M14 Forum

Xsail

Ok..We are or were "government" employees..And they are looking to cut one of the few areas our constitution actually calls for. Watch this video and see why they want to save some $$$ through us. Compare these pay scales to yours.....O.L.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v...layer_embedded

GARRARD

Good video, certainly not surprising how much government has grown. That video said that there are 21 million federal employees. The active duty military is only around a million strong. It seems to me that the military is shouldering more of the burden than it should if its pension is taken away. Cut DoD's BS expenditures, not the pension. I would be willing to accept paying 5% of my paycheck towards my pension like many state governments do.

Xsail

That's all the meat inspectors, EPA folks, cattle inspectors, and on and on, military is a tiny minority. I question the wisdom of pissing off the warriors? Anyone read their oath lately? :)...O.L.

Ranger325

Writing current congress is a good start, but don't forget next year's election. Get involved with candidate's who value a strong military.

....................just another Army retiree.

Jet

Got to stay active in the polical process to ensure you have a voice. I'm retired USAF with 30 years of service. Son is in now and just went over three years. Secretary Panetta and Adm Mullen are both on record that "if" there is a change it will take time to get it implemented and all who are currently in will be grandfathered under the current system.

Another issue is the cost of retiree health care. It is expected to go up significantly.

Rich

bd111

Congress and all the States and counties and municipalities are going to have to terminate their "defined benefit" (guaranteed pension annuity) retirement plans at some point soon on a going-forward basis. They're underfunded and financially unsustainable. The battles will be fought over who gets grandfathered. Don't be surprised if Social Security OASI goes the same way.

008

Instead of messing with retirement pensions, why don't they just close down a couple hundred military bases overseas? Maybe stop invading countries? Why not get out of Germany and Korea?

cfish

Wow,we are facing an enemy that is relentless, we have a current military that understands our enemy as best anyone could and now your about to dismantle a military system that is set up to destroy our current enemy by making our well trained and seasoned soldiers leave the service. The ding bats in DC have no clue what there doing.

2336USMC

Without getting into the pros/cons of the argument, I am stunned by how many are quoting the 50% retirement legend.

Military retirements at 20 years are not 50%, and haven't been for decades.

On 1 October 1980, the retirement changed from 50% of your highest pay at 20 years to 50% of the average of your highest 3 years of pay. This was done intentionally to reduce the retirement pay. I know this date because it was 9 days before I enlisted, and thus reduced my retirement pay forever. You snooze you lose.

Some years later, the retirement was changed to 40% of your average of highest 3 years at 20. 40%, not 50%. Change was made sometime in the early 90's IIRC.

I cannot fathom why people are still bickering about the so-called "50% military retirement at 20 years" when that went away many, many years ago. WTF? The military retirement has already been cut TWICE since I joined. Plus, the retirement medical benefits have been hacked from "lifetime care" to the Tricare insurance plan until age 65, then Medicare with everyone else after that.

Military retirement benefits are already way, way less than they used to be.

Active duty members still arguing about "50%", shame on you, educate yourselves. How can you make a decision without knowing what you are talking about?

DO NOT just "soldier on" thinking that the government is going to take care of you when you retire, beat up aching and tired. Yes, of course, soldier on because you believe it's the right thing to do and you want to serve your country and keep your loved ones safe. Just don't think that your government gives a fig about you after you retire and therefore become useless to them and their agenda.

You need to save money for your own retirement. I suggest, at a minimum, that you always keep your budget at the next lower pay level. In other words, for example, when you get promoted to E-5, you keep your budget at the E-4 pay level and bank the extra E-5 pay. When you get promoted to E-6, you keep your budget at the E-5 pay level and bank the extra E-6 pay. That's an absolute minimum and you can do better than that.

Don't rely on the government, they will throw you under the bus in a second.

/PO'd retired E-7 rant off