Military retirement under attack

[TarHeelPilot]

Great response, until this: "Putting Congress back in control of America's purse strings ensures that we will be able to take care of the men and women in our armed forces."

Congress is the reason multiple useless bases remain open that the DOD wants to close. . . and then there's the RQ-4.

[waveshaper]

Retired Generals, Admiral Embrace Pay Reductions.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140113/BENEFITS05/301130026/Retired-generals-admiral-embrace-pay-reductions

[Homestar]

Easy for a retired 4-star to say -- he's probably over 62 and pulls in six figures in retirement and is completely untouched by reality.

None of the generals who issued the statement through the Bipartisan Policy Center would be affected by the change; all are older than 62.

Edited January 14, 2014 by Homestar

[mcbush]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-houses-massive-11-trillion-spending-bill-the-posts-guide/2014/01/15/74e7eabe-7e14-11e3-9556-4a4bf7bcbd84_story.html

MILITARY VETERANS

In a change to the bipartisan budget agreement, lawmakers agreed to restore a cut in the cost-of-living adjustments to the pensions of disabled working-age veterans. The fix is a victory for members of both parties who sought to quickly revive the funding, even as they try to reverse the pension cuts for all veterans, which is likely to occur next year.

[Guest]

https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/nominations-creedon-carson-laplante - Skip to 1:17:00 for discussion of retirement / compensation cuts between Sen King and Mr. Carson (nominee). Sounds like Sen King is trying to have his cake and eat it, too. How do I screw the troops but not look like an enormous douche as do it?

[czecksikhs]

https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/nominations-creedon-carson-laplante - Skip to 1:17:00 for discussion of retirement / compensation cuts between Sen King and Mr. Carson (nominee). Sounds like Sen King is trying to have his cake and eat it, too. How do I screw the troops but not look like an enormous douche as do it?

Do you just watch CSPAN all day?

[Guest]

Do you just watch CSPAN all day?

I set alerts for certain topics and various websites aggregate much of the data. Congressmerge.com is good, and one of several I track.

[akele]

https://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/195587-dont-turn-away-from-reforming-military-retirement-benefits

New article…same generals.

Breaking faith with those whom have already served and those already in is simply wrong. I'm not saying screw the new people entering, but at least they will sign up knowing what their retirement will be and choose to serve while accepting those terms.

Edited to add Air Force Times article about cutting TriCare to working age retirees. It just never stops.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140117/BENEFITS06/301170020/CBO-Bar-younger-retirees-from-Tricare-Prime-save-90-billion

Edited January 18, 2014 by akele

[HeloDude]

https://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/195587-dont-turn-away-from-reforming-military-retirement-benefits

New articlesame generals.

Breaking faith with those whom have already served and those already in is simply wrong. I'm not saying screw the new people entering, but at least they will sign up knowing what their retirement will be and choose to serve while accepting those terms.

Edited to add Air Force Times article about cutting TriCare to working age retirees. It just never stops.

https://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20140117/BENEFITS06/301170020/CBO-Bar-younger-retirees-from-Tricare-Prime-save-90-billion

Are you really that surprised? Working age retirees (more specifically to those who still continue to work in their 40's and 50's) will be able to get insurance from their employers under the Obamacare mandate, if they work for a business with more than 50 employees (though I'm looking forward to seeing how many businesses will opt out for the cheaper fine). And for those without employee mandated insurance, they'll be able to get on the exchanges.

Congress already showed their cards in that they're no longer afraid/committed to not f'ing with military retirement--the horse is out of the barn. I doubt it will get better before it gets worse. Plan accordingly.

[BitteEinBit]

Are you really that surprised? Working age retirees (more specifically to those who still continue to work in their 40's and 50's) will be able to get insurance from their employers under the Obamacare mandate, if they work for a business with more than 50 employees (though I'm looking forward to seeing how many businesses will opt out for the cheaper fine). And for those without employee mandated insurance, they'll be able to get on the exchanges.

Congress already showed their cards in that they're no longer afraid/committed to not f'ing with military retirement--the horse is out of the barn. I doubt it will get better before it gets worse. Plan accordingly.

HeloDude speaks the truth! This is only the beginning. I'm not saying stay in or get out. I'm saying if you decide to stay in, don't be surprised when your "retirement" gets f*cked with.

Although I know the numbers are overinflated when they talk about "military pensions and benefits consuming more than 70% of the budget," there will be increasing pushes to change our retirement and pension system because of the rising costs of health care, drawdowns, modernization decisions, etc. Why don't we look at ways to not tie DoD's hands when things like healthcare cost increases consume more of our budget. My suggestion, since everyone loves to talk about different pots of money, is to just take the military retirement and benefits "budget" out of the DoD budget all together and make it its own entity in something similar to Department of Veteran Affairs all together that way you can monitor and control its growth without impact on the "active duty" budget. That way we aren't having to make decisions on modernization and operations on the backs of retirees and veterans. Defense cuts would simply mean cutting capability/changing strategy and not pensions and benefits.

Edited January 18, 2014 by BitteEinBit

[akele]

Are you really that surprised?

I'm not, I just find it sad at this point. I was shown a chart the other day displaying how sharply the number of veterans serving in congress have decreased over the years. I think that's really starting to hurt us on top of everything else.

[Crewdog135]

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a concerted effort to end Tricare altogether before the end of this administration. Think about it, they are having a hard time getting young, healthy folks enrolled in Obamacare. What better way to get the numbers they need than to force a million generally young, healthy people and their families to the exchanges? Here's a stipend, log on and go. Retirees are just the first step.

[ThreeHoler]

The sad thing is that Tricare for Life is only a recent addition to military retirement benefits.

[Herk Driver]

The sad thing is that Tricare for Life is only a recent addition to military retirement benefits.

Yes, TFL is a recent addition, but...only after the promise of "healthcare for life" was taken away and veterans sued. DOD and VA claimed no one was ever promised healthcare for life when they joined the military. Several old retirees produced documents that showed they actually were promised just that. Courts ruled in the veterans favor and TFL was born when Congress changed the law.

Similar thing happened when Congress changed the retirement system in the mid to late '80's. REDUX or something similar was basically the "new" retirement. Veterans groups sued and thus was born the decision at 15 years to take 30K and a reduced retirement or to stick with the High-3. But High-3 replaced the final pay system that reigned previously. Those already in the system were grandfathered though, IIRC.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Herk Driver

[Azimuth]

I've heard a rumor that High-3 is going away and the new system will be High-5. So no more 36 months TIG to retire at that grade and get that pay in retirement.

[Butters]

I've heard a rumor that High-3 is going away and the new system will be High-5. So no more 36 months TIG to retire at that grade and get that pay in retirement.

I heard a rumor is was going to High-30.

[panchbarnes]

I'm not, I just find it sad at this point. I was shown a chart the other day displaying how sharply the number of veterans serving in congress have decreased over the years. I think that's really starting to hurt us on top of everything else.

. It doesn't help when the president, secaf, and under secaf have not served in the military.

Edited to add both parties have let down the military

Edited January 20, 2014 by PanchBarnes

[hindsight2020]

Let me make it easy for these congresscritters. Listen real good Congress, I'll go slow: I ain't doing any of this shit for a 401k and I ain't doing any of this shit for a benefit payout a day later than the day I stop doing the job, right ricky tick. Comprende? I'll curtail/torpedo my PT test twice the next day. I have options and my identity is not married to this uniform. Plan accordingly.

Signed,

~A financially literate servicemember who can count with his fingers.

It's not rocket surgery, Congress. Good for the goose good for the gander, color-by-numbers type of shit. And good luck recruiting my son. See how that works?

[chim richalds]

Let me make it easy for these congresscritters. Listen real good Congress, I'll go slow: I ain't doing any of this shit for a 401k and I ain't doing any of this shit for a benefit payout a day later than the day I stop doing the job, right ricky tick. Comprende? I'll curtail/torpedo my PT test twice the next day. I have options and my identity is not married to this uniform. Plan accordingly.

Signed,

~A financially literate servicemember who can count with his fingers.

It's not rocket surgery, Congress. Good for the goose good for the gander, color-by-numbers type of shit. And good luck recruiting my son. See how that works?

So you're just here for the pension?

[Champ Kind]

So you're just here for the pension?

More and more every day. And the paycheck.

[ComingLeft]

So you're just here for the pension?

How many people would voluntarily work for a company that furloughs and terminates people with little notice? Demands a one way employment contract? Will deploy you to some crap-hole-country for a year to teach people to fly who want to kill you?

It becomes a job after a few years. Benefit of staying must be greater than the benefit of leaving. For most people TriCare and the Pension weigh very heavily in that calculation. Good people know what they are worth and where they are going.

[Vprdrvr69]

How many people would voluntarily work for a company that furloughs and terminates people with little notice? Demands a one way employment contract? Will deploy you to some crap-hole-country for a year to teach people to fly who want to kill you?

It becomes a job after a few years. Benefit of staying must be greater than the benefit of leaving. For most people TriCare and the Pension weigh very heavily in that calculation. Good people know what they are worth and where they are going.

Shacked it with that one. Now that congress has tested the waters in regards to taking bites out of mil retirements, many folks on the fence now have a reason to jump the other way. The negative trend and perceptions are going to be VERY difficult for the USAF to reverse.

[Cap-10]

The 36 month TIG is only for your retired rank (which is waiverable down to 2 years TIG)

If you are a Lt Col with 2 yr TIG, you retire and the waiver is approved for the < 3 yr TIG, then you are a Lt Col (ret) but your pay is still based on the high 3, so in this case, it would be 2 x years with O-5 pay and 1 year with O-4 pay.

Cap-10

[TMFan]

The 36 month TIG is only for your retired rank (which is waiverable down to 2 years TIG)

If you are a Lt Col with 2 yr TIG, you retire and the waiver is approved for the < 3 yr TIG, then you are a Lt Col (ret) but your pay is still based on the high 3, so in this case, it would be 2 x years with O-5 pay and 1 year with O-4 pay.

Cap-10

Slight derail, but is there any disadvantage to having a lower retired rank than your final active duty rank? I never understood why this 36-month TIG rule would have any effect on retention or any other matters. When it's time to go, it's time to go. Why would someone stay in longer just to have different letters on his retired ID?

[chim richalds]

How many people would voluntarily work for a company that furloughs and terminates people with little notice? Demands a one way employment contract? Will deploy you to some crap-hole-country for a year to teach people to fly who want to kill you?

It becomes a job after a few years. Benefit of staying must be greater than the benefit of leaving. For most people TriCare and the Pension weigh very heavily in that calculation. Good people know what they are worth and where they are going.

Most companies that furlough or terminate people do so with less notice than the Air Force. They at least let you keep Tricare for 6 months and you get severance pay with VSP or RIF. You had no idea the Air Force would deploy you?