Cuts in Benifits.

I have been having a lot of give and take with some retired military personnel lately. Please remember that I am a veteran with four years’ service.  Because I did my duty in 1966 I started College at 23 and graduated at 29. Many of my friends had already been working and had 10 years seniority, pay and a married life with children. I had a late start. 

When I think about my service I had no complaints. I never served in a combat zone because I was a Radar repairman and they had only two heavy ground radars in Viet Nam. There were many men how wanted to go so my chances were slim.

Mostly I served on the coast of the United States. Life was fairly good. The pay may have been low but the food was free as were the cloths.  Medical and dental care was also free. My housing was free as well as all the utilities. Most of my money was for spending!  Things were cheap. I could buy things at the Base Exchange at a huge discount and the commissary had food at a reduced price. Smoking and drinking were cheap because there was no tax on these items.

When I left the people of the United States paid for my college with the GI Bill. I am very thankful for that but in no way think I really deserved it. It was free and although I am grateful I in no way felt I earned  it just because I served.

A lot of my military friends feel the opposite. Many retired at 20 yrs. at half pay and at 30 yrs. at full pay. Although I do not begrudge them their retirement I must acknowledge that they contributed not one cent into any retirement fund. They also receive Social security but they paid their share toward it. Retired military also receive Tricare health care in a variety of plans that has deductibles as low as $250 in some cases. They mostly live near military towns because they can still shop at the commissary and Base Exchange.

Does any of this bother me? Not really. What bothers me is that some of these same people decry Government spending as being out of control. Many feel that the Affordable Care Act costs too much and adds to the deficit. These same men and women do not seem to understand that their health care and retirement checks also add to the deficit since 100% of their benefits have to be borrowed.

Why does this bother me? Let me tell you. If the Congress makes cuts in food stamps children’s Medicaid and Social Security, to name a few ,shouldn’t they make cuts in military benefits too?  If we, as a country, do not have the money to help the poor and aged do we have it for retired military?  Let’s face it. Most lead a pretty good retirement receiving both Health care, Social Security and their military pensions to the tune of almost $800 billion a year.

My position is that if Congress has to make cuts for the good of the nation make them across the board while raising taxes for the super wealthy. It only seems fair. I won’t complain if my Social security is cut as long as everyone else has to make sacrifices too.  Men who are wounded in battle are a different case and need all the help we can give them for their service.