& see where savings are available to pay for healthcare fees earned by people who volunteered to go to far away places and maybe never come back again.
Politicians figured out that ending the draft & pretending to honor The Troops for a few moments at major sporting events would make it all good.
This is the same DOD that says they are running out of money to pay for the healthcare benefits that were used to entice people to reenlist for ongoing, undeclared wars in distant lands.
Why are multiple National Guard deployments to distant lands- absent any military emergency, draft or declaration of war- required if the active force has all the bodies they need?
Cutting back on benefits used to entice people to reenlist during long wars…
How about letting people keep the plan that was in place when they signed up?
How about letting people keep the plan that was in place when they completed 20 years?
No definite benefit plan for people who volunteer to go to far away places and maybe never come back again-
No recommendation from these career federal employees to save money by keeping the National Guard and all the rest out of undeclared wars in the first place.
Madam First Lady- what is your position on raising healthcare fees for 20 year veterans?
At graduation time-
If you have school-age sons and daughters- tell them to stay away from the US Armed Forces.
30 years ago- healthcare benefits were nowhere near the issue they are today & most Americans had little interest in doing time in uniform.
The country supports ongoing, undeclared wars in distant lands, but not a draft. National Guard troops face multiple deployments overseas- long after any emergency phase of operations. People who operated without the benefit of labor unions paid their dues to earn benefits & now the rules are changing.
…”What medical plan in the nation has not had a single increase in the premium or co-pays in the last dozen years?”
What other plan has been earned by people who volunteer to go to far away places and maybe never come back again?
Notice Secretary Gates does not demand that congress properly fund the “All Volunteer” military that continues to fight 2 wars overseas- his solution is to have the guys that already did their time pay out of pocket to save the government some money here.
Semper Fi Secretary Gates!
Thanks for supporting “The Troops”
Jim Webb took a stand back in the 80’s and resigned as Secretary of the Navy because he refused to agree to reduce the size of the Navy.
We don’t see much of that any more. High level government officials get paid the same wether they take a stand or not. Maybe they are nominated because it is likely they will just go along with whatever comes their way.
There is federal money to move around to provide for bailouts, clean up after white collar crime, remind everyone to line up to get a converter box to keep old TVs running, etc.
Maintaining a definite healthcare package for those who signed on to go to far away places and maybe never come back again may not be such a priority.
Military Healthcare Benefits-
Some would say “Free” healthcare.
Not free- (there is already an enrollment fee- in order to make appointments- plus co-pays and prescription fees)- but earned as part of a deferred compensation/incentive package offered to qualified individuals who were willing to serve or continue to serve in the US Armed Forces.
Offered partly because of the supply and demand problem that has existed for decades- most Americans have no interest in taking on the wear and tear that comes with serving in the Armed Forces, fewer still are interested in investing a spare 20 years in making a career of the military.
We hear many good things about the generation who fought WWII. People lied about their age to serve. There was a draft. Women went in, along with movie stars, entertainers and sports celebrities- the whole country understood and was involved in the war effort. School kids participated. Most people probably had a family member who served or at least knew people who did.
“Support the Troops” is a common slogan and big political parties push and shove to stake out their own reputation for “Supporting the Troops”.
It’s all good for the average American as long as slapping a Communist Chinese Yellow Ribbon magnet on the car means the dues are paid up.
Our “Something for Nothing” culture does not pause to consider a minority of citizens who have gone the extra mile to take risks and- in return- earn benefits.
The military package never was meant to be comparable with civilian benefits.
Name another job that you can not quit that requires random, unannounced drug testing.
The demands of the job are not comparable- but- all freely accepted with the understanding that some will be sent to far away places and never come back again- and- that it all counts towards earning a definite benefit package- and not the easy way.
People made decisions and sacrifices in order to serve or continue to serve based on an understanding of the benefits they were fighting for.
Message to parents, young adults, recruiters, educators, veteran’s groups, church groups, flag lapel pin wearers, politicians, football teams with flag stickers on helmets, 911 marketers, and “support the troops” promoters- Teach your children- “bait and switch” tactics are in effect. Know this before considering serving in the Armed Forces.
