Sobering

[DuncaninFrance]

"No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the British Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting freedom, and only get 50% of their pay on

retirement, while Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, and receive full-pay

retirement after serving one term.

This is the same in Canada, the US and Australia."

It just does not make any sense.



"If each person who sees this will forward it on to 20 people, then in three days, most people in the U.K., Canada,
United States and Australia will have the message."

(Received as an e.mail)

[Aughnanure]

Got the same message from an old mate who was in the Essex Regiment in Korea.

[Niner Delta]

I don't know about UK, Canada, or Australia, but in the US a federal politician does
not receive any retirement until they have at least 5 years service. This means
that one-term (4 years) Senators or Representatives receive no pension unless they have
other government service to go with it. And even after 35 years as a Congressman, they
only can get 80% of their highest 3 years of service.

And yes, most military retired people only get 50% of their base pay upon retirement.
But most who retire after 20 years are in their early forties and will draw that for the
rest of their lives, maybe another 30 or 40 years. Plus they get medical coverage for them
and their spouse for the rest of their lives. Where else can you get a job and retire after
20 years and start getting a pension right then, most places make you wait until you are at
least 59 before you can start getting one. And it is true that most 20 year retirees aren't
able to live on their military pension alone, so most do find a job and now have 2 incomes
that let them live quite well, especially with lifetime medical.

Yes, it is a very dangerous job, maybe the most dangerous job there is. But it is their choice
to do it and they know the benefits of sticking with it for 20 years. And many spend 25 or 30
years in the service and that increases their retirements benefits also.

So using the photos of the wounded Marine to tug at your heart doesn't really prove anything
about retirement benefits as opposed to politicians. The whole email is pointless and partially
untrue. Police and firefighters have dangerous jobs and they don't get to retire with benefits
after only 20 years and start getting it right away.


Damn, my foot slipped off the edge of my soapbox and I twisted my ankle......gotta go.....


.

[Niner]

If the political officials that rubber stamp any military involvement would stop and think of what the long term cost was maybe they would deserve a pension for not getting us involved in all sorts of civil wars in countries all over the world.

Now days guys from my generation are getting the medical conditions that will eventually kill them. But...since they are veterans of Vietnam the cancer, and diabetes and other things are considered agent orange related and many are checking out the VA for assistance. I know one recently who has diabetes and recently was diagnosed with cancer. He went looking to see what the government would do for him. He now has medical benefits and gets a check in addition for $3000 or so a month which is more than he ever earned in combat pay forty-four years ago. And just about everybody who asks for anything gets PTSD thrown in with it about the same as at the fast food where they ask..."would you like fries with that?".

What's it going to cost the country down the road for the present constant wars?

[rice paddy daddy]

And yes, most military retired people only get 50% of their base pay upon retirement.
But most who retire after 20 years are in their early forties and will draw that for the
rest of their lives, maybe another 30 or 40 years. Plus they get medical coverage for them
and their spouse for the rest of their lives. Where else can you get a job and retire after
20 years and start getting a pension right then, most places make you wait until you are at
least 59 before you can start getting one. And it is true that most 20 year retirees aren't
able to live on their military pension alone, so most do find a job and now have 2 incomes
that let them live quite well, especially with lifetime medical.

.

The rules have changed since we were in. Today a retired military member cannot begin collecting their retirement pay until age 62.
And Tri-Care, the health benefit, has recently raised co-pays.

[Niner Delta]

Where did you get your information about military not getting pension benefits until
age 62? I don't think that is correct.
I don't have any idea about Tri-care co-pays.

The web site Military.com also seems to disagree with you about when you can collect
military retirement.

"The military retirement system is arguably the best retirement deal around. Unlike most retirement plans, the Armed Forces offer a pension, with benefits, that starts the day you retire, no matter how old you are. That means you could start collecting a regular retirement pension as early as 37 years old. What's more, that pension check will grow with a cost of living adjustment each year."

.

[DuncaninFrance]

At the end of the day are we saying that any financial support (!) can compensate for the damage to body and mind? That is after you or someone on your behalf have fought your corner and actuall got it. I don't think so...................
What REALLY pisses me off is just how much of the support for our ( UK ) wounded has got to be supplied by charities when it is the bloody Government who should be picking up the whole tab.

I am a member of the Royal British Legion http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/bordeaux and a caseworker for SAAFA http://www.ssafa.org.uk/ and they are both Charities. I assume there are the same in other parts of the world. Without them the military would have a hell of a job on their hands to care for the wounded and disabled..................................

[Aughnanure]

We have Legacy and others that offer support to families or veterans.
Veterans' Affairs (Government Dept) does an enormous amount for vets but the faceless men in accounting keep chipping away at the level of benefits.

One case that I heard of recently was that of a wireless/radar mechanic who was stationed in Darwin (which is in Australia) in WW II.
He would often be working on a set when the plane was required for a bombing raid and rather than have the plane abort he'd keep working past take off time and consequently completed a number of bombing raids.

He was refused a "Gold Card" (Repatriation Health Card, which covers everything including stays in private hospitals) because he was not deemed to have been on Active Service.
It was eventually settled in his favour on the evidence of some of the surviving pilots/air crew.