Defense budget screws vets and troops
You know that anything draft dodger Harry Reid supports isn’t something that is vet friendly, but he’s praising the defense budget that was hammered out last night. It saves some the defense expenditures, but it reduces future pension and pay increases for Cost of Living Allowances (COLA) for the troops, while preserving the COLA increases for federal employees. From Stars & Stripes;
Democrats decried the fact that the deal does not extend unemployment benefits, which expire Dec. 31, and that federal workers hired after Dec. 31, 2013, will have to contribute 1.3 percent more to their retirement funds.
Military advocates are left wanting, too: Veterans who retire from the military before age 62 will see a reduction in their annual cost-of-living benefit increase. Retirees 62 and older, and those retired on disability, would not be affected.
“It was a compromise,” Reid said. “We didn’t get what we wanted. They didn’t get what they wanted. But that’s what legislation is all about, working together. ‘Compromise’ is not a bad word.”
But, in this case, the “compromise” screwed veterans (a traditional Republican voting base) while preserving the support for traditional Democrat voters. So yeah, compromise is a bad word, since it’s about preserving a voter base, rather than doing what’s right. As it is, the bill reduces the COLA allowance for military retirees and the troops to less that the Consumer Price Index (the measure for inflation), while it doesn’t affect the COLA for retired government employees.
To give you an idea how that affects military pensions, the first month I retired from the Army, my pension was less than $12,000/year, today, twenty years later, it’s $18,000 from COLA increases. I didn’t get rich, but my money kept pace with inflation, and it was something that my family could depend on in a tough job market. It’s better as I head into my retirement than it was when I retired from the military. But, Congress would rather that I retire at my pension twenty years ago at two-thirds of the current purchasing power.
I can only guess that the reduction in COLA won’t affect Congressional pensions, either.
Category: Congress sucks, Veterans Issues
Even though Tricare dodged a bullet for now, it looks like things have the potential to be much worse, and very soon:
http://www.jdnews.com/news/military/military-cuts-may-extend-well-beyond-commissaries-1.247276
I am sorry for you Jonn and MCPO NYC and all you vets who retired and are getting screwed over. Though your comments on your pension show thankfulness and graciousness, it does not alleviate the fact that Congress’ “compromise” was at the expense of the smallest sector and the sector least able to stand up for themselves, the military veterans and retirees. They made sure people who don’t want to work will get their unemployment and that federal workers will “only” have to contribute 1.3% more to their pension plan. I think it is a f@cking shame that, once again, retirees who gave their lives to serve our country are the ones asked, no told, they will sacrifice. I was always of the opinion you should get a 75% pension at 20 years and 100% at 30 years. Plus medical for the retiree and family. I know that sounds expensive to some folks in these days of pension plans being terminated or raped. But my answer to them is, instead of giving your life to a career in the safe civilian sector, try giving your life to a call of service higher than any other. A service which may indeed take your life or limb. Those who defended our nation as their career cannot be compensated enough in my book. I was Army and the Air Force and loved my time in and wish, barring family problems, I could have made a career of the military. I have said a lot here and some may sound redundant. I just can’t say enough for our troops and retirees. Sorry for the long post. Also my thoughts here are echoed in my emails and letters to my congressmen and senators.
They’re working in increments to force troops into private insurance plans, is what it looks like. If they tried it all at once, there’d be hell to pay, but as it is…dripping water wears away stone.
Quite often I look back and wish I had stayed in and retired….then there are times I read this crap and sadly, I’m grateful I didn’t…
You should fix the Congress Sucks category to be capitalized in big red letters with a picture of Harry Reid eating a moose cock. I am Jack’s sense of disgust.
@4 I understand what you are saying. I wanted to stay because I loved the military and the military way of life and conduct. I put my best foot forward, did what I was told or even asked and received appropriate recognition. My recognitions from the military far outweigh anything I ever received in the civilian career I chose. There was and is a sense of pride from my time in service that nothing since has come close to in comparison.
Death by a thousand cuts.
Next up, the retired military will be the only group of federal retirees to have their health insurance premiums means tested, with the primary objective of forcing military retirees under 65 into the healthcare exchanges.
I love how the Congress claims that the most intensive personnel-based program in the budget has the highest personnel cost. Duh!
Yeah, it costs a lot of money to maintain the world’s best military. It also costs a lot of money to have the worlds most expansive social welfare system. They’re unhappy about the lifetime cost of military retiree? What about the transgenerational cost of perpetual welfare recipients? Anybody wanna throw out a WAG on which group has a stronger contribution to normal society?
Email your Congressman or Senator, but expect exactly zero fucks given by them. This deal was struck with the full knowledge of the House and so far, I can’t find a single Congresscritter objecting.
@7 – Speaking Congressfolk and Senators, who wants to
bet after all this is over, they’ll slap each other on the back the fucks will vote to give themselves a pay raise?
It’s been said here many times: the military, by and large, does not vote Democrat. At all costs, by 2016, the Democrats must completely crush any Republican voting block that wields any power at all. If they are to consolidate their power for their socialist utopia, the conservatives must hang — except this time, whether they hang separately or together doesn’t matter at all.
(Should have read “Speaking OF Congressfolk and Senators…”)
@5. That’s moose abuse (aboose?) unless, of course, the moose consents.
I just wrote a diatribe here and deleted it. The innards are churning and burning not only about this particular repugnant action but for all that these bastards are doing to the traditional heart and soul of this country, the middle class. The Republicans, with a handful of exceptiopns, may as well be Democrats. They control the House and the purse and yet are falling all over themselves with doublespeak as they give–today–every damn thing The Emperor wants. I don’t want a big black SUV visiting me so I’ll exercise some self restraint on describing what I think ought to happen.
Sounds about par for the course
That is the job of the republican party is to screw veterans you are no longer any used to them! You expect them to close tax loop holes for the rich? Besides the more they screw you the more you worship them! Thats why democrats try to buy your love with more veterans benefits and pay. Not this time. Why democrats have supported this budget that increases defense spending while cutting off unemployment benefits(many of them veterans!) and cutting other veterans benefits food stamps and many other social safety net programs. This is a republican budget! If you want to attack democrats for supporting this budget I will agree with you!
@11 – Yes, but they’ll be falling all over themselves to put it all back together the next time there’s a major attack.
The complacency is appallling. It smacks of 1941.
@13. What the hell are you unsuccessfully struggling to say? Do you have any appreciation for the fact that you make no sense whatsoever? Is there a disconnect between your thoughts and your expression of them or do you actually think as you write? I mean, after you read your own comments, do you say to yourself, “Yep, I nailed it!” or do you say, as the rest of do, “What the hell is that mess?”
@14. They will initiate a draft, that’s all–with the exemptions that will shield their children and grandchildren or, if that doesn’t work, some compulsory alternative civilian service that only their loved ones will be eligible for.
vietnam war protestor: before commenting again here at TAH, please find a translator willing to assist you in drafting your screed. Most of us here don’t speak your normal language – Gibberish.
VWP,
Please drop the use of USS Liberty. I know you were not a crew member. My first CPO was a crew memebr when he was a young FN. You not so much!
I reviewed the ship’s roster of the USS Liberty and found no one by the name of:
Pot Smokin’ Illiterate speakin’ Trouble makin’ Pole Pullin’ Race Baitin’ Lefty Loon Socialist Punk
I could have missed it, but I doubt that!
Now, now, AirCav and Hondo – it’s the Christmas season. We must be charitable toward those less fortunate than we are.
More likely, AirCav, is that they will first recruit old vets (bear with me on this) who have experience with massive whoopass bonuses, and then re-up the draft with those exemptions.
But let’s not be too cynical about a reinstatement of the draft. There were people whose parents were ‘upper crust’ who got their draft notices and did not make attempts to get out of it. Admiral Zumwalt’s son was one of them. Some of those more privileged souls might see the draft as an opportunity to get the hell away from their self-involved parents.
This video clip reminds me of VWP, except this girl makes a lot more sense:
For what it’s worth: every Federal civilian first hired since the end of 1983 has been under the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) – including Congress. FERS has always had the “COLA-lite” (COLA 1% below CPI inflation figures) described in this budget “deal”.
Virtually every Member of Congress who has taken office for the first time after 1 January 1983 is under FERS. (The only exceptions would be those who were serving as Federal civilians when elected – which I think is a no-no due to ethics laws – or who had 5+ years of Federal civilian service under the older retirement system, CSRS.)
So no, the reductions in this deal won’t apply to Congressional (or other Federal pensions). They don’t apply because for everyone under FERS, those reductions are already in place – and have been since 1983.
Ex-PH2: in most cases, I’d agree with your message of “be nice, have some Christmas spirit” in comment 19. However, for vietnam war protestor I’ll make an exception.
Hondo, 🙂
Ex-PH2: “we aims to please”. (smile)
— break —
MCPO: um, I think you have the guy’s name wrong. I understand he’s of Algerian-French ancestry and his name is “Faqheem Dumass”.
@ Hondo,
Just checked list and “Faqheem Dumass” and “Dumass, Faqheem” not on the list!
Hondo: No translator is really necessary. No matter what letters and/or syllables might be strung together, the pimp only has a one note samba – anything from the racist party of dems (you know, those folks who actually formed and continue to support the KKK et al) and continues to enslave people world-wide is good. Whatever lie must be told, whatever immoral tactic need be used, it doesn’t matter. The Kool-Aid is wonderful, and we are all supposed to be happy to accept the delusion without question.
They are all not better than terrorists. Of course, no real surprise there. They are the ones who promote the likes of Bill Ayers.
I learned about a new description of people like vwpissant: the neo-liberal future of fictive enlightenment. This was provided by a college professor whose concern is that his indigenous culture is being stolen and abused by people (such as politicians and contractors we know about) who see it as a means to an end, nothing else.
It boils down to jumping on any bandwagon and making noise about a ’cause’ as long as it’s popular; saying “I’m actually a part of XXXX” because without that association you’re less likely to get what you want; and creating a new and insidious racist dialogue which includes sexism in its core curriculum, e.g., “let’s get women up there on top because then we can point to how ‘generous’ we are”.
This is where culture-hos and cause-grabbers like vwpestilence come in. They appear out of nowhere, scream and writhe to be heard, get your attention (which is really all they want) and eventually melt back into the shadows, but have no understanding of anything, hence the constant lack of facts, lack of attention to history, and lack of skills in simple third-grade English.
Remember that: neo-liberal, fictive enlightenment. The truth will set you free.
PH2 – ya mean like Elizabeth Warren’s Indian ancestry?
It’s all academic to me, but what I note is that it applies to anyone who retires below age 62 – other than maybe Reserves or NG folks, I can count the number of people I ever saw retire at or above age 62 on maybe no fingers. Hell, I was an “old man” in BCT and I was only pushing 25, a buddy of mine retired as a CSM and still has to buy off the under-55 menu at Denny’s. Effectively, unless the phrasing was off somehow, this means ‘almost 100% of retirees’ to several decimal places.
David, how perceptive of you. 😉
I fail to understand how the military and military retirees merit a COLA of only 1%, when Social Security is getting 1.5%COLA. Where’s the justification in it? Is it because those who make these decisions think that there is no inflation rate in effect? Beg to differ, there is, 1.8%.
In regard to Social Security, those who say retirees should not be completely dependent on it are bogged down in the mindset of the 1960s when people worked for decades at one company, inflation was low-key, and the cost of living did not exceed a weekly paycheck. That no longer holds water. The people who think this way should be put on my income and sent grocery shopping.
What I get has to pay for an entire month. Guess what, congress critters? I now have a $900 car repair bill for new valve cover gaskets which will take me months to pay off, with an inflated interest rate that you think is okay.
I hope you find out what it’s like for the other 99% of us who actually worked hard, saved what we could in 401Ks and IRAs which you want to confiscate now, had no pension funds to expect from work, and lost jobs because you pissants think the ‘too big to fail’ idea was brilliant.
God Bless all you vets, and I hope we get this straightened out.
Ex-PH2: so, in short form – as OWB said, they’ve “drunk the Kool-Aid” and decided they like the resulting hallucinations better than reality? Is that about right? (smile)
Hondo, yes, but remember those terms: neo-liberalism; fictive enlightenment. They struck a chord with me.
PH2 – do a quick search for the lyrics to “The Little Man” by a group called The Tractors. It starts:
Why don’t we take all the city-slick bankers
And put ’em on John Deere tractors in the summer sun
And sit back and watch ’em sweat
You can bet all the wheat in Oklahoma they’ll get…
A different attitude before the plowin’s done
That’s close to Alan Jackson’s ‘The Little Man’.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/little-man-lyrics-alan-jackson.html#startvideo
My home town is a bedroom community for the nearest city. My high school was an ag-based school with shop classes. Now it’s the elite high school in the county and district. Things change. Yuppies won’t have their way forever. Take the good that comes from the changes and discard the crappy parts, and see what comes out of it.
David, have checked out the farm equipment lately? Power steering and brakes,cabs with heater,a/c,AM-FM& CB. Power lifts and on and on. The combines set up the same way. Only the small tractors offer the umbrella as a luxury freature.By small tractors I mean below a 100 hp. Joe PS My flav NYC Chief we have indoor plumbing and great eating places only they do not those artsy and diet size portions of food. Joe
@28 David-I was scratchin’ my head over that 62 thing also. About the only ones reaching that age and still active would be GO/FO, I’m guessing. About par for the course.
@29 Ex-PH2 – Holy crap,$900 for the valve cover gaskets!!!??? Also, I suspect the real inflation rate is much higher, but last I checked, the biggest drivers of inflation: food and energy aren’t counted anymore, so they get away with deceit without actually lying. Classic Washington, DC…
OldSoldier54, the parts (gaskets) were $180. The labor was about $665, but I also had the oil changed, the coolant level replenished, and the tires rotated which added $$$. I was there from 8:30AM to around 4:30PM. Had time to read an entire romance novel. If it had been the oil pan gasket, it would have cost about $300 less. No, it’s not something I can do myself. You have to take off the entire cover of the engine to do this. It’s not a 1967 Chevy station wagon, which was much simpler. 🙁
I have a faulty coolant sensor and a faulty oil pressure sender switch, but since I can check the oil and the coolant light goes off when the car warms up, that will have to wait.
And I round up the numbers to keep my sanity.
Remember, when they say they will not balance the budget on the backs of the military, that’s exactly what they’re going to do. Pay attention to the next stupid flag to get run up the flagpole, that’s an indicator of what the next chapter is going to be.
David,
I have 2 buddies still in, one, a CSM and the other, a 1SG. Both went to basic with me and will hit 26 years in March. Both are under 45. No way these guys will be in for much longer….
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