As the full Senate prepares to debate the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the VFW must highlight a controversial provision in the committee-passed version of the bill that we believe would jeopardize the military retirement benefit. Title XVI of the bill (S. 3254) would establish an advisory committee known as the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission. The stated purpose of the Commission is to achieve fiscal sustainability for the military compensation and retirement systems, and the Commission's recommendations would then be accepted by strictly an up or down vote, without the opportunity to debate or amend.
This stated purpose not only implies that the current system is unsustainable, but it also assumes that the cost is not worth the expense. As you have read before on this blog, the VFW vehemently disagrees. As we read the fine print of the language establishing this Commission, we were disturbed to find that the provisions would prevent anyone who works for a Veteran or Military Service Organization to sit on the Commission, and would further prevent anyone from serving on the Commission who had worked for a VSO or MSO within the last year. In other words, the VFW and other groups who advocate for you have no voice – meaning the voices of our more than two million members and advocates would be effectively silenced.
As if this wasn't bad enough, the Commission's final recommendations on changing the retirement system would then be put strictly to an up-or-down vote in Congress, meaning the VFW and other advocates would never have an opportunity to evaluate the Commission's report or make recommendations that represent the best interest of our veterans.
We believe that stacking the deck against service members and shutting veterans out of a discussion on the future of the military compensation and retirement system is totally unconscionable, and that this Commission must be stopped before it’s too late. The provisions establishing this Commission are not in the House-passed version of the NDAA, and there’s still time for you to contact your Senators to express your opposition to establishing this Commission before the bill comes to the floor.
Over the last few months, thousands of VFW members and advocates, like retired Petty Officer Hal Cleveland, mobilized to fight TRICARE premium increases, increases that Congress ultimately eliminated from the NDAA. Congress listened to our voice before; we can make them listen again. To learn how you can contact your representatives and tell them to oppose the Commission, click here.
Finally, let us know what you think about the potential establishment of this Commission by taking our short poll, and don't forget to leave your comments below.
Sooner or later, and we should not even consider later, it will come to the point of actually "throwing the Rascals out". Professional politicians, read power brokers, who have served more than one term do not have the best interests of the citizens at heart. All they're interested in is getting themselves re-elected. They are the ones who created this fiscal disaster that our economy is "enjoying". Run them off and put in new ones. Newbies couldn't screw things up any worse than they already are!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, what FP June 15, 2012 3:46 PM said is true, but with what the newbies from last election have pulled, they are just as bad. Is there no one with princibles and who is a patriot anywhere nowadays?
ReplyDeleteWho is leading the push for this commission? Please give us some names so that we can contact the "guilty parties" directly. I didn't want to be anonymous but that seems to be my only option. I don't have a URL and I'm getting signed up for too many other things.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Jim McQuillen
mcq1@comcast.net
When i enlisted in the US Army 1948, we were told of the many benfits there were for a person who enlisted. As the years went on many of these benfits were taken away from us. Now it looks like the people who are in the government are at it again, takingaway what was given us rightfully. It is time to change the people in WAshington including the President Obama.I will write my congressmen about this...George King U S Army retired, 20 yrs AD ,Korea and Vietnam returnee
ReplyDeleteIf they expect our Military to protect them at all costs, then they should protect their benefits at all costs!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat comments!!!
DeleteThere are three things to consider before changing the retirement compensation system. 1) If a citizen spends twenty or more years serving their country in the military they will never be able to acrue a significant retirement in industry since most require 55 years old and 20 years unbroken employment. I fell to this after serving in the Vietnam era. I went to college and then went to work. When I retired I got $150/mo from one company and $326/month for a second. I worked for ten years for each company. 2) Retirement benefits including medical benefits are necessary for the veteran to thrive after retirement. The cost of medical insurance is prohibitive for those on fixed incomes prior to Medicare. 3) The Veteran has served his country and answered their call without expectation of financial gain, it is not unresionable for the veterand to be compensated for his service.
ReplyDeleteMost of the things my son was promised when he enlisted at 18 years (he served over 20 years0 was either cut or non -existant when he retired. He wondrs at times what he did it for. He is now partially disabled and has very bad headaches, diabetes and other medical probles through his time in the serice. Was it worth? I don,t beleive his pain is
ReplyDeleteI am a retired Vietnam vet and I have a son that has been in the army for 10 yrs. My son in law is an E8 in the air force. My grandson has just enlisted in the air force so we are a multi generational military family. We should be protecting the benefits of those who served not reducing them.
ReplyDeleteWhile I served only ten years in the Corps, I remain as much a Marine as I always was. And the promises made to me along the way have indeed been taken away mostly by the Democrats in Congress with the urging of the so-called Administration reformers (who reformed nothing for the good). They wanted an all-volunteer service, they got it but when it proved to work too well, they want that gone too. Do not ever trust a politician for they do not lof the people, for the people by the people, but of the dollar, by the dollar, and for the dollar. Time to run them all out of our Houses.
ReplyDeleteIt makes no difference which party is in power. Either one will happily screw the military and veterans if doing so pleases the special interests to which they are loyal. As veterans we need to stand together with our active duty comrades to keep the post-Vietnam debacle from repeating itself.
DeleteThere is no other profession that demands as much from its people than the military. We have little to say about when and where we will be ordered to go and what we have to do. The military is a 24/7, 365 commitment. There are no laws that say we work only 40 hrs per week, and there is no OT paid. Where else can you be on stand-by and find ourself being deployed on 4-hours notice? Maybe it is time for us to decide what our representatives at all levels are paid and what benifits they are entitled to!
ReplyDeleteHaving served from 1974 to 2009 we're always the first place politicians look to make changes either through pay, benefits or social engineering. We must stand together to stop all these issues before it destroys our military and our way of Life. As President Reagan stated "Freedom" is just one generation away from extinction. The current leaders in the U.S. Military need to speak out, not just for the troops but for the future of this Nation. Stop being careerist and be Leaders!
ReplyDeleteI think the people of this American Way needs to get more push behind them. It is always talking and getting nowhere. There is mor talk than action. As soon as the elections are over the Country will be sunk and the new or previous President will run the country again. I vote to oust all of the the folks in Washington and start over with the common and Middle Class and not afraid to talk back to the so called leader. He wants to be a dictator so lets deport this man out of our Free American Country the we have had here.
ReplyDeleteThank you for allowing me to comment. I agree with what I have read and when the election comes I hope and pray we will be better off. LETS VOTE !!!!!!!!
The real LEECHES to this great country and the ones whom are hell bent on distroying it are our elected officials.
ReplyDeleteMy point.
One term retirement.
Their own health care.
Pay increases as they see fit.
Their children get grants that do not need to be repaid.
Just to mention a few.Do you really think with all this that they will represent US in good faith when they know they will be exempt from any decision they make. Get real.
I do believe that the current military retirement and compensation should be researched. There may be overall improvements within the data, but I am definitely against reducing overall benefits to the veterans and military personnel. We live a lot longer now on average than our WWII and even Vietnam generations, which means that our working years and careers are longer with every generation. I am currently at 10 years, and would be eligible to retire at 42 years of age. I would be willing to delay collecting retirement until 50 or 55 if the money was used as ADDITIONAL funding for veterans programs, particularly to assist those WIA or families of KIA or the military/veteran health systems.
ReplyDeleteAny time the government creates a commission in regards to military benefits, break out the Vaseline! The silent majority will always be trodded upon by the vocal minority.
ReplyDeleteQuit the complaining and bite the bullet. Service to the country NEVER ends, while one is still alive. Thinking positively gets more results than thinking negatively. Remember that 'can do will do' attitude.
ReplyDeleteDennis R. Taber: June 19,2012, So they are still trying to do away with the all volunteer military and go to the draft like years ago?
ReplyDelete