Military Retirees Screwed

Pension Budget cuts

It never ends. What they promise you today, they'll take back tomorrow.

Hey, as long as the keep the FSA content, that's all that matters, right?

It is not only that. But they have destroyed Tri Care for the troops and retirees. I was going to take my wife off of my private insurance but now I don't think I will be able to. She gets disability and Tri Care for life. Now I will have to pay for Tri Care for life also. She had three insurances Insurance from my workplace. Medicare and Tri Care for life. I was expecting to drop her from my employer insurance. But will have to see what the changes are now.

Go to this website and see what they are doing.

http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/retiree/proposed-tricare-fee-changes.html

Quote :

"Is the choice between keeping the government open and screwing all the military retirees? Is that that right choice?" said Graham, Republican from South Carolina. At a news conference on Tuesday to oppose the budget deal, Graham asked: "Of all the people we could have picked on to screw, how could we have arrived here?"

How?

Do we have significant voting numbers? No.
Can we take back our service? No
Do we have a powerful lobbying group? No

Screw 'Em.

I don't know what "Tri Care" even is, but my Dad gets his medical care from the VA, is this going to effect him?

eber322 wrote:

I don't know what "Tri Care" even is, but my Dad gets his medical care from the VA, is this going to effect him?

Tricare is our medical insurance program Eber. The VAMC is considered a military facility, so no, it will not effect him. However outside of a VAMC, yes.

Update. Democrats and republicans are working together to fix the pay and retiree health care. The backlash has been extraordinary. Word has gotten out do not join. I could live with the 1 percent pay decrease but the health insurance I count on.

As you said Vulcan, what about those on a fixed income? You might now care now, but you will later.

That pay decrease is our COLA dude. How would you like your pension reduced to what it was in 1995?

Bandit wrote:

As you said Vulcan, what about those on a fixed income? You might now care now, but you will later.

That pay decrease is our COLA dude. How would you like your pension reduced to what it was in 1995?

I agree it would hurt but not nearly as bad as the health insurance would. But they have said they are going to fix it.

I mean why mess with the military the guys that actually deserve it not the welfare people who never worked a day in their life like the dude up the road. 4 k a month just for sitting on his rear. Rides Motorcycles and 4 wheelers. It is disgusting that this is going on. Those people don't get screwed but we do.   

Bandit wrote:

Tricare is our medical insurance program Eber. The VAMC is considered a military facility, so no, it will not effect him. However outside of a VAMC, yes.

Yeah I asked my dad he has Medicare for emergency purposes and uses the VA for all his regular doctor appointments, so this won't bother him at all. Hopefully they take care of this situation though, our servicemen have earned their healthcare.

Pissedoffvulcan wrote:

I mean why mess with the military the guys that actually deserve it not the welfare people who never worked a day in their life like the dude up the road. 4 k a month just for sitting on his rear. Rides Motorcycles and 4 wheelers. It is disgusting that this is going on. Those people don't get screwed but we do.   

And, assuming he's a US citizen, he's not even the worst of it, it's all the illegals drawing welfare, not to mention getting SS, Medicare, etc that they never even paid into.

Pissedoffvulcan wrote:

I agree it would hurt but not nearly as bad as the health insurance would. But they have said they are going to fix it.

I mean why mess with the military the guys that actually deserve it not the welfare people who never worked a day in their life like the dude up the road. 4 k a month just for sitting on his rear. Rides Motorcycles and 4 wheelers. It is disgusting that this is going on. Those people don't get screwed but we do.   

No, they are not going to fix it. That's just what they're promising BEFORE the mid term elections. After that, it's major BOHICA time. Look at the garbage they are tossing to the public. Here's Senator Ryan and his staff:

Quote :

In a document defending the cut, Ryan's staff called pensions to middle-aged military retirees "an exceptionally generous benefit, often providing 40 years of pension payment in return for 20 years of service" and noted that "most begin a second career after leaving the military."

And here's some clown LtCDR from the Navy explaining the Army:

Quote :

For example, an Army private with fewer than two years of service and no dependents earns on average about $40,400 annually, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Christensen, a Defense Department spokesman. About two-thirds of that is base pay and the rest a housing allowance and a food allowance, with no taxes paid on the two allowances. An Army captain with six years of service and no dependents averages $93,800 annually.

Active duty military members also get all of their health care for free. Their spouses and children get free care at military treatment facilities. If dependents use a private doctor, dentist or pharmacy, they get the care through the department's TRICARE system, paying no premiums and no co-pays, said Austin Camacho, a system spokesman.

Not only are they lying, they are OMFG lying. But America for the most part, has no idea how to check, nor do they want to put forth the effort. Not even the media. And that's in spite of the screams coming from the military. Yeah, they're going to fix it.  :roll:

They are lying no way a E1 makes that much money. You don't make that kind of money until E5 or above.

Everything I see says they make $18-19k. Seems they are claiming here that the housing and food allowance plus free health care doubles that. if they're getting say $10k in untaxed allowances, that would be like $15-20K of taxed money. And of course there are bonuses, hazard pay, etc depending on what job they are doing. I worked with a guy ten years ago that came back from Iraq with a tax free $45K bonus because he'd stayed for a second tour. It's probably that word "average" that makes the difference.

According to Army site food allowance is more than $200 a month so the base pay plus food allowance brings it to at least  $19-20k right there.

Seems kind of believable to me, how much money is the free health care and housing allowance worth? Add that to the base pay and what does it come out to?

eber322 wrote:

Everything I see says they make $18-19k. Seems they are claiming here that the housing and food allowance plus free health care doubles that. if they're getting say $10k in untaxed allowances, that would be like $15-20K of taxed money. And of course there are bonuses, hazard pay, etc depending on what job they are doing. I worked with a guy ten years ago that came back from Iraq with a tax free $45K bonus because he'd stayed for a second tour. It's probably that word "average" that makes the difference.

According to Army site food allowance is more than $200 a month so the base pay plus food allowance brings it to at least  $19-20k right there.

Seems kind of believable to me, how much money is the free health care and housing allowance worth? Add that to the base pay and what does it come out to?

Only certain ones gets bonuses. If their is a job that they need people to stay they get bonuses every time the re up. those are technical jobs like Air Traffic Control and anything to do with computers. They do it to keep them from leaving in the private sector for better pay. If you are staying in barracks you do not get food allowance however you do get your meals for free. I mean you don't suffer but it is not all that much. Even today 40 k is nothing. You do get Sea Pay and the Army has Jump pay if you are in the Air Borne units. Hazard pay if you are in a theater of operation.

Well sure, not everybody gets bonuses but again that's why they are saying they "average about $40,400 annually". There are going to be people above and below the average figure. Free food in the barracks or a food allowance amount to about the same thing.

Seriously think about this, say you and I both earn $1550 a month me in a factory you in the army. I pay $700 a month for rent, you get free housing either in the barracks or because of housing allowance. You still have $1550 in your pocket I'm down to $850. I pay $200 a month for food, you get free food or allowance. You're at $1550 and I'm at $650. I'm paying $150 a month for health care premiums, you get it free. I'm down to $500 and you still have $1550. (and I'm not even including in copays and such).

Or to look at it another way, the way they seem to be calculating it... base pay $1550 + $200 (food value) + $700 (housing value) + $150 (medical value) = $2420 per month. $29040 per year and that was using very conservative figures for housing and medical costs. I'm using one bedroom rental rate in my rural area that is way lower than most of the country, and I'm pretty sure my medical premium estimates are way on the low side as well. So like I said, it seems possible to me that with free food, housing and medical that $18-19k could be the equivalent of a $40k income. After all the three biggest expenses in most households are rent, food, and medical.

eber322 wrote:

Well sure, not everybody gets bonuses but again that's why they are saying they "average about $40,400 annually". There are going to be people above and below the average figure. Free food in the barracks or a food allowance amount to about the same thing.

Seriously think about this, say you and I both earn $1550 a month me in a factory you in the army. I pay $700 a month for rent, you get free housing either in the barracks or because of housing allowance. You still have $1550 in your pocket I'm down to $850. I pay $200 a month for food, you get free food or allowance. You're at $1550 and I'm at $650. I'm paying $150 a month for health care premiums, you get it free. I'm down to $500 and you still have $1550. (and I'm not even including in copays and such).

Or to look at it another way, the way they seem to be calculating it... base pay $1550 + $200 (food value) + $700 (housing value) + $150 (medical value) = $2420 per month. $29040 per year and that was using very conservative figures for housing and medical costs. I'm using one bedroom rental rate in my rural area that is way lower than most of the country, and I'm pretty sure my medical premium estimates are way on the low side as well. So like I said, it seems possible to me that with free food, housing and medical that $18-19k could be the equivalent of a $40k income. After all the three biggest expenses in mos households are rent, food, and medical.

Not all get free housing. Many sailors airman and soldiers have a mortgage or rent. Some stay on base housing but most base housing sucks. The new ones don't. But in a factory your not putting up with the hardships of military life. The risks it comes with. Even a simple cook might have multiple duties such as security team or damage control team. Not to mention the stupid things officers have you do sometimes. I remember when our flag got caught on the flag pole at the top. I was on quarterdeck duty and she made me get on a later with 50 mile an hour winds to go free it. Took a big gust of wind about 3/4th way up and even the guys at the bottom holding it almost lost it backwards I thought for sure I was going to die. I came down and said I don't care if she wants to bust me she can. She made the right decision and waited the next day. As far as free medical care ya you get access to hospitals which is great I mean you do risk your life and they have to keep you in fighting shape.

I have seen people drown in the Navy doing their duties. Not a good site. But the Army and Marines have it even worse. Nope if you ask me even with the benefits it is not enough pay. They should be getting double for protecting this country. Only thing Carter did was give out a big old pay raise.

Oh I'm not disputing anything you said, just that I can see where the "average" pay including the non cash benefits could really be the $40,000. And of course with an average rate there will be about half the people under and the other half over, which is what makes it an average.

Anyway like I said I'm not disputing anything you said, even that a lot of the military people probably do deserving higher pay. All I was really trying to say is that I don't think the Lt. Cmdr was lying when he said the average pay was $40,0000.

Quote :

For example, an Army private with fewer than two years of service and no dependents earns on average about $40,400 annually, said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Christensen, a Defense Department spokesman. About two-thirds of that is base pay and the rest a housing allowance and a food allowance, with no taxes paid on the two allowances.

First off, Army privates with no dependents and less than 2 years of service, are only authorized their basic pay, currently $1,516.20 a month before taxes. They are not authorized any allowances for food or housing. So yes, the Commander is lying.

Quote :

An Army captain with six years of service and no dependents averages $93,800 annually.

An Army Captain with no dependents and less than 6 years of service earns a basic pay of $5,116.50 before taxes. They are allowed an allowance of $242.60 a month for food, tax free. They are also allowed an allowance for housing, with the average around $1,100 a month, also tax free. Total annually is $ $77,496 before taxes. Again the Commander is lying.

A Navy Captain has his own galley when he is in command of a ship. He get's two cooks and a budget for entertainment. Actually Navy Captains of a ship have it far better than Army Col. I know the difference between a Army Captain and a Navy Captain. Army Captain = Navy LT.