TSP
I don't think the problem is that Soldiers don't see the importance of saving for the future, even at 1%. I see the problem as being that so many Soldiers live from paycheck to paycheck, and survive on Ramen noodle soup the last few days leading up to payday. So, when they are in this situation, they aren't worried about saving for the future.
I think contribution matching will help encourage them to start saving. It will basically be like getting free money, so it would be stupid not to. Even if they are living paycheck to paycheck, I think many will have some more motivation to figure out how to better budget their finances.
http://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/employeebenefits/TSP.html
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for United States Government civilian employees and members of the uniformed services.
Civilian TSP is matched penny for penny for the first 1% of base pay. Then the government matches .25 on the dollar for the next 4%. They call it matching for up to 5% but its a shell game. Usually works out, for me anyway, to about $500 to $600 a year that the gov puts in my TSP. Once you are vested then all government matching funds are yours to keep. I believe vesting is at three years for civilians.
I thought there was a soldier's TSP program. My daughter contributed to it when she was in. I don't know if her contributions were matched or not. If you guys aren't getting matched then, I agree SPC Smith, that is a foul.
Edit: Civilian TSP is on top of FERS, which is our federal retirement fund. We contribute to it, but if I remember right its a small percentage compared to what the government puts in each month. Also the employee can take a loan out against their vested funds in the civilian TSP and pay it back with a minimal interest rate.
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