed, shopping at the PX/BX and commissary which can be ~30% less than civilian stores, and numerous other allowances that we get because we were the uniform.
You also have to look at what jobs your comparing to the civilian sector.
When's the last time a 19 year old got $40k a year to PMCS equipment and work out?
A 19 y/o is not making $40k a Pvt not married living in the barracks will be lucky if he clears 25k in a year.
True but a PFC living in the barracks doesn't have to worry about paying rent/mortgage, electric and gas, and if that PFC gets paid on the 1st and is broke by the 2nd he doesn't have to worry about how he is going to pay for food till the 15th because he has the DFAC. So while he may only clear 20-25k a year, add in the benefits and he is making a killing.
Yes our jobs are inherently dangerous, some much more than others but we actually get paid pretty well all things considered. At 28 years old, E-6 with over 10 and no 4 year college degree I clear over 60k including BAH. Not many of my peers from my HS days make the amount that I do, and that includes most that ended up getting a 4 year degree. 60k a year translates to roughly $30 an hour, to put it into perspective. And then there are the benefits.
Your BAH must be really high for you to clear 60k a year. Either that or you get some sort of incentive pay.
For his years of service and rank he would have to get around 1300 a month for BAH. That combined with uniform and BAS brings him close to that number he put up.
Is 1300-1400 a month really high?
Any rate. It does suck that Congress will cut Cola by 1% for all retirees. That adds up to be a pretty big chunk of money. I really don't care if young people collect a retirement check at age 40. It covers a mortgage payment while they start a new career.
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I miscalculated, since I thought I cleared 60k a year, but I dont. Makes sense. $1300-1400 is not that high....if you are married.
Congress is ****ing joke, take our retirement pay, but keep yours. We do a hell of a lot more then those ****ing ass clowns. We deserve more, who cares if I will only be 39 when I hit 20 years. Tired of all the BS...and fighting wars only based on politics and greed.
My first year in the Coast Guard as an E-3 I was making $19xx.xx every two weeks after taxes and deductions. Granted I was married, and received BAH and Cola. Military pay isn't amazing but it's not bad. Even the E-2's and E-3's where I work at now make a pretty good living since there is no barracks here so everyone gets BAH.
I sent an E-Mail to my Congressman. I do not like when you guys get messed with. We will see how he responds. There is no more Noble cause then supporting are troups. Here in middle America you Men and Women equal freedom. Thankyou for your Sacrifice, you are great Americans. PS. he is a GOP, not sure this means a thing. I have no trust in Dems or Rep.
Yeah I remember TAP class and all the interesting things they push to try and make you think you are getting a good check, and if you believe that and are happy, great.
Medical insurance FARRR cheaper, no. No, no and no again. It is cheaper than some pay, and in a few cases, assuming you live in the right area and you compare it to some of the poorer plans out there it is better. But not in every case and not, in fact, in most cases. NEX is cheaper on some things, and not on others. The commisary is nice, I will give you that, but not so nice as to make up the difference in my pay.
If you want to compare civilian jobs to military then I choose Equipment Operators. The year of my last deployment to Iraq, as a 1ST Class over 16, with all of my allowances got me around $56k or so. Yes, seven months of that is tax free but it also took me 16 years to get to that pay. Depending on where you are Operating Engineer scale will vary but very rarely does military compensation come even close. The below link gives you an idea of Operator pay, but is not including other benifits that they do recieve including health insurance, vacation pay, annuities or pension contributions.
Operating Engineer Wages, Hourly Wage Rate | PayScale
I use that example because that is my rate, but there are plenty of other ratings that are extremly underpaid. Boiler Operators, Air Traffic Controllers, Deisel Mechanics, the list goes on. The military is underpaid in many fields and for those people who choose to make a career of it they are giving up so much. The retirement benifit is the least that can be done for them.
Of course if you think taking away earned benifits from the military so that you can give it to bums sitting at home smoking thier 'medicinal' marijuana and complaining about how hard it is because they had to stand in line for a few hours that day to get their welfare check fixed then nothing I or anybody else can say is going to change your mind.
Retired in 2004 after my 20. They did not give me this for free, I earned it! That being said, if America has to trim the fat why should they start with those who have earned their checks. Start with the free loaders and then work their way down to me! But why should I give up a cent if their only going to increase unemployment benefits, free health care for those who didn't work to earn it and all the other wasted government projects, bridges to no where just no name a few!
I have no issues with my current pay/benfits after 17 years in with a rank of MSgt living in Alaska. It didnt come easy, the pay was low at 1st, but I could always count on a check.
I can say that I have been fortunate to be stationed in Alaska the majority of my career. AFTER taxes I clear about 80k per year.
To be burtally honest, I would hard pressed to get out and find that type of money currently if I had to depart service short notice. I would manage just fine though.
Taking benefits from the retired is a slippery slope, that is inevitablely playing itself out before our eyes. Its just sad with so much fat to trim its coming from the ones who put in the time, and those who paid the price. Even more sad is that the people who sponsor these bills are on both sides of the fence. Nobody is safe anymore....
I can say that I have been fortunate to be stationed in Alaska the majority of my career. AFTER taxes I clear about 80k per year.
To be burtally honest, I would hard pressed to get out and find that type of money currently if I had to depart service short notice. I would manage just fine though.
Taking benefits from the retired is a slippery slope, that is inevitablely playing itself out before our eyes. Its just sad with so much fat to trim its coming from the ones who put in the time, and those who paid the price. Even more sad is that the people who sponsor these bills are on both sides of the fence. Nobody is safe anymore....
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Did the new bill say anything about the reduction in COLA for the guys who took the Redux at 15? The old system had us getting a 1% less raise per year than the guys who didn't take it. This has pissed me off and everyone I know, including non-service members to no end.
What is it going to take for America to wake the heck up and realize what their elected and overpaid officials are doing to the people who keep them safe? They sure aren't doing anything to the people who live in our country and don't contribute anything to the betterment of our society. It really makes me angry that the majority of American's know what's going on and don't care because they don't think they are effected when in fact they are because all the freeloaters are taking money from the pool that they earned and got taxed on.
What do people in America think is going to happen when all the Vets from the last 13 years that our country has been fighting a war in the best interests of someone else are going to do when we all join together across the country to stop this crap from happening?
I'm going to hit 20 years of service this summer and I'm going to stay in to hit the 60% mark or until they tell me I have to go. I know a lot of people that really don't like me after I start talking about this to them in person. Some of them are relatives. They don't like it because I am effected DIRECTLY and they don't think they are. I think more conversations need to be had with every elected official in the Nation until something that ACTUALLY makes sense to get our financial mess fixed in a controlled manner.
I joined so that I could serve the country and it's citizens honorably because I believed that the country needed young men to do it's bidding, it's bidding was sound, and was going to take care of me after I was finished serving. I have stayed in the service because getting out wouldn't fix the things that I thought needed fixing. I have raised a good family and have been successful in the time I have served. I don't want for much nowadays but I'm at the point in my time in that I have been focused on what will happen once I'm done. So frustrating.
What is it going to take for America to wake the heck up and realize what their elected and overpaid officials are doing to the people who keep them safe? They sure aren't doing anything to the people who live in our country and don't contribute anything to the betterment of our society. It really makes me angry that the majority of American's know what's going on and don't care because they don't think they are effected when in fact they are because all the freeloaters are taking money from the pool that they earned and got taxed on.
What do people in America think is going to happen when all the Vets from the last 13 years that our country has been fighting a war in the best interests of someone else are going to do when we all join together across the country to stop this crap from happening?
I'm going to hit 20 years of service this summer and I'm going to stay in to hit the 60% mark or until they tell me I have to go. I know a lot of people that really don't like me after I start talking about this to them in person. Some of them are relatives. They don't like it because I am effected DIRECTLY and they don't think they are. I think more conversations need to be had with every elected official in the Nation until something that ACTUALLY makes sense to get our financial mess fixed in a controlled manner.
I joined so that I could serve the country and it's citizens honorably because I believed that the country needed young men to do it's bidding, it's bidding was sound, and was going to take care of me after I was finished serving. I have stayed in the service because getting out wouldn't fix the things that I thought needed fixing. I have raised a good family and have been successful in the time I have served. I don't want for much nowadays but I'm at the point in my time in that I have been focused on what will happen once I'm done. So frustrating.
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That would be me, will be interesting. I guess no raises for me...:nonono: God Bless America...
I only have 5 in...debating if I still want to try for 20 or get out and use that GI bill. Only problem is that I have a family to take care of and the transition would be rough
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