Verterans& Retirees benifits
To all my fellow camping vererans and military retirees, Noticed about the closing of commissaries. That not all the Congressional Budget Office wants to cut. Defense Department and the COB want tocut...
Forum Discussion
cdlaine said it well. I too, received the same promises and low wages. I was also in that goup who enlisted in the 70's. A time when military members didn't get the welcome, that they get today. Walking through L.A. international airport, 1974, in dress uniform, some upstanding citizen thought it would be appropriate to spit on me. We held up our end of the deal, they should do the same.
Since retiring in 1995 (with 20% service connected disability), I too, have experienced the increased premiums for that "free" medical and dental care. I just received my info package for next years dental coverage. Higher premiums and lower benefits. This past July, I was on a trip and needed to visit a clinic for some stiches. I found out, stiches cost about 100.00 each. I had to have five of them. Tricare paid 40.00 out of 500.00.
Washington needs to cut spending, but, not on promises made to those who paid (and continue to pay) to keep them in the cushy life style they've become accustomed to. DOD is not the only budget item subject to cutting. It's been cutting for several years. Every squadron, every aircraft carrier, and every Naval Air Station that I served on or with, have been decommisioned, realigned, or closed, and the associated personnel costs went away with them. This downsizing was done to all services. Where did those savings go?
When was the last time we heard about downsizing welfare (that continues to rise), foriegn aid (that continues to rise), congressional pay and benefits (that continues to rise), the IRS (they just got 10,000 more agents to help with affordable health care), and multimillion dollar vacations for white house residents?
There was a recent change to secret service protection for former presidents. Used to be ten years after they left office, that was good enough for everyone prior to the current one, now it is lifetime. How many former presidents have needed secret service protection? How many closed commisaries and retiree benefit cuts, will it take to pay for that?
There are many, who are clueless as to what some military benefits really are. My mother in law, at one point thought, due to low pay, base exchanges and commissaries were where we went to pick up our free groceries and clothing and such. No doubt, there are policy makers in Washington, who have never served, don't know anybody who has served, and think the same as mother in law used to.
Am I proud of mine or other peoples service -- Yes
Am I proud of our self serving elected officials -- None come to mind.
Since retiring in 1995 (with 20% service connected disability), I too, have experienced the increased premiums for that "free" medical and dental care. I just received my info package for next years dental coverage. Higher premiums and lower benefits. This past July, I was on a trip and needed to visit a clinic for some stiches. I found out, stiches cost about 100.00 each. I had to have five of them. Tricare paid 40.00 out of 500.00.
Washington needs to cut spending, but, not on promises made to those who paid (and continue to pay) to keep them in the cushy life style they've become accustomed to. DOD is not the only budget item subject to cutting. It's been cutting for several years. Every squadron, every aircraft carrier, and every Naval Air Station that I served on or with, have been decommisioned, realigned, or closed, and the associated personnel costs went away with them. This downsizing was done to all services. Where did those savings go?
When was the last time we heard about downsizing welfare (that continues to rise), foriegn aid (that continues to rise), congressional pay and benefits (that continues to rise), the IRS (they just got 10,000 more agents to help with affordable health care), and multimillion dollar vacations for white house residents?
There was a recent change to secret service protection for former presidents. Used to be ten years after they left office, that was good enough for everyone prior to the current one, now it is lifetime. How many former presidents have needed secret service protection? How many closed commisaries and retiree benefit cuts, will it take to pay for that?
There are many, who are clueless as to what some military benefits really are. My mother in law, at one point thought, due to low pay, base exchanges and commissaries were where we went to pick up our free groceries and clothing and such. No doubt, there are policy makers in Washington, who have never served, don't know anybody who has served, and think the same as mother in law used to.
Am I proud of mine or other peoples service -- Yes
Am I proud of our self serving elected officials -- None come to mind.
