Geo, if Penata and Obama continue with their proposed cuts to the military pay and allowences ACTIVE AND RETIRED, it is just a matter of time until there won't be any incentive for young people to join the military, much less make a career of it. Those that are in now and thinking of re-enlisting or staying for a career will see the broken promises to present retirees and they will say NO WAY AM I GOING TO STAY. When voluntary enlistments and re-enlistments drop to a certain point, even with the downsized force they are propsing, they will have to go back to the draft just to fill the basic military needs.
Just a few of their probosals: drasticly cut active duty pay and allowences (which are frozen right now); require a longer stay for basic retirement (presently 20 years and they want it to be 30 years); recind the GI Bill for educational benifits; require larger enrollment fees for healthc care for family members; increase co-pays for family member healthcare; insititute enrollment fees (starting at $750 yearly per person, meaning a retiree and spouse would have to pay $1,500) for reitree health care (Tricare for Life supplement to Medicare); and insitute or increase co-pays for all medicaines whether obtained in military or civilain pharmacies.
Those cuts are doing away with most of the incentives young military personnel have for enlisting and/or re-enlisting.
Grumpy
PS: I have already written letters three different times on this subject to Senators McConnel, Paul and Congressman Guthrie. McConnel and Paul have answered each with statements to the effect that THESE CUTS NEED TO BE MADE in order to cut the deficit. Guthrie is against them.
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