A three-year freeze on basic pay and military housing and food allowances is among 58 recommendations contained in the draft report of President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform that was released Wednesday.I just don't understand. We have men and women who are overseas, far removed from their families and the life they knew, and you want to freeze their pay??? That's insanity!!
The Debt Commission, as it is informally known, said Regular Military Compensation — basic pay, basic allowance for housing, and basic allowance for subsistence, as well as the tax advantage of those two tax-free allowances — is expected to grow by $9.2 billion from 2011 to 2015.
“A three-year freeze at 2011 levels for these compensation categories would save the federal government $7.6 billion in compensation and tax expenditures,” as well as another $1.6 billion in future retirement pay, for a total of $9.2 billion in savings in 2015.
Combined, the 58 recommendations would save $3.8 trillion through 2020, mainly by making cuts to Social Security and Medicare, reducing income-tax rates and eliminating tax breaks, including the mortgage-interest deduction.
But the commission’s co-chairs, Erskine Bowles, former White House chief of staff under President Clinton, and Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, had plenty of other recommendations for savings within the Defense Department budget.
The proposed three-year freeze on military compensation is the most eye-opening military-related recommendation in the report, and it could prove politically untenable. But other defense-related recommendations pick up on ideas that have been discussed before at length, some for years.
We all know I'm a bit biased as I have family in the Army stationed in Germany, but I'd like to think that even if that were not the case, I'd be objecting just as strongly. When one looks at all the career choices out there, being in the military is amongst the most difficult. And not just for the person serving - for that person's family as well. While the Elder is in the field, TSC is for the most part raising Wiggleworm by herself. And when he heads to Afghanistan in February, she will in essence be a single parent for months on end.
I'm certain that if they dig deep enough, they can find some other place to make cuts. Do not...DO NOT...freeze the pay and allowances of these men and women and their families who are sacrificing so much all for the love of their country.
H/T Pete, via facebook
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Overseas pay is VERY different from "Base" pay.
ReplyDeleteYou should know that; check with your relatives.
The Pentagon's spending must be on the block, too. And their priorities: the US's troop placements--damn near everywhere--place us closer to "empire" than "republic."
As long as the Administration is willing to freeze the pay of everyone in government, I can probably work with this. But they won't. Conspiracy theory: Freeze pay which forces many out and guts the military to continue the slide in American Exceptionalism.
ReplyDeleteSo, what do they expect, for these people living their life serving in the military to get a part-time job to pay for their housing, etc?
ReplyDeleteFiscal Responsibility, huh? Maybe, but that really doesn't sound morally/ethically responsible at all.
Actually, lots of Army people serving in Germany back in the '60's/'70's DID have part-time off-base jobs, as did their wives (if possible.)
ReplyDeleteWell, that might prove to be a bit difficult...since September he's been "home" on base with his wife and child approximately 14 days. That field training takes a wee bit of time, don'tcha know...
ReplyDeleteYah, well.....back then, training wasn't all that big a deal. By some testimony, if the Russkis had rolled, they coulda had everything east of the Pyrenees.
ReplyDeleteThat was then. This is now. Guess things have changed a bit in the past 40 years or so.
ReplyDeleteIs there a count of how many of our military has to use food stamps because their pay is so pathetic, they can't afford to feed their families?
ReplyDeletefor soldiers in germany there is about 1 job for every 60 people on base. I would also like to note that for active duty army, there is in no way, shape, or form such thing as another job. everybody i know as a military family in germany uses food stamps because they cannot afford simple necessities to take care of their family. this freezing soldiers pay idea is ridiculous and will destroy many close friends lives and families lives. just saying :)
ReplyDeleteFrom my lovely daughter in law via facebook:
ReplyDelete"It’s pretty hard to get a job here. I wanna say there’s like 1 job for every 25 spouses/kids. I know people who have been trying to get a job since July, since March. And everyone I know with a kid under 4 is on WIC because our pay sucks and everything’s more expensive but hey lets freeze our pay and make our insurance more expensive though these solders are the reason we’re free. Judges and politicians get awesome pay and benefits and no one would ever think to freeze theirs…that sounds perfect"
Don't ya just love it when those in the know can so easily smack down those who THINK they are in the know? *batting eyelashes*
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