Senior Military Leaders to Keep Pension amidst Cutbacks

2014-01-08T11:52:35-05:00

I'd like to hear everyone's opinion (especially senior brass) on the military retaining pensions for senior officers amidst the budget cutbacks and recent reductions of retiree benefits. I will retain my opinion for now uintil I see what the masses say.

http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140108/BENEFITS05/301080005/Military-brass-immune-pension-rate-cuts

Military brass immune to pension rate cuts

Top military brass will keep their specially boosted pensions despite the December budget deal that trimmed pension rates for other military retirees, Pentagon officials said Tuesday.

Response by SFC Stephen P. made Jan 8 at 2014 11:59 AM

2014-01-08T11:59:46-05:00

Apples and oranges.

Will ending this program save $6 billion over 10 years?

Response by SFC Charles S. made Jan 8 at 2014 12:14 PM

2014-01-08T12:14:46-05:00

Yes, this is totally wrong and this is also what is wrong with the current administration who is successfully running the whole country into the ground.

Response by LTC Joseph Gross made Jan 10 at 2014 8:04 AM

2014-01-10T08:04:58-05:00

I don't think this is a very good article to begin with and that doesn't address the question directly but it is important. I don't think this article presents the issues correctly unless I'm missing. Are these officer actually exempt from the reduction or are they simply over age 62 so they are not affected by it? Regardless the bigger problem is I really think the pay scale is out of control at the upper end. Were I to get promoted to O-6 (never happen) my raise would be more than a SGT's entire base pay. I think we have expanded the difference between officer pay ranks beyond a reasonable limit. Don't get me wrong, I still want a good raise, but I think we need to redefine what a raise is and what it represents. I'm thinking somewhere around O-4 the raises should not have been more than about $400 a month rather than the $600-700 it currently is and then it only gets worse as you go up. Time to relook the pay scale and break some hearts. In the big picture it won't fix the budget or even make a blip on the radar, but I think it is the right thing to do.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 10 at 2014 10:41 PM

2014-01-10T22:41:14-05:00

SGT Jones,

I think the general idea here is something that has been lost along the political lines. I have read the articles and they seem to say the same thing (from various different publishers)... the top paid are not going to be affected by the budget cuts that the lower paid are getting. This is so commonplace throughout the political sphere that is is astronomically out of control. We could apply the same line of thought to the elected officials that created the budget deficit and recession through overspending and fiscal irresponsibility, yet they vote their own raises and cut our pay/benefits. Is it fair? Absolutely not. But, like LTC Gross mentioned the pay is so out of proportion at the top that it doesn't surprise me.

Honestly, I believe that the only real solution is the ballot box. Vote them out, vote them out and vote them out again. Get rid of partisan politics and ONLY elect those who are non-partisan, who represent what the public really wants/needs. So many aspects of our society (military and American civilian) are being governed by "big money" politics, that it will take an entire and absolute overhaul of the system.