Let me just get this straight - UPDATED 12/20/13

I just want to make sure I get this straight.  The US Senate rejected an amendment to the recent budget deal that would have replaced the cut in military retiree pay with a measure eliminating billions given illegal immigrants in IRS credits.

(By the way, for you numbers folks, less than 1% of our nation serves in the military and only 17% of those entering the military eventually receive pensions.  So what is 17% of 1%?)


My "back of the envelope" calculations indicates that would cost an E-7 (enlisted serviceman) retiree over $59,000 over a 20 year period.  In case you're interested, his pension after 20 years would begin at a whopping $25,430 per year.

To ensure I fully understand, break faith with our men and women in uniform in favor of illegal immigrants. Reduce COLA for military retirees, while paying illegal immigrants.  Yep, that about sums it up.


Truly unbelievable.

Absolutely shameful.

Assuming the Senate votes today to pass the budget "deal," only POTUS can correct the above by vetoing the bill.  Please pardon me if I don't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

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Today's Washington Post Editorial claims it is much ado about nothing regarding the budget deal's reduction of military pensions.

Short and sweet: the editorial is an affront to those who have earned a military pension (decades of service or disability).  The reasons are too numerous to list.  But let me just state that the country receives a tremendous value for its investment in the pay and benefits for those who serve in uniform.  Having spent years away from my family; having not held my eldest until he was 8 months old, because I was deployed overseas (eventually serving overseas for 10 years); having served in a profession where death is the business; having been paid far, far less than those in the private sector with comparable responsibilities; having endured physical hardships most can't even imagine; and having done the above voluntarily, it is an insult to read the WP's editorial.