Budget debate pits military retiree interests against those in active duty, analysts warn - Defense - GovExec.com

@ backroads:

The power point presentation was scary to skim through. Basically the bean counters within Penata's crew feel that the military service member who does their 20 should not receive their retirement check until age 62. The reason being is that a 40 year old who did their time is still capable of receiving a paycheck from finding another job. So they want to place the retirement funds into a 401K type retirement plan but you wouldn't be able to actually draw from it until near social security pension time frame. That way you are getting closer to your death and it saved the government 20 plus years of paying a person their retirement. Their flip to this is that from then on, everyone regardless of years of service whether it is 20 or 4 would receive and be eligible for retirement funds based on their years of active duty service.

@ Davy:

It is difficult to say. Logistically, Afghanistan is a nightmare. You have most of the supply routes being sent through Pakistan, which steals, destroys, and pilfers their specific amount of US military hardware, service members personal items, and fuel for their own pockets and black market sales.

The Defense Department has been forced to make some serious cuts. So while some weapons programs are being totally withdrawn or reduced in the original order for production, the military is looking to cut in the benefits department as well. We already see payment issues with service members now being "pro-rated" for their time in combat zones with hazard duty pay. Retired, wounded, and medically retired military personnel are being briefed that the prices and drug fees for TRI-CARE Prime will increase as well as their payments. There is some discussion with removing all military retired personnel from TRI-CARE system and placing them into something like COBRA coverage to save millions of dollars. Budget crunch means that compensation, disability rating, will be more difficult to get and harder to get placed into your file. DFAS just last month cut my retirement payments off. Because I was medically retired due to combat injury and had less than 20 years, I do not rate both VA disability check and a retirement check. The military will combine the two checks and if the VA is paying you more due to disability than you don't get the retirement check. Example: You get 1,000 dollars for retirement and 1,100 from the VA for disability. If you have less than 20 years of active duty service, you will get just the 1,100 dollars. Because the VA money is tax free you get that portion. You would not get both checks of 2,100 dollars. If you do 20 years or more then you get both checks. So for injured or combat related wounds and less than 20, you now have to apply for Combat Compensation pay, which is basically another form of a "goat rope" you have to jump through to receive any additional compensation.

@ Davy:

My apologies, I was thinking you meant the situation on the ground concerning logistical support and combat service support units. The Veterans Administation will have it's hands full for a very long time. I believe prior to 9/11 they were begining to get things finally organized and start to do justice for those thousands of Vietnam and Korean veterans who have been short changed. But now you have another large group of wounded warriors who are in various stages of disability and have no clue as to what they rate, what is out there, and what they may be entitled to so far as treatment and benefits goes.

I am 39 and scared to death at what is ahead of my remaining years as a wounded veteran.

@ backroads:

Many thanks. I am a little discouraged at the main themes on the front page and the countless articles that acutally have merit are somehow stuck in the back of the list?

@ backroads:

I wish they would change the parameters or allow other people to place real stories on the front page than some of the headlines it currently is showing.

backroads:

That is a really good point. Some of the suggestive tags they give you is like, "where the heck did that come from?"