Finally something the Pubs and Dems can agree on

The Bipartisan Debt Reduction Task Force is recommending drastic increases in the price we retired military veterans pay for health care...for me it appears their formula would raise my payment around 400%. They also want to reduce our benefits under Tricare for Life which is the copay benefit we have for when we have to do Medicare...not that far off for me.

What is a real nightmare is what they want to do to the military retirement system for those on active duty now...it is so bad that I am not gonna put it up here..they should be ashamed of themselves.

We retirees have not had a cost of living raise in last two years...ain't gonna get one this year either. They say it doesn't cost any more to live now than it did 3 years ago...all tied to the CPI....obviously they don't shop in the same grocery stores that I do.

I know many folks in this country are in hard times....but you know, I made a whole $78 dollars a month when I joined the Marines...fed a family on 250.00 a month as a Sergeant....qualified for food stamps when I was a Gunnery SGT but would never have taken them....I think we veterans paid our dues....as have our families....I have never been one to brag about my service to country..but I can tell you this...I earned what I have...I deserve better and so do all veterans...I think it would be prudent of both of these bought and paid for political parties to remember that we old veterans and those that are becomeing new veterans everyday are the only reason they are not speaking German, Japanese, or Russian. Just keep pushing us ol veterans around..I have not forgotten how to fight nor have my brothers and sisters.

Amen Dave! Our pay in the military is horrible. The problem is the powers to be that make these decisions have never served. Well very few of them anyway. They are from a class that military service for them or their children is never an option or desire. They have absolutely no idea what we sacrafice and go thru and never ask for any special treatment or recognition. Money was the only reason I got out of my beloved Marine Corps in Dec. 95. My annual LES statement totaled a whopping $12,000 for 95. Yes I didn't have to pay for health care and I got $200 a month for groceries for being married and I got $600 a month for quarters, which I paid $850 a month for a 1 bed room apt that I felt we had a good chance of not getting out throats slit(southern Ca.) I was an E4. In 95 basically all married E5s and below with one child qualified for government subsistance. Now for the ones that did stick it out and finally got to retire they want to jack you around. Plus for the ones still in trying to reach retirement they're wanting to reduce their retirement even more!!! When is enough, enough!!!!! Sorry to get on a rant but this really get under my skin!

SEMPER FI!!!
Chris

[QUOTE=DaveStewart;434132]The Bipartisan Debt Reduction Task Force is recommending drastic increases in the price we retired military veterans pay for health care...for me it appears their formula would raise my payment around 400%. They also want to reduce our benefits under Tricare for Life which is the copay benefit we have for when we have to do Medicare...not that far off for me.

What is a real nightmare is what they want to do to the military retirement system for those on active duty now...it is so bad that I am not gonna put it up here..they should be ashamed of themselves.

We retirees have not had a cost of living raise in last two years...ain't gonna get one this year either. They say it doesn't cost any more to live now than it did 3 years ago...all tied to the CPI....obviously they don't shop in the same grocery stores that I do.

I know many folks in this country are in hard times....but you know, I made a whole $78 dollars a month when I joined the Marines...fed a family on 250.00 a month as a Sergeant....qualified for food stamps when I was a Gunnery SGT but would never have taken them....I think we veterans paid our dues....as have our families....I have never been one to brag about my service to country..but I can tell you this...I earned what I have...I deserve better and so do all veterans...I think it would be prudent of both of these bought and paid for political parties to remember that we old veterans and those that are becomeing new veterans everyday are the only reason they are not speaking German, Japanese, or Russian. Just keep pushing us ol veterans around..I have not forgotten how to fight nor have my brothers and sisters.[/QUOTE]


Well said Dave and thank you for your service. I guess it is time this country started making their voices heard via e-mail, phone calls etc.

I always said, to be president there should be a law that they have to have been in the military before they even run. If you are gonna have the power to get our boys killed, you should at least have worn the shoes

Yep the politicians have gutted the support of our veterans for years but we will hand out money to illegals....can't let them down!

I remember reading about some of the stories from BigPoppy on here and how he was treated as a veteran and it sukked.

[QUOTE=Trophyhunter8;434158]I always said, to be president there should be a law that they have to have been in the military before they even run. If you are gonna have the power to get our boys killed, you should at least have worn the shoes[/QUOTE]
I can agree with your statement, but the congress is doing this with bipartism support, meaning the president has no control what they do. He can veto it unless they get enough votes to override it though. Gotta hate how the vets vote republican and get the shaft every time.:eek: Once again nobody likes Social Security, Food stamps, HUD, Vetran Pensions, Wic, Disability, just to mention a few unless you are affected when they take a cut. Dave, you were promised when you signed up those benefits as was I and I cant even get enrolled in VA! Sorry man but you deserve what was promised, health care for life! Thanks for the sacrifice you made and in closing it is being made with bipartisism support meaning they all can kiss my a**!

As a vet, Dave, feel your pain and my friend I know you deserve better. I feel anyone who has been in harms way or taken the pledge to do so and stood a post deserves the benefits they fully earned. Selfless service is one thing that above and beyond all, should be recognized and rewarded, lest our county see shortfalls in those willing to bear arms in the future.

Above and beyond that, how will we ever have creditability with our troops again. The soldiers since 911 have heard ever politician and president promise them unparalleled and exceptional support for their contributions in defense of our country, and with many still in office who made those statements, now they propose to withdraw that support.

To fund the vets programs, make Chrysler and Chevy pay back their debts early, and increase their interest rates. I'd say remove the tax reductions for all Americans, and let us all pay a little more, instead of making those who served pay again for serving their country. No, I don't like my money going to taxes, but as a vet, and having pledged to cover my buddies back in more than one foxhole, I'll shoulder my part to be sure we can all honor our promises.

[QUOTE=DaveStewart;434132]The Bipartisan Debt Reduction Task Force is recommending drastic increases in the price we retired military veterans pay for health care...for me it appears their formula would raise my payment around 400%. They also want to reduce our benefits under Tricare for Life which is the copay benefit we have for when we have to do Medicare...not that far off for me.

What is a real nightmare is what they want to do to the military retirement system for those on active duty now...it is so bad that I am not gonna put it up here..they should be ashamed of themselves.

We retirees have not had a cost of living raise in last two years...ain't gonna get one this year either. They say it doesn't cost any more to live now than it did 3 years ago...all tied to the CPI....obviously they don't shop in the same grocery stores that I do.

I know many folks in this country are in hard times....but you know, I made a whole $78 dollars a month when I joined the Marines...fed a family on 250.00 a month as a Sergeant....qualified for food stamps when I was a Gunnery SGT but would never have taken them....I think we veterans paid our dues....as have our families....I have never been one to brag about my service to country..but I can tell you this...I earned what I have...I deserve better and so do all veterans...I think it would be prudent of both of these bought and paid for political parties to remember that we old veterans and those that are becomeing new veterans everyday are the only reason they are not speaking German, Japanese, or Russian. Just keep pushing us ol veterans around..I have not forgotten how to fight nor have my brothers and sisters.[/QUOTE]

The government is going to have to do some painful things to bring the disgraceful budget deficit under control, but this ain't it. They're pissing away our money at unprecedented levels, but to target military retirees as one way to curb that is just plain wrong. We voters need to remember that.

I heard the president calling for extending unemployment benefits beyond the current 2 years or whatever it is now. I'm all for helping out, but come on now.

If we'd just vote smarter the blatant political pandering wouldn't always work so well.

They are going to have to make major changes in Social Security and Medicare to really make a difference. I say eliminate Social Security ASAP. Give me back just half the money I've paid in and take the other half (that the a-holes have already spent BTW) to pay those in the system now.

Cut the federal government by 50% and eliminate those 110k annual salaries. Dissolve Homeland Security, Dept of Education, the IRS, every czar of anything, and funding for PBS to start with, then work from there. Foreign aid..gone, federal grants...gone, lifetime congressional benefits...gone, discretionary spending...gone...etc...

Ratify a constitutional amendment making it illegal under any circumstances to waive paying before spending like those crooked morons always do. Paygo or nogo period.

No easy answers...spending us trillions into debt is what got us here.

I agree with you. How about cutting some of these Gov services and freebies for these lazy bums that won't work. Leave the Vets and their pay alone, it's a disgrace to say the least.

Dave I agree with you and I still know how to fight and have my guns of course one of them is a Remington 700 and it might just fire on its own. I will back you up till my belly turns black and blue and I can get a bunch more vets to join us.

You know Obama could not understand why the active military balked at paying their own health insurance because they volunteered to be in the military so I’m sure he would have no problem raising the premiums on the retired.

What no one has mentioned is this. Why the hell are we in afganistan yet? why are we still supporting Iraq since their oil wells are producing again? We beat their asses and now we make our troops stay there and get slaughtered by women and kids.Billions have been wasted and stolen, byt the easy solution just cant be seen. What is a platoon of soldiers in afganistan or iraq going to do about a bomb sent from yemen?Our grandson is nearing his seventh nyear in the service, almost 5 of them have been in combat zones.That didn't happen in nam, or korea,you volenteered for another stint.We never stop to think about our guys who are wounded like never before. That will also be an on going cost. And what will we win? safety? we have american muslims trying to kill us.Our saudi friends support terrorists so they leave them alone.And we always forget one sorry fact, when we are not in a war, who needs benefits for ex sevicemen?There are a hell of a lot of us veterens who never use our benefits because we dont need to.Soon we will be taken off the roles.

Also you know what is sad, is that I know personally a couple of guys who are retired military and are now in privite security in Irag and Afganastan, and do you know what they are pd a mth, up to 16,000, I saw his ck stubs, he was a sgt/major or something like that, when he retired, but if they can pay a private co that much why cant they pay our reg soliders better. It is a shame, but I forgot that the last admin's vice was an onwer in a subcontract co for the military. It is sad to given food stamps to a soliders family while he is off fighting. Thanks to all that have served and aslo Dave I, being a state emp, have not had a raise in 6 yrs and this yr, we took a cut due to furloughs, 11 yrs service and I make less than I did 10 yrs ago. And everything has gone up this economy just stinks.:mad: