Posted on Sep 13, 2014
Military Members recieving government assistance. What's your take?
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Every now and again I've come across a huge push about military members having to use food stamps in order to get by - I find it disgusting. While the posts and comments I read are in fact pro-military (glad people are still supportive of us), I feel like we shouldn't be on any kind of assistance whatsoever.
About a year ago I was at my local Walmart grabbing a few things. There was a female Soldier checking out ahead of me with her toddler and husband. She was paying with WIC. I looked the three of them over...the small child had diamond earrings in both ears, husband wearing a plethora of gold chains, huge sparkly rocks in each ear - it just didn't appear like it added up.
Icing on the cake is this: the baby food, diapers and so on was paid for with WIC. When it came time to pay for the 18 pack of beer and carton of smokes, the husband pulled a bankroll out of his pocket and sorted through $100 and $50 bills to pay. They then left the store and went outside to their BRAND new car, still with dealer tags.
All in all, we make decent money. Base pay + housing allowance + food allowance. All around not too shabby. What warrants needing free (at the expense of others) food, especially after seeing something like this.
I think the problem is that some would rather have a shiny new car, the latest iPhone and other needless frivolities but then rely on society to provide them with their grown up responsibilities.
If a Soldier is going to accept food stamps/WIC/other assistance, they shouldn't warrant or receive BAS.
**** EDIT EDIT EDIT****
I had created a separate question simply referencing this discussion and it was reported as being a duplicate. Apparently someone needs to look up the definition of "duplicate". My more direct question was posed and realization/admittance that I had been human and was judgmental was addressed and acknowledged. Thanks whoever reported that. Though you like to disagree with anything I suggest, that is fine. I have no need to have a "measuring" contest with you on a blog. Despite your attitude of "every problem is you", you still couldn't answer a simple question.
YOU bring a child into this world when you couldn't afford to. THAT an individual can control - Why should society have to pay for it?
Lay offs, death and extraordinary circumstances are another story - don't get it confused. I am strictly referring to being financially unstable and making society pay for it.
SFC (Join to see) put it best, "If you can't feed them, don't breed them". That's YOUR child - not society's.
About a year ago I was at my local Walmart grabbing a few things. There was a female Soldier checking out ahead of me with her toddler and husband. She was paying with WIC. I looked the three of them over...the small child had diamond earrings in both ears, husband wearing a plethora of gold chains, huge sparkly rocks in each ear - it just didn't appear like it added up.
Icing on the cake is this: the baby food, diapers and so on was paid for with WIC. When it came time to pay for the 18 pack of beer and carton of smokes, the husband pulled a bankroll out of his pocket and sorted through $100 and $50 bills to pay. They then left the store and went outside to their BRAND new car, still with dealer tags.
All in all, we make decent money. Base pay + housing allowance + food allowance. All around not too shabby. What warrants needing free (at the expense of others) food, especially after seeing something like this.
I think the problem is that some would rather have a shiny new car, the latest iPhone and other needless frivolities but then rely on society to provide them with their grown up responsibilities.
If a Soldier is going to accept food stamps/WIC/other assistance, they shouldn't warrant or receive BAS.
**** EDIT EDIT EDIT****
I had created a separate question simply referencing this discussion and it was reported as being a duplicate. Apparently someone needs to look up the definition of "duplicate". My more direct question was posed and realization/admittance that I had been human and was judgmental was addressed and acknowledged. Thanks whoever reported that. Though you like to disagree with anything I suggest, that is fine. I have no need to have a "measuring" contest with you on a blog. Despite your attitude of "every problem is you", you still couldn't answer a simple question.
YOU bring a child into this world when you couldn't afford to. THAT an individual can control - Why should society have to pay for it?
Lay offs, death and extraordinary circumstances are another story - don't get it confused. I am strictly referring to being financially unstable and making society pay for it.
SFC (Join to see) put it best, "If you can't feed them, don't breed them". That's YOUR child - not society's.
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BAS
BAS
Edited 10 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 67
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Man my 2 year old has diamond ear rings too. No wait. They are $20 earring that look like diamonds.
Also, what is the difference of someone fanning through a couple of hundred dollars in their pocket and you having a couple of thousand in the bank? Does that add up? What exactly are you adding?
Last time I checked most brand new cars have dealer tags on them. Are you saying a Soldier shouldn't have a new car?
Did you ask if that was her husband or did you just assume? Do you know how much they paid for that car or if someone had to cosign so that she would have transportation to get to work?
The government decides who qualifies for assistance. Believe it or not, they do that knowing how much WE make. After knowing that, they still decide we qualify. So who are you to say that they shouldn't? Based off of what you saw in 3 minutes in a walmart checkout line? Based off of you seeing a Soldier mother buying food and diapers for taking her child?
I wonder what the person standing in line behind you thought about you. I wonder what they would think if they could hear what you were thinking but I am pretty sure wouldn't dare to say.
Also, what is the difference of someone fanning through a couple of hundred dollars in their pocket and you having a couple of thousand in the bank? Does that add up? What exactly are you adding?
Last time I checked most brand new cars have dealer tags on them. Are you saying a Soldier shouldn't have a new car?
Did you ask if that was her husband or did you just assume? Do you know how much they paid for that car or if someone had to cosign so that she would have transportation to get to work?
The government decides who qualifies for assistance. Believe it or not, they do that knowing how much WE make. After knowing that, they still decide we qualify. So who are you to say that they shouldn't? Based off of what you saw in 3 minutes in a walmart checkout line? Based off of you seeing a Soldier mother buying food and diapers for taking her child?
I wonder what the person standing in line behind you thought about you. I wonder what they would think if they could hear what you were thinking but I am pretty sure wouldn't dare to say.
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SSG Jacob Wiley
Still incapable of comprehending the principle.
As for "how about you learn"..
How about you learn to nut up and ask people why they can pay cash out of pocket for their vices, but have to rely on other to feed their children. Or are you simply the type that grew up this way and enjoy freebies when you really might not need them?
As for "how about you learn"..
How about you learn to nut up and ask people why they can pay cash out of pocket for their vices, but have to rely on other to feed their children. Or are you simply the type that grew up this way and enjoy freebies when you really might not need them?
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SSG Daniel Deiler
I am guilty of not being completely clear and concise by not differentiating between personally seeing and seeing/reading about instances of EBT card abuse occurring. I completely understand your skepticism of this particular instance happening. I've seen it happen twice. Once it was just a card sitting there beeping away at a drive up ATM. This instance the guy was visibly inebriated and in a hurry. I wish I could say I was "lucky" at the casino that day but it wasn't in the cards lol.
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SSG Daniel Deiler
In defense of 1SG (Join to see) it would be good to point out that the elite and the rich already pay an exorbitant amount of taxes. I'll try to find the reference but during my American Government course I was surprised and appalled that approximately 12% of the the population pays approximately 90% of the taxes collected by the IRS. How is that fair? Why should the owners of businesses such as McDonald's pay their employees for not getting more education? If they can't afford it do to children, car notes, etc that's their fault for making choices to put them in that particular situation. If you can't afford children don't have unprotected sex. If you can't afford that newer car, don't enter into a car loan that puts you and your family in that kind of bind. It boils down to choices and living with those choices. Survival of the fittest.
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PO2 Michele Sohl
Don't have them if you can't afford them, is all well and good. But for those who have children and something happens, sometimes you have to ask for help. Maybe you lost your job, there goes your income and guess what, you still have mouths to feed, shelter and clothe. Maybe that beater of a car finally bit the piston and no longer runs, you are then forced into the purchase of another car. There are any number of reasons in the future that will affect our choices today. It is also possible that the toddler was not theirs. Could have been a niece or nephew. On the WIC program you can have other people authorized to make purchases with the signature card. Maybe they were doing a favor for a relative. You don't know their specific situation and it is unfair to judge.
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I used WIC with each of my children up until I was an E5. I assure you, I didn't have a brand new car, etc. on a side note.WIC does not cover diapers and actually gives a line by line item list of what it is used for.
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SPC Randy Torgerson
MSgt Joshua Copeland, who are you commenting on or what post are you commenting on? I'm trying to find where Microsoft's taxes were talked about?
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
Wow...I give up trying to explain it to you. I know when something isn't worth my time.
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SPC Leisel Luman
WIC is a good program and provides needed assistance for a time period. Not a life time
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First of all...I'd have to know more about a particular situation before I made a judgement call. I had a sailor complain to me about a shipmate doing something similar several years ago. Since the sailor in question was in my division and I had a fairly good rapport with the sailor I decided to have a chat.
In the course of the conversation she openly admitted she was on WIC and was embarrassed as it comes to have to do it. The question about who might help her (family, church, Navy Relief, etc) was brought up. As I expected, she was in process of a nasty divorce, Navy Relief wouldn't consider helping her (now why wasn't I surprised at THAT?!), her church WAS in the mix by helping her take care of the babies while she worked and her family had driven up just 9 days ago and were in a major way helping her get moved out and into another apartment. Turns out her younger brother was a single man working a good job and had money to burn - and didn't mind spending it on his sister and nieces and nephews (I'm thinking he was the one with the cash at the commissary). At the end of the chat she invited me to come out and see the new (to her) car her mom and dad had brought with them.
So, at the end of her day I took a few moments to go out and see this car. I have to admit it was a nice car. While we were there, I got to meet her family - they were driving up while she was in line to get her vehicle registered on base. Couldn't ask for a nicer group.
So, I said my goodbyes - there was at least another 6 or 7 hours left of my day before I was going to have a chance to go home. Ah yes, the life of an engineer before OPPE.
So...yeah, maybe you had the drift of what was going on .... and maybe not. I won't say there aren't military folks abusing the system - for every system there's a way around it. I just caution anyone to avoid making a judgement call unless you KNOW ALL the facts - not just what you see at walmart.......
In the course of the conversation she openly admitted she was on WIC and was embarrassed as it comes to have to do it. The question about who might help her (family, church, Navy Relief, etc) was brought up. As I expected, she was in process of a nasty divorce, Navy Relief wouldn't consider helping her (now why wasn't I surprised at THAT?!), her church WAS in the mix by helping her take care of the babies while she worked and her family had driven up just 9 days ago and were in a major way helping her get moved out and into another apartment. Turns out her younger brother was a single man working a good job and had money to burn - and didn't mind spending it on his sister and nieces and nephews (I'm thinking he was the one with the cash at the commissary). At the end of the chat she invited me to come out and see the new (to her) car her mom and dad had brought with them.
So, at the end of her day I took a few moments to go out and see this car. I have to admit it was a nice car. While we were there, I got to meet her family - they were driving up while she was in line to get her vehicle registered on base. Couldn't ask for a nicer group.
So, I said my goodbyes - there was at least another 6 or 7 hours left of my day before I was going to have a chance to go home. Ah yes, the life of an engineer before OPPE.
So...yeah, maybe you had the drift of what was going on .... and maybe not. I won't say there aren't military folks abusing the system - for every system there's a way around it. I just caution anyone to avoid making a judgement call unless you KNOW ALL the facts - not just what you see at walmart.......
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PO1 (Join to see)
CPT Ahmed Faried I'd love to take full credit, but I can't. Taking the path less traveled is partly a result of previous "snap judgements" that turned out to be completely incorrect. I do appreciate the kind words, though!
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Spoken like a Sailor thst has been around the block....thanks for your input. I get your point, we judge, jury, and execute with our bias...and we don't know the entire story. Walk a mile in my shoes before you judge me.
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SSG(P) (Join to see)
Military pay is fine when you are supporting your own little hobbies and habits. However, it sucks when you are supporting three people...what is his pay, $15, 000-20, 000? That is nothing. Considering all situations before judging would be the prudent thing to do.
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