Posted on Jan 3, 2014

Is it time to cut military health and pension benefits?

1SG Steven Stankovich

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<p>I read this article this afternoon.  I have some pretty colorful opinions on the subject.  What are yours?</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>http://www.defenseone.com/politics/2014/01/its-time-cut-military-health-and-pension-benefits/76154/#.Usa-zVvSg2k.facebook</p><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://cdn.defenseone.com/media/img/upload/2014/01/02/1144751_1/open-graph.jpg"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a href="http://www.defenseone.com/politics/2014/01/its-time-cut-military-health-and-pension-benefits/76154/" target="_blank">It's Time to Cut Military Health and Pension Benefits</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">In a new poll, a majority of defense and national security experts say it's time to cut military health and pension benefits. By Sara Sorcher</div></div><div style="clear: both;"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div>

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Edited 12 y ago

Posted 12 y ago

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1SG Steven Stankovich

Posted 12 y ago

Thought I would add a little more reading material to the discussion...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/07/military-pensions-four-star-officers/4359023/

Pensions continue to grow for military brass

Pensions for top military brass continue to grow even as Congress attempts to trim the benefits for working-age military retirees.

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CAPT Gary Foster

Posted 12 y ago

Here's an idea. 1). Term limits (i.e no one stays longer than two terms). 2). Take away senate and congressional pensions. Being a representative was never supposed to be a full time career. That ought to save a bunch of money. 3). Hold the national media accountable for assisting any particular political party. 4). Voting is a right, but maybe it's time we make some changes to (a) provide two forms of identification in order to vote and (b) have a job in order to vote. It is an honor and a privilege to represent the American people. Another problem has been the enormous amount of cash that is needed just to get elected. Any normal American with any ambitions of running for a seat has to have some big time donors and backing from corporate America. That's equivalent to being bought.

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SSG Jeffery Haynes

Posted 12 y ago

If they want to cut the defense budget and save some money they can start by not providing marriage benefits to same-sex marriages. I'm sick and tired of the government using the military as a Social Experiment!

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SFC Stephen P.

12 y

I absolutely concur, but I'll go a bit further.

The military should not provide free benefits to service members' families at all.

There is no reason to treat our unmarried troops as second class. Our obligation is to the member, and not to his relations.

As for the "social experiment", I think if you take an objective look at the nation we have sworn to protect, you'll find that experiment has already been conducted.

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1SG Michael Minton

12 y

family medical care is part of the benefits soldiers get to help off set the fact they only get poverty wages! On military pay, they could not afford healthcare for their family. In the civilian world, a lot of jobs insurance also cover family members. you just sound like a disgruntled single soldier! i guess next you would recomend doing away with medical care all together and force military onto obamacare. try being a lower enlisted and afford family health insurance, its not posssible. you cant imagine all the financial issues you would have to deal with everyday. not to mention when your in combat, dont need to be worrying about your family health or finance issues. that is one of the main incentives that gets married soldiers to reenlist. and if you do have a family, how would you get along losing anywhere from 400-1200 a month out of your check? the price of family insurance under obamacare.

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MSG Mitch Dowler

12 y

Agreed that all military should receive the same pay and benefits as married soldiers. It is discriminatory to have different rates of pay and benefits for married vs single. Single people should not be forced to sacrifice BAH and BAS in exchange for shabby institutional living conditions. For people who choose to live on base allow them to keep their BAH and then pay monthly the market rate for the type of housing they choose on the installation whether it be an institutional one room dorm or a three bedroom two bath single family home in a residential style neighborhood.

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Is it time to cut military health and pension benefits?

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