Should there be added benefits to Soldiers who completed their full 8 year requirement and were discharged honorably?

No, on the stipend, you wanna get paid , do the 20. However you already get lots of Bennies ,VA loans for a house, loans, grants for college, and access to the VA medical system, look around you and you will see many more.

No, just no.

I'm SPC Ramsey, and yes I think there should be some kind of benefits for us who do complete our 8 year obligation. Now it doesn't have to be something major, but benefits for accomplishment. For instance I signed my 8 yr obligation at the age of 17 and put in delay entry program so I got paid to finish high school and after graduation I left straight for basic. The Army was alot of fun and I did deploy at 19 6 months after graduation. My first 18 months of service I went to training and got deployed. When, I returned home I did get care for ptsd to help me out. I was very young and confused about alot of stuff but I had the best NCOs to help me out. My mos is 92Y and on deployment I worked my but off and did supply of class 1 sending out supplies to 19 outstations. I am a proud Bandido Charlie and always will be. When we returned we did alot of pt, being in a tanker company and my Ltc being ranger and CSGM being airborne ranger we did pt like no other. After awhile I started having problems with my back and shoulder. I ended up having to take the honorable discharge for full active duty service. And with that I still had 3 yrs of reserves to finish my 8 yrs because I couldn't do 6 yrs active. I had a PA who wouldn't believe what I told him and ended up getting out of the army with spinal stenosis and lumbar thoracic problems that got really bad. Yes I have 80%, from active duty but nothing for my back. Being in the reserves they're helping me out with it so I can get medical discharge and get the proper treatment I need. You may ask, am I proud for my service and my answer is yes. But at the same time I wish I had a doctor that listened to me. I can run anymore which I love doing, barely do stairs some days and my exercise is just walking. I got out of active duty Nov 2013, I was about 170 lbs. 2 yrs later I'm 248 the biggest ever mostly because of the fact I can't workout like I would love to. I really want to be 160 or less again, and being trans girl I'm completely open about I want to be able to look better. So yes, if you serve your 8 yrs there should be some kind of benefits cause I know I'm not the only one with problems like this. Even if there was a special benefits to help us get back in shape. And not physical therapy, cause that's boring and heart breaking. Something just for those veterans to help us out get back on our feet. And it shouldn't be a long wait should be really easy to get in with no problems. Sorry for it being long, but I wanted you to understand. I'm a 23 yr old disabled combat veteran who is 248 lbs and can barely work out. What will the army do for us other than saying we're just overweight.
SPC Ramsey, Jessica
Bandidos
Afghanistan Jan - Dec 2011

SGT Lavature,
I would say definitely. If they give 100 percent separation pay for RCPed Soldiers then everybody should receive equal benefits. The Army is downsizing and using a plethora of "tools" designed to aide in their goals, but in my opinion they have not given enough focus to what damage the infamous downsizing will cause to the economy. Veterans are eligible for a lot of compensations whether the military provides it or the federal government your veterans and their families deserve and will get paid for their service.

Yeah its called a DD-214

Absolutely not. The benefit you get from honorably serving your country is the education/experience that you get in and the money for college/living stipend when you exit. The reward you get if stick it out to retirement is collecting your retirement as soon as you retire.

yes, I believe those of us who have completed our 8 year requirement on Active Duty should get something for it. So many don't make that far, it's only fair that we should have something for our sacrifices, not just a pad on the back and a kick in the ass.

Maybe I see SGT Lavature's question in a different way, but here's my answer: No, I don't think that the "8 and out" should get any added benefit. However, I'd really like to see the "2/3rds and fat" see some reduced benefits. As SSG Anton Savin put it, busting my ass to do what is required of me is fair and what I expected when I signed up. The job's not easy. How about reduced benefits for those who get ousted [early] for body composition, PT failures, etc., but not the troops with injuries?

One medic that I'm good friends with estimated "30% of SMs with deployment-limiting conditions in a time of peace," based on who she sees in the clinic. That grinds my gears. Obviously, most injuries are genuine; I firmly believe that. But it's easy to see the sham when you look at the work ethic. Some get blown up, but some blow it off, and that's pitiful.

Your DD 214 is your benefits. You have that and whatever are in it are your added benefit

Why? This is again showing us how society has become entitlement happy. You signed up and got your benefits. If you left early they would be stripped from you. Stay your 20 years and get the additional benefits.