Military pay raise?

[glacierdog]

Go airman!

 

Military pay article:

On 12 Nov, Ms Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show)

wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s)

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 leave and earnings

statement (LES), I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes. After taxes,

I take home $874.20. When I run that through Windows' 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 (AFNCC), where I am

part of the team responsible for the administration of 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, nor does it pay less

than this. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per

annum. I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.

Also, you tout increases to Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic

Allowance for Subsistence (housing and food allowances, respectively) as

being a further boon to an already overcompensated force. Again, I'm

curious as to where this money has gone, as BAH and BAS were both

slashed 15% in the Hill AFB area effective in January 00.

Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you have NEVER

had the pleasure of serving your country in her 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 AFDC, 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 DOD 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 DFP (Defensive

Fire Position, the modern-day 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 op-ed 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"

[jason_h]

What those military boys don't get in money they make up for in all the free butt lovin' the armed forces offer.

[glacierdog]

What's the matter jason? Jealous? Take your sexual frustration elsewhere.

[freeclimb9]

For one thing, A1C Michael Bragg didn't figure in the cost of training his ungrateful ass. I assume that his experience was nil before he joined. Presumably, the guy knew what was up when he signed his contract. His whining grates.

Why did you post this letter, glacierdog?

[snoboy]

Coz he likes to get us going. I should google it and see if it's bull like his last one...

[glacierdog]

You got me, snoboy. The last one stirred up such a hornets nest, I couldn't help but try for a second. About the letter, I am well aware that he is a whiney son of a bitch. I don't agree at all that we aren't compensated. I recieved a good deal of training that would have cost me years of loan payments in the civilian world. If we die defending the country, our families recieve a quarter million dollars. The 4.1%, repeat 4.1%, raise we recieved seems perfectly reasonable to me. I'm just fishing for different perspectives on the matter, and I came across this letter. Whether it is bullshit or not matters little.

[North_by_Northwest]

The military should get pay raises. If they make it a more rewarding career choice we will get better and smarter people with their fingers on the trigger. It can never hurt to have a little more intelligence behind a gun.