To encourage and fortify relationships between military service members, veterans, their families, their friends, and their Country; to nurture the path of communication for everyone, ensuring that no one is alone or left behind; and proving that we have not, are not, and will never forget the nobility of their sacrifices.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Glamourous Military Pay

This is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in the Washington Times about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all newspapers across America .
Ms. Cindy William wrote a piece for the Washington Times denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she stated a 13% wage increase 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 GI's 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 earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes per month. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through the 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 where I am part of the team responsible for 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^T experience in my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a year. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per annum............ I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.
Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you 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 of 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 government 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 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's (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 be nearly 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 open 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 right 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 noses 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?
A1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB AFNCC
IF YOU AGREE,
PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO
AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN.
If you get this more than once, feel honored that you know more than one person who supports our military and appreciates what they do.
If you don't forward it, you don't deserve their sacrifice.

Note: According to Snopes.com this is a real person and a real published article from 2009. I have no idea if he's still in the  Military or what is rank would currently be. However, I don't think too much has change in the last 2 years.  If you are a Veteran, Active Duty, or a Blue Star Family I encourage you to comment on your thoughts.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

To be fair, I would like to read the column this response is directed to.

However, as a veteran of more than a few years and deployments, a pay raise is always appreciated, but was never expected, much less demanded.

As a great American (to me he was) used to say "In the Corps, every meal is a banquet, every payday is a treasure"...

No one should join the military and then complain about the pay, the food, the hardship. The pay scales are public knowledge, the food is infamous, and if you stayed awake in history class, you would know it ain't no nine to five job in a warm office.

When people tell me thanks for serving, I respond, "It was my PRIVILEGE, and an HONOR".

Just 2 pennies worth from an old SeaBee...

CI-Roller Dude said...

On my deployment to Iraq, I usually worked 6 days a week..from 12 to 16 hours a day. Some weeks I worked 7 days a week.
No overtime
No bounus for a "good job"
No stock options (although I would not buy stocks in the US Army, they can only spend money-- not make it)

While I was deployed, twice, I lost thousands of dollars a year in overtime and holiday pay at my cop job.

but, I'd do it all over again if they needed me.

Unknown said...

Old Sea Bee~ I have never met anyone who served our country for money, but I have had discussions with a few civilians who believe that military service is glorified welfare. This ruffles my feathers, especially when service men and women volunteer to sign away their lives and are some of the most poorly compensated people in America. I will not stand to have the people who serve our country be disrespected in such a way.

Unknown said...

CI~ I don't believe civilians understand this.

CI and Old Sea Bee~ Thank you for your service and sacrifice for our Country.