Military Overpaid???

[Ragnarok 0]

Food for thought....

This is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in the Washington Times about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all newspapers across America.

On Nov. 12, Ms Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show) wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise coming service members' way this year -- citing that the stated 13% wage was more than they deserve.

A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. He ought to get a bonus for this.

"Ms Williams:

I just had the pleasure of reading your column, "Our GIs earn enough" and I am a bit confused. Frankly, I'm wondering where this vaunted overpayment is going, because as far as I can tell, it disappears every month between DFAS (The Defense Finance and Accounting Service) and my bank account.

Checking my latest earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through the calculator, I come up with an annual salary of $13,413.60 before taxes, and $10,490.40, after.

I work in the Air Force Network Control Center where I am part of the team responsible for a 5,000 host computer network. I am involved with infrastructure segments, specifically with Cisco Systems equipment. A quick check under jobs for Network Technicians in the Washington, D.C. area reveals a position in my career field, requiring three years experience with my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a year. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per annum... I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.

Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you NEVER had the pleasure of serving your country in our armed forces. Before you take it upon yourself to once more castigate congressional and DOD leadership for attempting to get the families in the military's lowest pay brackets off of WIC and food stamps, I suggest that you join a group of deploying soldiers headed for AFGHANISTAN; I leave the choice of service branch up to you.

Whatever choice you make, though, opt for the SIX month rotation: it will guarantee you the longest possible time away from your family and friends, thus giving you full "deployment experience." As your group prepares to board the plane, make sure to note the spouses and children who are saying good-bye to their loved ones. Also take care to note that several families are still unsure of how they'll be able to make ends meet while the primary breadwinner is gone -- obviously they've been squandering the "vast" piles of cash the government has been giving them.

Try to deploy over a major holiday; Christmas and Thanksgiving are perennial favorites. And when you're actually over there, sitting in a foxhole, shivering against the cold desert night; and the flight sergeant tells you that there aren't enough people on shift to relieve you for chow, remember this: trade whatever MRE (meal-ready-to-eat) you manage to get for the tuna noodle casserole or cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything. This gives some flavor. Talk to your loved ones as often as you are permitted; it won't nearly be long enough or often enough, but take what you can get and be thankful for it.


You may have picked up on the fact that I disagree with most of the points you present in your opined piece.

But, tomorrow from KABUL, I will defend to the death your right to say it.


You see, I am an American fighting man, a guarantor of your First Amendment rights and every other right you cherish. On a daily basis, my brother and sister soldiers worldwide ensure that you and people like you can thumb your collective nose at us, all on a salary that is nothing short of pitiful and under conditions that would make most people cringe. We hemorrhage our best and brightest into the private sector because we can't offer the stability and pay of civilian companies.

And you, Ms. Williams, have the gall to say that we make more than we deserve? Rubbish!

A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC


We also get paid salary, wether we work 40 hours a week, or 120.

_________________________________________
Twin Otter N203-Echo,29 July 2006
Cessna P206 N2537X, 19 April 2008
Blue Skies Forever

[Andy_Copland 0]

Taking into account that they have less to pay (living expenses) it isnt as bleak as it looks. That said...

I couldnt pay people willing to put their names on the line enough, you deserve every penny and more still.

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[Amazon 7]

Quote

I couldnt pay people willing to put their names on the line enough, you deserve every penny and more still.

And when they get back THEN they have to deal wiht the VA.....from first hand experience.. THAT SUCKS

[Nightingale 0]

From snopes:

The editorial critical of military pay raises alluded to above and the irate response to it penned by an airman at Hill Air Force Base are genuine, but the author of the original editorial has been Payback time! mistaken for her her much more famous namesake.

Cindy Williams, who starred in the hit 1973 film American Graffiti and portrayed sweet, lovable Shirley Feeney on the popular 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley hasn't been writing newspaper articles denouncing our "overpaid" servicemen. Back in January 2000, a different Cindy Williams — one working as a senior research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was once assistant director for national security in the Congressional Budget Office — contributed an op-ed piece to The Washington Post (not the Washington Times) in which she criticized a proposed 25% pay increase for military personnel (on top of a 4.85% raise that had just been enacted). In her article, Ms Williams maintained that claims that servicemen in the military suffered a 13 percent "pay gap" relative to the private sector were inaccurate, and that military personnel were already well paid compared to the average American.

The response quoted was indeed drafted by the airman named, although it was not published in The Washington Post. In early 2002, one small change was made to the e-mail: "But, tomorrow from Kabul, I will defend to the death your right to say it."

[DaVinci 0]

Quote

And when they get back THEN they have to deal wiht the VA.....from first hand experience.. THAT SUCKS

My experience with the VA has been good.

[cruzit 0]

My first monthly salary check as a PFC in the Army in 1979 was $314. I thought I was rich.

There is no question that the compensation offered is not nearly enough for what the men and women of our combined services provide.

[MC208B 0]

Quote

Quote

I couldnt pay people willing to put their names on the line enough, you deserve every penny and more still.

And when they get back THEN they have to deal wiht the VA.....from first hand experience.. THAT SUCKS

What is your first hand experience? I used the GI bill to get my A&P certificates, buy a house, etc. No problems

[Amazon 7]

I used my GI Bill also.. every last cent..it was not always such a good time getting what I was entitled to. I have not used it to buy a house.. BUT I did get to have some contact with the medical people when I could afford nothing else... I do not wish that on anyone.

[popsjumper 2]

A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC was too generous.

Screw you Ms WIlliams.

Although pay has gone up since I was drafted, (E1 = $97/mo), whatever it is now is NOT enough even including the benefits of reduced expenses (housing, medical, etc...)

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[DaVinci 0]

Quote

BUT I did get to have some contact with the medical people when I could afford nothing else... I do not wish that on anyone.

I use the VA for my health care...Its pretty good. Never had a problem with it.

I also used the GI Bill.

Some people are not happy with anything it seems.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC was too generous.

Screw you Ms WIlliams.

Although pay has gone up since I was drafted, (E1 = $97/mo), whatever it is now is NOT enough even including the benefits of reduced expenses (housing, medical, etc...)

Yes, and no.... I saw E4's with kids with no problems, and E7's with no kids that were trying to get whatever assistance they could.

I think it comes down more to the individuals lifestyle in a lot of cases. Troops that take advantage of base housing, or find housing within the BHA limits seem to have a lot less problems.

Conversely, the troop with the big apartment and fancy car tended to have more problems.... wonder why?

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[briguy 0]

I've never had to deal with the VA medical team, so I can't comment on that. I did successfully get my GI Bill and VA mortgage insurance with no memorable hassles.

That being said, I think there may be elements of military pay that should be overhauled:

1)hazardous duty pay should be raised for combat zones

2)Off base housing allowances should be tightly regulated, I personally saw abuse when I was in ('91-'95)

3)E1-E4 with dependents should not be on food stamps. This is a disgrace. Get them some financial counselling, birth control...whatever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[dustin19d 0]

Pay Grade: E-6
Years Service: 5

Monthy take after taxes: $2768.10
----------------------------------------------------
Rent - 720.00
Truck Payment - 475.00
Insurance - 185.00
Power - 25.00
Phone - 68.00
Internet - 30.00
Storage shed rent - 78.00
Gas - 220.00
--------------------
= 967.00

So every month I have $967 for food, skydiving and gas for the dirt bike, If i did my math right
I get by.
But I've only had one Christmas at home with the family in the last 6. Spent 4 1/4 years overseas in the last 6 to include one in Korea and one in Iraq. And I work many many more hours than someone with a civilian job (ex. Yesterday went from 6am to 2:30 am, and thats normal)
And Im going back to Iraq for 12 months in October.


I don't think I'm over paid. Now consider the privates that make half of what I do!

[gremlin 0]

Consider yourselves lucky you are not in the British military. We have just had the massive payrise of 3%. I will try not to spend it all at once. When we are posted to Iraq or Afghanistan we STILL PAY full taxation - despite the fact that it is paying for stuff we will never see - good roads, etc. In our latest spending review it found that the Army was poorer than the other emergency services, fire, police etc. Interesting that they all have unions who demand better pay and conditions and we just get shot at.

I'm drunk, you're drunk, lets go back to mine....

[Ragnarok 0]

Quote

Consider yourselves lucky you are not in the British military. We have just had the massive payrise of 3%. I will try not to spend it all at once. When we are posted to Iraq or Afghanistan we STILL PAY full taxation - despite the fact that it is paying for stuff we will never see - good roads, etc. In our latest spending review it found that the Army was poorer than the other emergency services, fire, police etc. Interesting that they all have unions who demand better pay and conditions and we just get shot at.

Quit your bitching, you limey wanker!!!!!

(J/K!!! - Dude, I feel ya. I worked with a few blokes with the RAF (gunners) and they were amazed that liquor was so cheap over here. Peace!)

_________________________________________
Twin Otter N203-Echo,29 July 2006
Cessna P206 N2537X, 19 April 2008
Blue Skies Forever