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	SIS TV Community / Non Scrapbooking Related / Military Pay ( I had to share)

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SassySasha Supreme SIS (12610)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 15:02 I figured this was interesting being as though both my hubby and I are active duty Air Force...and this is ohhh so true... Military paid too much? You be the judge! 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. On Nov. 12, Ms Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show) wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise 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 earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes. 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 experience with 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 our 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 (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 opined 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
tracinicole Super MODel Supreme SIS (16748)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 15:05 I checked Snopes here is the link: Snopes
missmoxie Model SISter (2541)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 15:13 well that's good that it's not the actress, but i totally agree with the airmens response. i think it's well written and gets the point across. it's something that i think alot of people don't know about the military.
Anissa Helie Style Maven (525)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 15:20 - Edited by: Anissa Helie Very well said. We're active Army, and I can not tell you how many times we've done the calculations of what my husband is paid in the military compared to the same line of work in the civilian world. Why the heck do we stay in the army when we could be making over DOUBLE (close to triple) our annual income out there in the real world? Ohhhh I think we've boiled it down to being stupid! That $20K tax free reenlistment bonus looked REALLY good at a time that we REALLY needed it. Looking back, $20K for another 6 year commitment was NOT worth it, but now we have to stick it out. I am sure we'll put in for another 4 years ontop of that.. because hell, he'll have already put in 16 years, only 4 more until retirement. Seriously.. the Military has a way of just sucking you in. Jake has JUST come home from his 4th deployment to Iraq, and we just heard he's headed back again by the end of the year.
danielsmommy Model SISter (2502)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 15:27 I feel bad for military families..My friend's husband is a Marine. I feel the pay sucks for what they not only put themselves through, but also their families. I feel the same way about teachers. My husband has almost a masters degree and has taken hundreds of hours of graduate classes(on his dime) and makes pennies compared to his friends who have 1/3 of the education. He loves what he does and wouldn't change it for the world, but it really doesn't pay what it should...
camport Style Addict (1206)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 16:08 Honestly, I'm surprised that the WA Times even published his letter. My dad retired from the AF as a Lt Col after serving for over 22 years. I remember many times my mom saying, "No we can't buy new shoes today, we've got to last 2 weeks on the $100 that's left in the bank acct. God Bless Michael Bragg and you and your husband and every one else who is defending the rights of Communist Americans like the washed up actress that Cindy Williams is. That was probably a harsh thing to say, but I am passionate about our military and am ashamed of the light that the media paints the soldiers in. Thank you for this thread and the reminder! :)
KupKakeKirsty Style Addict (1491)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 16:22 the military in the uk seems to be slightly better paid (please accept that as a difference not controlled by me........ wish I could wave a wand for you). My Husband has just retired after 22 years in the army (he is 41) and left with a healthy gratuity and pension but he still has to go and find work to pay for the extras (pension will pay for the mortage). Im very grateful of the 22 years he put into making sure our future is secure but I feel for you. He did a tour in the first gulf war (which affected our daughters health, unfortunately) also on the tense cypriot border and in horrendous conditions in Northern Ireland. The more dangerous the surroundings, the slightly better danger pay you get. But it doesnt stop you thinking that they could die any day. And its becoming blase that a soldier comes and goes so often to Iraq and Afghanistan. There is pride in a soldier but not in a nation :(:( Civilians take this all for granted and have no idea that armed forces personnel are on pretty crap wages. Oh my heart is breaking trying to convince you how tough it is for those girls and boys serving on a pittance :(
SassySasha Supreme SIS (12610)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 16:26 That is exactly why I have taken advantage of the positive the Air FOrce has offered, I am done with my Masters, I have given my kids the opportunity to see different countries and all the wall learning and understand different cultures. I come from an Army family my mom was an officer and my dad retired an E-9, they showed me how to budget and balance and were very upset when they found out I wanted to join the military as well, but I have done very well and after 12 years, I am already getting ready to put on E-7 and that is VERY good, my hubby is getting ready to reenlist and I am getting ready to get out and continue my goals with the government just as a civilian, I too work in the network communications section and yes you can get paid GREAT money on the outside, but I just wanted to continue to travel. I do hate when I have to get deployed and leave my children behind, and there was a time my husband andI both were deployed one to Iraq and one to Kuwait. I was in a no safe zone and he was safe. So yes it is scary and to have someone say that we MAKE ENUFF to go and get freakn shot at , and or be able to be on food stamps (there are some that are) is just ridiculous and at Christmas time they are with there families and do not know what it is like to have to eat food out of a green bag cooked from hot water. So yah .. it is sad but true reality ... Luckily my hubby and I have great credit, we manage our money very well, and we dont rely on the military ( for lyfe) as our only means of survival ...
StraitFan10 SISter Superior (6287)	# Posted: 9 Jan 2008 17:17 My dad retired from the Marines with 26 1/2 years as an E-9, and I can tell you, the military DOES NOT get paid nearly enough for the work they do!! I don't remember ever lacking anything, but I know my parents sacraficed a lot for my sister and I!!
desdichaedo SISter Elle (1876)	# Posted: 10 Jan 2008 08:15 I think that the gap in pay can be much higher than the 13% the woman was challenging in the original editorial. She said that there was no 13% pay gap, and yet my husband (who works with many contractors) makes about $100K less a year (and I'm including his housing allowance, etc. as pay) than his military contractor counterparts who are working side-by-side with him and doing the same exact thing. I understand she was challenging an average, but I think that job-to-job in the military it can be much higher than 13%. I work and he has a second job so we can afford to live in the area where he's been assigned (very expensive). Thank goodness he's 18 months from retirement. Hopefully we can just hang tight until then and maybe he can be one of those overpaid contractors. :) des
annkelli Big SIS (4567)	# Posted: 10 Jan 2008 09:49 i have the utmost respect for the military and what they (you) do for our country. Cindy Williams should be ashamed of herself. thank you to all who serve and God bless you!