military to face benefit cuts

[jasoncran]

Mullen Says Pay, Benefit Cuts 'On the Table'

i am awaiting for them to start cutting our retirments benefits. man come twenty good yrs.

 

[handy]

It's hard, I know Jason. My hubby used to work for Quest (phone company out of Arizona). It was a union job with "Cadillac" health benefits. I worked at a small day-care, but we had an excellent HMO.

Now, we pay more than $500 a month for premiums, have (between the two of us) $5000 deductible and then it only covers 50%. As far as retirement benefits...fugetaboutit!. ROTHs are about the only thing we have going for us. There are practically NO companies around here that have retirement programs.

I think most American's are feeling the pinch when it comes to less benefits for more money. I'd rather not have our service guys lose benefits, but I will say, I'd rather it be a cutback in benefits or retirement than in body armor or proper equipment.

 

[jasoncran]

the sad thing is that it doesnt have to be that way, if our president and congress had the huevos to say no the u.n on libya(we dont get oil) and also other things. its time we took care of us.

oh, for me the tricare deal doesnt mean much. my retirment doesnt pay till at age 60. i could if i am able tooat the way things are going stay in for the full 30 yr florida guard retirment. this is way better then the federal retirment as it pays 50% of the basepay. in all likelyhood i will make sfc by then and that will be way more then i make on civy job( from e-7 pay by half that is about 2k plus) far more then my civy govt retirment and not including the federal seperate retirement that i am still able to draw in on. another k there.

the question is can i stand being in this stuff that long? will by body take it?

 

[Riverwolf]

My son is USMC SSGT and soon to be 2nd LT.
He tells me that nowadays you can not always stay in till retirement, even with him making officer, nothing is certain. He says lots of 10-15 year marines are forced out due to MOS restrictions with rank. For instance when he gets officer, well there can only be so many 2nd LT's in any MOS, same goes for SSGT's.
Back when I was in anybody could just sit back, get fat and wait for retirement.

 

[jasoncran]

i have been in since 1991. there has been the idea of certian ranks that had to meet to make retirement. no more career private first class and corporal(specialists for the army folk)

 

[Riverwolf]

i have been in since 1991. there has been the idea of certian ranks that had to meet to make retirement. no more career private first class and corporal(specialists for the army folk)

I don't pretend to know all the facts. But it is like this, my son is the air wing, they trained him for over 2 yrs just on computers for similar to air traffic controller but it includes bombing runs too. When he becomes officer next year then if they already have too many LT's then he gets out or changes MOS. Alot of new LT's he said are stuck with on ground combat. So he goes from cush office type job to combat, But, if there is already too many LT's in combat then he looks elsewhere. A friend of his who is enlisted with 12 years is being forced out cause of similar reasons. Again I don't know all the facts, maybe the guy is just dumb.

 

[jasoncran]

I don't pretend to know all the facts. But it is like this, my son is the air wing, they trained him for over 2 yrs just on computers for similar to air traffic controller but it includes bombing runs too. When he becomes officer next year then if they already have too many LT's then he gets out or changes MOS. Alot of new LT's he said are stuck with on ground combat. So he goes from cush office type job to combat, But, if there is already too many LT's in combat then he looks elsewhere. A friend of his who is enlisted with 12 years is being forced out cause of similar reasons. Again I don't know all the facts, maybe the guy is just dumb.

not really, in the air force they have test for rank and if you dont make it by the rif standard you are gone.

it used to be this way for the active army(e-6 was changed recently cause of the low numbers) e-5 by 8, e-6 by 12 and e-7 18 or your werent able to stay in. the e-6 can stay in till 23 years. the guard and reserves are on a different standard as that.