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American Sacred Cow #1 - Military Pay
- Thread starter J.D.
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Sapper Woody
Well-Known Member
Yes, there are those duties. As a general rule, I get called upon to do CQ once per month. CQ is a 24 hour duty, and as was stated, no sleeping allowed.
One of my extra duties was to be the military prisoner escort. About 4-5x a month, I would have to go after work and escort a military prisoner to the hospital for appointments. I would be out until about 11pm.
Then there's field exercizes that could last for a week or more.
I could go on, but I think the point is made.
I just got the privilege to speak to my brother. Pray for him as he travels home for R&R. He's not sure when he will be home because he is at the military's mercy. Right now he's in his second country since leaving his base and his gear is already in lock-down (like already checked in to leave) and he can't carry anything with him. He left his room early this morning and left his gear to lock-down and now it's later evening for him and he was able to only get a book from the library and read. He's gone to the commissary for a change of view but he has no ability to do anything because he can't carry a bag for security reasons so he has nothing with him.
When I asked him about his working hours, he laughed and said "Is there anything other than working hours?" He works from 7 am to at least 11 pm and he said he met his new commander at 12:15 am last week and had to be on the job for another 2 hours after that. So free time is non-existant - not that there is anything to do.
So that's his life - for a year. He has 2 weeks at home and also 'off' for however long it takes him to get home which could take up to a week. During this time 'off', he can't do anything because, as I said, he can't carry a bag with him. Well, he can but he can't go inside a building with a bag so why carry it? It's 120 degrees where he is now and he said he'd rather be bored and cool.
So is he overpaid? I'd say he's UNDERpaid!
When I asked him about his working hours, he laughed and said "Is there anything other than working hours?" He works from 7 am to at least 11 pm and he said he met his new commander at 12:15 am last week and had to be on the job for another 2 hours after that. So free time is non-existant - not that there is anything to do.
So that's his life - for a year. He has 2 weeks at home and also 'off' for however long it takes him to get home which could take up to a week. During this time 'off', he can't do anything because, as I said, he can't carry a bag with him. Well, he can but he can't go inside a building with a bag so why carry it? It's 120 degrees where he is now and he said he'd rather be bored and cool.
So is he overpaid? I'd say he's UNDERpaid!
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Governments who want to stay in power will make sure there are plenty of freeloaders to keep voting them in.
Did anyone watch John Stossel's "Freeloaders" tonight on Fox Business Channel?
Sapper Woody
Well-Known Member
JD said:
Sapper Woody said:
And your point is?
saturneptune
New Member
This is a very clear cut, no shades of gray issue. This is like the threads involving patriotism and defending the military, most on this thread never served and have no idea what they are talking about. Most sit on their fat carcasses flapping their jaws about something they have only seen on CNN.
The people who serve to protect our freedom and liberty should be getting paid at least what they are. Most who post against the pay, or the military in general would last less than a day if they had to serve.
Like everyone else, I am entitled to state how I feel, and I feel a roll of duct tape would solve most of the uninformed comments. I do know this, the forums would be a lot less crowded if there was a requirement in law that one had to earn freedom and liberty before exercising it. Hope I was not vague in how I think about this issue.
Come on SN.....Tell us military (active & retired vets) how you REALLY feel!!......Don't hold back!!!
As one who has walked a mile (actually many miles) in military boots, I heartily agree with your post.
It's really quite easy for some to armchair general/Monday morning quarterback to totally disregard what we (in my case anyway) chose to forego so that a few pompous, self-righteous, self-appointed souls here on BB can exercise their 1st Amendment freedoms to boldly show to the world what their rather dubiously contrived, (bordering on-utopianized) perceptions of how, in this sin-cursed world we find ourselves living, things (in their comfort zones at least) MUST be.
[ktn4eg -- USAF, 1964-69; TN ANG, 1988-2003 -- now signing off]
saturneptune
New Member
No doubt while you were walking in those boots, and risking your lives, many here were at a pot luck, shoveling another meal down their big mouths on the way to 400 pounds in an air conditioned room and criticizing others for sinning to much or how our tax dollars are being spent, with food in their mouths.
Thanks for your service.
Military background: retired, enlisted, 22 years service; eleven active-- before all volunteer force; and eleven reserve after all volunteer. I have trained and supervised the willing and unwilling. My last duty was training trainers in Combat Engineering--circa Desert Storm and other adventures in the Middle East.
I still have a Minute Man military mindset. i.e. Grab your musket--the aggressors are coming--the remuneration being freedom. The supply trains may be a little late.
We have become somewhat of a mercenary force in recent years, not necessarily because of good pay and entitlements. I remember being paid $78 a month as an E-1 recruit in 1964. It was enough. I also remember being eligible for food stamps as an E-5 w/dep.
When we consider all the fringe benefits and opportunities of the military there is no room for complaint. There are good duty stations and bad. There are a lot of civilian jobs which require hardships.
Military pay has been moving up--somewhat sporadically perhaps. It is hard to compare civilian to military. The military is not for everybody.
If some of the military is eligible for food stamps, there is something wrong inside the beltway.
Pay raises should be at least 1% above inflation--cola for retirees too.
We give away enough money in foreign aid to cover all of it.
It is an interesting pay schedule from E-1 through The Commander in Chief--we all take the same basic oath: defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.
Peace.
Bro. James
I still have a Minute Man military mindset. i.e. Grab your musket--the aggressors are coming--the remuneration being freedom. The supply trains may be a little late.
We have become somewhat of a mercenary force in recent years, not necessarily because of good pay and entitlements. I remember being paid $78 a month as an E-1 recruit in 1964. It was enough. I also remember being eligible for food stamps as an E-5 w/dep.
When we consider all the fringe benefits and opportunities of the military there is no room for complaint. There are good duty stations and bad. There are a lot of civilian jobs which require hardships.
Military pay has been moving up--somewhat sporadically perhaps. It is hard to compare civilian to military. The military is not for everybody.
If some of the military is eligible for food stamps, there is something wrong inside the beltway.
Pay raises should be at least 1% above inflation--cola for retirees too.
We give away enough money in foreign aid to cover all of it.
It is an interesting pay schedule from E-1 through The Commander in Chief--we all take the same basic oath: defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.
Peace.
Bro. James
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Do you believe this 'pack mentality' is something acquired from military training, or does it come naturally from within?
Can't say for sure what you've chosen to term 'pack mentality' (at least in my particular case anyway) has come from.
Back in 1964, as a lost (but patriotic high school senior) I WANTED to serve in the USAF. I wasn't saved until April, 1966, some 1,000 mi away from my suburban Philly, very liberal oriented religious affiliated (& definitely "sheltered" environment). Of course, looking back from my now 46-yr experience of how the HS operates, I could see how He chose to work behind the scenes in my life.
I won't bore you w/all the details here, but this much I do know: Jesus willingly chose to love this (then 20 YO) sinner so much that He went (humanly speaking) out of His way via the HS to bring me to the place where I could hear & respond to His invitation to "Come unto me...."
Most every individual can only relate to life from his/her own personal background, & "religious" [or lack thereof] perspective(es). I can only really speak for myself....When you think about it, that's really all any person can do.
Perhaps your life experiences are drastically different than mine. I don't know what yours might have been, and any one else doesn't truly know what mine were either. Both/All of us can honestly actually only visualize this life from his/her own perspective(es).
Since I'm not positively certain what your situation or motive(s) are in every case, I'm not criticisizing or condemning you as an individual----and I hope that you aren't doing the same to your other siblings in Christ.
Please take what I've said in the spirit in which it's offered. It's my prayer & desire that we present for all to read here on BB what, hopefully, reflects what a child of God ought to mirror to others. If I've failed you or others in so doing, I humbly plead your forgiveness.
Does this sound OK to you? I sure hope it does, my brother & friend.
freeatlast
New Member
The bottom line is that even though no amount of money can be put on freedom and those who fight and die can never be overpaid for what they have done the US military IS grossly over paid based on what the nation can afford.
"Grossly overpaid" could be applied to all elected officials, bureaucrats and anyone else sucking up tax dollars, including retirees sucking the same tax cow. Who will be the first to donate 10% over taxes due to help reduce the national debt? Some seem inclined to pass it on to our grandchildren. The bills are past due in all areas where we have thrown more red ink including bailout money. We continue to fight wars with red ink(defecit spending). We continue to "spin" the budget to pacify special interest groups. It is time to pay the piper. He does not accept IOUs or American Express.
FICA does not cover federal bills, especially with a tax base which is continually eroding. Our local tax entities have to set up cameras to catch traffic violators, many of whom are on their way to get their welfare checks. The fines are usually more than the welfare checks. That is a curious way to form a tax base.
The love of money is making a full circle at every level. We are heading for another era of haves and have nots--with few in the middle.
The body politic is more apathetic than normal. Vote every chance you get.
Peace,
Bro. James
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KY Redneck---
Yeah, I can be facetious/humorous at times....Kinda like Eccles 3:1 ff mentions.
OTOH hand, I can be deadly honest & sincere in some of my posts as well.
There's a time and place for both.
Personally, I really don't have an axe to grind w/you or anyone else here on BB. OTOH, it often seems to me that it's easy for some folks (not you necessarily) to rant on about how things ought to be in their perfect realm(s).....especially (as some people from your Bluegrass State can relate) when those people don't (& probably never will) have a horse of their own in the race.
Comprendo mi hermano? :smilewinkgrin:
Yeah, I can be facetious/humorous at times....Kinda like Eccles 3:1 ff mentions.
OTOH hand, I can be deadly honest & sincere in some of my posts as well.
There's a time and place for both.
Personally, I really don't have an axe to grind w/you or anyone else here on BB. OTOH, it often seems to me that it's easy for some folks (not you necessarily) to rant on about how things ought to be in their perfect realm(s).....especially (as some people from your Bluegrass State can relate) when those people don't (& probably never will) have a horse of their own in the race.
Comprendo mi hermano? :smilewinkgrin:
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