Boomer's right - not every service member faces combat or other 'hardship' situations. I've known plenty who have served in support capacities which, though vital, were not particularly dangerous or difficult. Both my parents were in the Army during Vietnam, and neither left the US. Both worked in hospitals, so their work was definitely important, but it was no different than what civilian medical staff did at any hospital in the US. In my extended family we've got 8 veterans, and only 1 ever served in a combat zone (Iraq).
Boomer's right - not every service member faces combat or other 'hardship' situations. I've known plenty who have served in support capacities which, though vital, were not particularly dangerous or difficult. Both my parents were in the Army during Vietnam, and neither left the US. Both worked in hospitals, so their work was definitely important, but it was no different than what civilian medical staff did at any hospital in the US. In my extended family we've got 8 veterans, and only 1 ever served in a combat zone (Iraq).
Londo_Jowo
Lifer
I don't know about the Army but I made the equivalent rank of E-7 (Chief Petty Officer) in 10 years of service in the Navy. I paid close attention to those that were being chosen by the Chief's board and groomed myself (technical skills & qualifications). I made Chief the first time before the board which I sure that the fact I scored in the top 1% on the Chief's exam for my job field was a big help.
None the less this person served his time honorably and the government needs to uphold their end of the contract they have with him.
COLA amounts have NEVER BEEN and WILL NEVER BE guaranteed. The military has always known COLA goes up and down and can be altered at any time.
Its just like any other pension, except that it being a federal pension, it is more likely to actually get a yearly COLA.
Texas TRS retirees are getting their first COLA in 12 YEARS. Many other public pensions have not received COLAs in ~5 years.
Last edited:
Healthcare benefits for pensioners generally cost much more than for active employees. Healthcare benefits also tend to terminate once you are eligible for medicare. Furthermore public retiree healthcare benefits, are generally funded year to year(ie pay as you go/unfunded) and can be canceled at anytime.
Last edited:
thraashman
Lifer
- Apr 10, 2000
- 11,112
- 1,587
- 126
Well there are 535 members of Congress. There are 1.4 million active members of the military and 800k + reserves. Congress gets a pay of like $185k a year I believe. If you cut all of Congress's pay to zero it would save as much money as cutting active military pay across the board by $70 a year (not including reserves pay). Sure, Congress gets paid a lot, especially in comparison to how little they now do (especially with the current Republicans who admit they prefer Congress to do nothing). But in the end the money paid to Congress is just not that much as a percentage of the country's expenditures.
Nebor
Lifer
- Jun 24, 2003
- 29,582
- 12
- 76
Yeah, but this is federal as opposed to state\local governments. This is happening on a wide scale.
On the officer side, the average LTC (O5) retires at 24 years in service, at a base pay of ~$8500 a month. So he draws about $5k a month in retirement. And virtually all of them go on to executive positions in the private sector, high ranking GS 13+ jobs, "advisors" for the DoD or "military liaisons" for defense contractors making 6 figures.
My feeling is that on the officer side, we're paid enough to be able to build a retirement via TSP, especially considering the fact that officers almost always have second careers post-retirement.
So I think military retirements are a little fat. But there are a lot of other places I'd cut fat in the government before I'd think about messing with people who actually worked & sacrificed for their benefits.
Never understood the military system. You can graduate from any of the military academies and immediately become an officer, making way more than enlisted guys 10 years more senior? What gives?
Once you eat of the conservative apple, pensions everywhere start to become evil as well as the associations, read unions, these folk form to protect them. Once you get shit in your mouth, everything can start to smell and taste dirty. Yuck on the world.
Nebor
Lifer
- Jun 24, 2003
- 29,582
- 12
- 76
Much higher levels of responsibility, and what should be higher levels of accountability.
To be fair, a new LT makes about as much as a SSG (E6.) I think that's probably fair considering that college education would bring as much or more in the private sector.
One thing that never made sense to me as an LT was that my weight allowance for moving was way, way more than a SFC (E7.) Who's going to have more stuff, a new, likely single lieutenant, or a SFC that almost certainly has a wife and kids?
Apparently you either don't have a job or don't work in corporate America.... 99% of companies don't offer pensions unless you work for a union or a govt job..
shortylickens
No Lifer
- Jul 15, 2003
- 80,287
- 17,082
- 136
It isnt like a union job where you just sit on your ass for 20 years.
You have to endure massive amounts of bullshit to be able to stay in for two whole decades.
By the way, statistically people who do 20 years in the military have a considerably lower life expectancy than the average American. So that 37 grand for "life" really wont be much.
By contrast, a CEO who does his job for 2 years and completely fucks everything up is likely to get a multi-million dollar golden parachute, then go on to another CEO job.
You have to endure massive amounts of bullshit to be able to stay in for two whole decades.
By the way, statistically people who do 20 years in the military have a considerably lower life expectancy than the average American. So that 37 grand for "life" really wont be much.
By contrast, a CEO who does his job for 2 years and completely fucks everything up is likely to get a multi-million dollar golden parachute, then go on to another CEO job.
blankslate
Diamond Member
- Jun 16, 2008
- 8,797
- 572
- 126
I see no outrage in this.
A person who reaches that rank and retires has spent at least twenty years as an enlisted person in the military.
To reach the rank of 1st Sgt. he or she likely had obtained a bachelor's degree and perhaps more as well.
Additionally it's very likely that a person who reaches that rank E-8 (e for enlisted afaik) also at one time or another was deployed to a combat area and could have been killed (not via a freak accident but from enemy actions).
There is no outrage here... And if you are outraged about what a 1SG receives for retirement. "You Are Wrong."
Additionally this retirement that the military provides to recent retirees may not be available to newer recruits from what I remember.
=====
A person who reaches that rank and retires has spent at least twenty years as an enlisted person in the military.
To reach the rank of 1st Sgt. he or she likely had obtained a bachelor's degree and perhaps more as well.
Additionally it's very likely that a person who reaches that rank E-8 (e for enlisted afaik) also at one time or another was deployed to a combat area and could have been killed (not via a freak accident but from enemy actions).
There is no outrage here... And if you are outraged about what a 1SG receives for retirement. "You Are Wrong."
Additionally this retirement that the military provides to recent retirees may not be available to newer recruits from what I remember.
=====
Last edited:
Why only 50-100 billion? We pay more than the next 10 countries combined, including china.
The people that try to keep the environment clean so that more BP oil spills don't happen?
If it were up to corporations, we'd have mutations and deformities across the US.
IGBT
Lifer
- Jul 16, 2001
- 17,976
- 141
- 106
EPA's highest paid employee and climate expert, John C. Beale, plead guilty to bilking the government out of nearly $1 million. He will be sentenced on Wednesday.
Prosecutors said that his lies were a "crime of massive proportion."
..so will this EPA parasite still get a retirement??
http://www.climatedepot.com/
Prosecutors said that his lies were a "crime of massive proportion."
..so will this EPA parasite still get a retirement??
http://www.climatedepot.com/
werepossum
Elite Member
- Jul 10, 2006
- 29,873
- 463
- 126
I'm certainly one who believes that all public sector pensions (and preferably all private sector pensions) should be replaced with 401K plans, funded as they go. However, the military is a far different animal. Quite often it's a 24/7 job, and even where it's a 9 - 5 job there is usually the spectre of being deployed without much notice. That makes it very difficult to properly manage a 401K - how can you worry about whether to be in the tech sector or the energy sector or international when you're trying to deliver 400 tons of urgently needed supplies with 200 tons of shipping, or how to get your corporal into language school without him dropping out of his bachelor's program and missing his deployment date? Also, most levels of the military don't pay worth crap compared to the private sector. Yes, housing and full health care are included, but it's notably difficult to divert a part of your housing and health care into your retirement account.
Army Sgt First Class is a grade E7. A Non-Commissioned Officer. Normally he would be a Platoon Sgt and supervises 4 squads of about 7-10 men in each squad. A high level supervisor. Janitors that shoot guns my ass. You are a fucking punk.
brianmanahan
Lifer
- Sep 2, 2006
- 24,639
- 6,016
- 136
lol, wrong. if you work for a financial institution (insurance/banking/investments/etc) you are likely to get some form of bonuses, pensions, or both.
if all goes well, i should get %30 of my salary next year as a bonus :awe:
Last edited:
TRENDING THREADS
-
Discussion Zen 5 Speculation (EPYC Turin and Strix Point/Granite Ridge - Ryzen 9000)- Started by DisEnchantment
- Replies: 25K
-
Discussion Intel Meteor, Arrow, Lunar & Panther Lakes + WCL Discussion Threads
- Started by Tigerick
- Replies: 23K
-
Discussion Intel current and future Lakes & Rapids thread- Started by TheF34RChannel
- Replies: 23K
-
-
Facebook
Twitter