Verterans& Retirees benifits

USARMYCW wrote:
...I'm for shrinking the military which uses most of the money for useless wars.

That is coming down the pipe. We had two Guest speakers (Army G-1 (actual) and Navy N-1 (actual)). That is what is happening, the problem is sliming down the size of the force, while not forcing shortfalls in some areas (leadership and technical expertise). Interesting fact though, the Navy is the only service that has decreased since 9/11. Though, I can attest to that not being a good thing. The way we downsized was not taking care of our sailors.

We are also facing a shift in the type of warfare we need to execute. Cyber security is where it is at now. Unfortunately, any savings realized in personnel will be quickly used for Cyber warfare.

From the Tricare 4 u webpage....

"Many TRICARE beneficiaries may be wondering how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will affect them and their families. Simply speaking, the ACA will have very little impact on TRICARE beneficiaries. The biggest change they will notice may be an extra letter in their mailbox every January, and an extra box to check on their tax forms every April."

Ha! Anybody here believe this to be truth ???? The entire health
care industry is co-dependent Private Insurance-Medicare-Tricare...
funding the "health care coverage for all" ...hmmm... where is that
dollar going to come from.... what is the over/under on how long
before "cuts" er "additional funding needs" trickle down to the
Veteran retiree ?

Just watch.

Charles

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.

all said..still proud to have served.

Charles

handye9 wrote:
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?

Yep, with all being said, they need to change the military benefits for new accessions and allow the current benefits to go away by attrition…I know the whole attrition thing makes it sound dark, but that is what should happen.

On an interesting note, Tri-Care is one of the few government programs that doesn't loose money, yet still provides a decent service (though not everyone will be happy all the time).

I agree that there are many other things that can be cut, but quite frankly, the military is a very small percentage of people nationwide (maybe 1%), but the amount of people receiving government assistance is much greater, loosely translated, real reform (entitlements) means loss of votes.

As CDLAINE stated, I am proud to have served. I do not do it for the money, I definetly don't do it for the time off, but I do it because I love leading sailors and I love flying. There will come a time (which I am looking forward to) that I can spend time with my kids everyday without the threat of an upcoming deployment.

Cale

#1Flyboy wrote:
. . .What bothers me most is the fact that Government worker?s are able to retire at age 52 (after 30 years of work?) while the private sector has to wait until 66 1/2; something very unfair about that. . .

The only Federal (civ) workers that can retire at 52 are Law Enforcement (FBI, Marshall, etc), Air Traffic controllers and Fire Fighters. I think (?) 25 years is the actual number.

The general workforce has to wait to 55 or more (depending on actual age, it's being ramped up over the next few years)

Ours is not to reason why Ours is but to do and die.
USAF Retired

Our country is $17 trillion in debt, and the debt clock is spinning like an airplane propeller. Business and personal income taxes aren't enough to pay the annual interest on that debt. Expecting our elected officials to give up their "income and benefits for life" or their automatic raises is like asking somebody to make fun of his own haircut. It ain't gonna happen. Their solution is to raise the debt ceiling.
I've heard that the IRS 1040 tax form in the near future will be reduced to just two lines.
1. How much did you make last year?
2. Send it in.
Personally, I have no living relatives and I'm an old man, but the young people in this country are going to have to pay the piper down the road. And the end of the road is in sight.

Don't assume that they are only taking away. They gave to me.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/report-camp-lejeune-water-contaminated-at-unprecedented-levels/2108929

If you been poisoned this link will help you.

http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-exposures-camp_leguene_water.asp

Be prepared for a big run around, Only send correspondence "registered mail, return receipt requested"

Other helpful info at: The Few, The Proud, The Forgotten

http://www.tftptf.com/5801.html

Jim Shoe said the end of the road is in sight.....He must be actually reading what happened this week. Everybody else better start paying attention to WORLD politics, because our leaders sure as heck don't..... Check and see what the China government and China national bank did this week....Yes, the end of the road is very near now.....