Another Kick in the Groin

Regardless of Rather, the Colonel's secretary had the last word.

She said the information Rather presented was accurate. And she and Bush are the only people left who know for sure.

And Bush ain't talking.

It would have been convenient for me to just walk away from my commitment, too. But some things, you don't do, if you're an American.

 

No disrespect to the Australian vets, who fought in some of the nastiest places and wars with honor and distinction. They deserve better than they get, too.

The disgusting thing is the way Bush treats American veterans. He has nothing in common with them, but that's no excuse.

 

I'm a 24 year Army veteran. Because I had no service connected disability, I have been ineligible for treatment at a VA hospital. The nearest military hospital is 2 hours away, while it's only 15 minutes to the VA hospital. Fortunately, I've got coverage from my current employer, and I have Champus/Tri-Care as a backup.

Military benefits have been eroding since the 1990s. Before the mid-1980s you could get a 50% base pay retirement for 20 years. Now you have to do 24 years to get the same amount. PX and Commissary prices have climbed so that it's cheaper to shop off-post.

One of the reason for force reductions in the 90s was to control the cost of retirement funds in the Defense budget. Immediately following VietNam, senior NCOs and officers were RIFF'd (reduction in force) just months before they were eligible for retirement. This is not the way those who serve our country should be treated, but it's how everything works in our economy.

Still, I'm encouraging my daughter to look at the Air Force for its level of training and compatibility with civilian job skills. The Air Force usually have better assigments and better living conditions than does the other branches. Promotions come more slowly than in the Army or Marines, but I believe she will gain more valuable life experience while saving for her college education in the AF.

God bless all our military and their families!

 

Stop with the ranting over Bush. He's done more than Clinton ever did. Clinton's first act as President and Commander in Chief was to sodomize the military with his 'don't ask - don't tell' policy.

Bush is no Reagan, but he respects the military and the military respects him. When it comes to the military aspect, that's all that matters. [inappropriate comment snipped]

[ February 07, 2006, 06:35 PM: Message edited by: C4K ]

 

Clinton raised pay for the military. Not enough, to be sure, but at least he didn't try to cut combat pay for our troops, as Bush did.

And he didn't cut VA benefits, as Bush recently did.

If that's your idea of "respecting the troops", then you and Bush would get along just fine.

It's no surprise that Bush treats our troops like this; every one of them who serves honorably reminds Bush that he didn't.

 

The purpose is the destroy the middle class and revert to workers and masters.

 

I'm beginning to think you are right in your assessment!

 

The middle class is under such tremendous stress it is indescribable...2 jobs sometimes 3 jobs to just stay above water...benefits being cut or taken all together...the threat of your job going to Communist RED CHINA, Mexico, and India.

The real Treason are companies that have take advantage of freedoms platform in America paid in full by the blood of
soldiers and patriots...they set roots down in freedom town with great security only later to slap Americans in the face with their TREASON!

One day when Red China finally has its revolution or a major disaster befalls India or
Mexico will they come whimpering back to Americas
Freedom shores ..paid in blood ..blood of patriots.

They are Judas

 

My brother in law went from paying about $650 a month for meds to $60-65 after doing all the paperwork and schmoozing with the VA. They mail him 3 mo. worth of most of it at a time, but occasionally we'll go to the VA (about 30 miles away) to do some more paperwork and shoot some golfs. They have a nice course, and we usually invite a couple of live in vets to play.

My BI Law could talk the skin off a bear.

 

Vern, (my BILaw) fought for a year or more till he found the right person. He's stubborn. He fought with the telephone company for 5 or 6 years over 1 incorrect bill and spent around $1000 including attorney fees. All for the principal of it.

 

While you're bashing Bush for cutting combat pay, you ought to praise him from doubling the death benefit families get after 9/11. You ought to check your sources on pay as well, because under G.W. Bush, military pay has increased 21%. I served under every president from Nixon to Clinton and Ronald Reagan was by far the best leader this country has known in my lifetime.

But let's get back to your claims that Bush cut combat pay. He raised Imminent Danger from $150 when he took office to $225 per month. He's proposed doubling Hardship Duty pay.

Under Carter, the administration with the highest rate of inflation and unemployment, the military received zip in raises until election year. Of course by then it was too late. A real leader took office.

Clinton wasn't as bad to the military as Carter was, but Clinton's legacy to the military can be summed up in one word: sodomy. His first official act as President was the 'don't-ask-don't-tell' policy. George W. Bush's first official act was a National Day of Prayer. When it comes to character, even if it means making some hard choices for the good of the nation, my money is on Bush.

 

Your dad was a SGM and didn't already have 20 years in? The only young SGM I knew was a 3-time veteran of Vietnam who had won every medal except the Medal of Honor. He was 32 years old at the time, but was considered the youngest SGM in the Army (1971).

Military pay was awful back then. My first check was $125 for the month. By the time your dad passed, I guess I was earning close to $450 a month. I was stationed in Berlin at the time and most months the money ran out two weeks before payday. Many times my family consisted on peanut butter, rice and maccaroni and cheese for those two weeks. One month we had absolutely nothing in the house for two days and I swore that I'd never let my children go hungry again, even if I had to write a bad check to purchase groceries - which I've done several times since then.

 

3-page warning: This thread will be closed no sooner than 11:30 p.m. ET by one of the moderators.

Lady Eagle,
Moderator

 

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