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Seems like the most important issue is being largely ignored. Not many civilians, other than police and firemen/EMS, are expected to go wo question into harm's way on a recurring basis. WW 1/2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan etc. can really make it hard to say that military men and women have it good. unfair advantage over the rest of the Americans who actually get a pension? You decide.
Seems like the most important issue is being largely ignored. Not many civilians, other than police and firemen/EMS, are expected to go wo question into harm's way on a recurring basis. WW 1/2, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan etc. can really make it hard to say that military men and women have it good. unfair advantage over the rest of the Americans who actually get a pension? You decide.
walessp
Actually, if you want to go down that path then the majority of service members who go into harms way (i.e. real combat or other extremely risky duty) do not see retirement. This is part of the reason military retirement was reformed to benefit all service members vice the few who make it to 20.
Actually, if you want to go down that path then the majority of service members who go into harms way (i.e. real combat or other extremely risky duty) do not see retirement. This is part of the reason military retirement was reformed to benefit all service members vice the few who make it to 20.
You must have been in a different Navy then I was in. I wasn't an Army or Marine "combat" infantryman but I went into harms way many times. I was on ships during combat operations and fought fires at sea where men died. I worked the flight deck where people were regularly seriously injured and some even died. You must have rode a desk on shore duty for your entire time in the Navy and now feel guilty about it?
The 20 years retirement is open to everyone, if it is such a great deal then stick around for 20 and get yours. But as you have stated earlier in this thread you thought the Navy was difficult and too much BS for you to be able to deal with for 20 years so you got out. Now you're just bitter and feel that those of us that did sacrifice for 20+ years don't deserve our retirement.
Typical armchair quarterbacking from people who were not willing to sacrifice for 20 years themselves.
You must have been in a different Navy then I was in. I wasn't an Army or Marine "combat" infantryman but I went into harms way many times. I was on ships during combat operations and fought fires at sea where men died. I worked the flight deck where people were regularly seriously injured and some even died. You must have rode a desk on shore duty for your entire time in the Navy and now feel guilty about it?
The 20 years retirement is open to everyone, if it is such a great deal then stick around for 20 and get yours. But as you have stated earlier in this thread you thought the Navy was difficult and too much BS for you to be able to deal with for 20 years so you got out. Now you're just bitter and feel that those of us that did sacrifice for 20+ years don't deserve our retirement.
Typical armchair quarterbacking from people who were not willing to sacrifice for 20 years themselves.
You must have been in a different Navy then I was in. I wasn't an Army or Marine "combat" infantryman but I went into harms way many times. I was on ships during combat operations and fought fires at sea where men died. I worked the flight deck where people were regularly seriously injured and some even died. You must have rode a desk on shore duty for your entire time in the Navy and now feel guilty about it?
The 20 years retirement is open to everyone, if it is such a great deal then stick around for 20 and get yours. But as you have stated earlier in this thread you thought the Navy was difficult and too much BS for you to be able to deal with for 20 years so you got out. Now you're just bitter and feel that those of us that did sacrifice for 20+ years don't deserve our retirement.
Typical armchair quarterbacking from people who were not willing to sacrifice for 20 years themselves.
No I was in the same Navy.
But, I don't delude myself into thinking that floating around on a ship or flying in a plane is even close to the same thing as getting shot at and participating in real combat operations.
The rest of your diatribe is just typical nonsense. I get it, you think you're special because you retired. You think that anyone who got out and didn't retire simply couldn't hack it. And they are certainly not allowed to have an opinion about retirement according to your logic. Blah blah blah. Try saying something constructive for a change.
Last edited by Pyramidsurf; 04-18-2018 at 07:14 PM..
But, I don't delude myself into thinking that floating around on a ship or flying in a plane is even close to the same thing as getting shot at and participating in real combat operations.
The rest of your diatribe is just typical nonsense. I get it, you think you're special because you retired. You think that anyone who got out and didn't retire simply couldn't hack it. And they are certainly not allowed to have an opinion about retirement according to your logic. Blah blah blah. Try saying something constructive for a change.
I don't think that at all. What I do think is that I and everyone else that sacrificed for 20+ years earned every penny of their retirement.
I respect anyone that served regardless of how long their service was. What I can't stand are those that didn't serve or served and got out saying that the retirement we earned is unfair or we didn't sacrifice enough for it.
My son served in the Navy for four years and got out. I respect him tremendously for his service. What I've never heard him do is bad mouth another military veteran for the sacrifice they made or the benefits earned for that sacrifice.
You were a juinor officer and you couldn't put up with the BS any longer and got out (your words). Imagine how much BS an enlisted member has to put up with over those 20 years. A lot more than any officer.
What I think is unfair for military retirees or those who are collecting pay for combat related special pay and have a VA disability rating of 10% to 40% with compensation have their pay (both retirement pay or special pay) garnished to pay for their disability from the VA. The combat related special pay is for soldiers who were injured in combat and receive pay because they were forced out because of that. In order to not have that pay taken you only need to reach 50%. So because of this we have a VA system inundated with claims just to get above that mark. It all has consequences.
Congress thought so as well when they started this bill H.R. 303 back in 2008. It is now 2018 and this bill is still sitting in committee.
I guess it depends on your rank,etc. My late father a chief mastersargent retired in 1975 after 33 years in military.
3 Army Air corps, 30 USAF. He got his military pension, VA and social Security since he was old enough for the last one.
Things obviously have changed in regards to pay, benefits etc. since he died in 1996.I guess you have to way your options. Maybe talking to a financial planner whether military or civilian could help figure out whether it's worth it to retire at this time.
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