Posted on 04/10/2014 5:01:45 PM PDT by servo1969
Sgt. Major Michael Barrett greets Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. (American Military News)
Idiot Sgt. Major Michael Barrett, the highest enlisted member of the US Marine Corps, told Congress Marines dont need higher pay. Barrett said he believes lower pay will raise discipline.
Nice job looking out for your brothers, Sergeant Major.
American Military News reported:
The highest enlisted member of the United States Marine Corps said that lowering salary of Marines will raise discipline and make Marines less wasteful. The comments come as a debate in Washington talks about cutting active duty member pay in order to make sharp budget cuts at the Department of Defense. The comments came as he testified in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The base salary for the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is $7,816.20 per month. ______________Lower pay and slimmed-down benefits will make Marines more disciplined and less wasteful, according to the Corps top enlisted Marine.
In comments before a Senate Armed Services Committee panel on Wednesday, Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett dismissed lawmaker concerns that proposed compensation trims in the Pentagons fiscal 2015 budget proposal would hurt troops morale or desire to serve.
Marines dont run around asking about compensation, retirement modernization, he said. Thats not on their mind. As I talk to thousands of audiences, they want to know into whose neck do we put a boot next.
They want to know about what new equipment are we getting, are we continuing to modernize. Just because the budget sucks, does that mean were not going to get our new gear?
Barretts comments came in contrast to his counterparts in the other services, who conceded to senators that lower pay raises, scaled-back commissary offerings and smaller housing stipends would be problematic for many service members.
Instead, Barrett argued that the lower quality of life would be beneficial to Marines.
I truly believe it will raise discipline, he said. Youll have better spending habits. You wont be so wasteful.
How could I be wrong when I included that?
I don’t see this military working out, and every year it will get worse as it becomes smaller, and more and more female, and a place for families and single moms to find high paying, secure careers and retirement in their 30s and early 40s.
How many here would not want to return to the warrior class of the old military, when it was single men and hard living, and low pay, at least for the lower ranks.
College campuses today are populated by majority females, the military will become the same, as the men continue to not show up, continue to not enlist, once that snow ball starts rolling (as it has), then it feeds itself at an ever increasing rate.
The military is in the process of becoming just another high paid federal job with great benefits.
The lower ranks being made up of working moms and dads, is new, and I don't think it is an improvement.
Would be good if you read all my post - that was a quote from the article!
Now you know what is at the bottom when they drain the swamp!!!!
Active Duty ping.
I think he got blown up without his helmet on once too often.
I think he's a flipping idiot.
And for full disclosure: I'm a retired Sergeant Major.
Why would you assume that I didn’t or that the comment was directed at you? Is it not possible to respond to a quote from the article in your comment without it being directed at you, or did you think I was confused by the part of the quote that stated “he said”?
So - in the absence of suitable male volunteers, your plan is to just throw in the towel? Just hand the keys over to al Qaeda or Russia and enjoy our new role?
Sorry, no: the answer is to throw out the current leadership, get quality volunteers, train them, equip them, and support them. I’d you don’t like bill, move someplace safer. Canada was popular for evaders a few years ago.
Service is not a quick way for a cushy retirement. It’s tough work, 24/7 with many chances of dying early or being crippled. You think it’s easy, sign up, Big Guy.
That was a pretty silly post.
Especially when I want to increase and strengthen the military, and return it to more of a warrior camp.
Why don't you try reading my posts.
Seen the Wounded Warrior Commercials? Well Duh Gee what happun? The lowest E-1 to the highest E-9 if they are doing their job deserve their pay for their labor. When you take into account hours worked per pay it's a huge bargain for taxpayers.
You get what you pay for. If you want better physically fit troops in the recruitment and be able to recruit troops with better test scores etc then it is going to have to be worth their while to join. Even Jimmy Carter finally figured that much out.
Start cutting some federal agencies such as the EPA and start raising End Troops Strengths. Many jobs in the military pay much higher on the outside. Boiler Techs when I was in were getting out and going to work for places like TVA the same with some Machinist Mates and Electrician Mates. How many Lower Pay Shills would work 18 to sometimes 20 hours a day in a ships propulsion plant at 125 plus degrees in 100% humidity? Would you do it on E-1 through E-4 pay at sea for up to seven months?
Keeping pay low was tried in the past. Retention tanked as did morale and they ended up in 1977-1980 economy paying up to $18K plus next rank just to keep junior enlisted for another enlistment.
Our troops have been in a perpetual combat deployment mode since the days of POTUS Poppy Bush. Most Lifers today have not served under a more relaxed mode enjoyed even in The Cold War. Troops are now deployed longer and more often today than in Nam, Korea, and for even most of WW2. A typical enlistment obligation is now Eight years not six or the 4/2 3/3 obligation many served under earlier.
Our troops deserve their pay and our support. The priorities of today rather than taking care of what is needed to keep a ready military is focused instead on appeasing Homosexuals, Muslims, adaptions for women on ships, and other so called victim groups which has no place in combat deployment.
Now we have the USMC highest ranking enlisted saying take away more pay Sir? Hagel should have never been confirmed as Sec of Defense nor for that matter most of the others following the Reagan years.
Hoo-oh SGM.
I’m an active duty field grade. The last thing I need is for my Soldiers to be underpaud and not able to take care of their families.
And I am the son of a CSM.
And so I suspect there are two very proud warriors, one current, one past.
And I also suspect that your father's best advice to you before you set out on your career, was to always listen to and heed the advice of your senior NCOs.
It's a damned shame, though, when some of them forget where the hell they've been and are blinded by the political light.
It was my experience that the various Sergeants Majors of the Army were ass-kissing SOBs who had lost their way in pursuit of a "position".
I guess the Marines are pretty much the same.
Have a good day, Sir.
Where’s he going to go? He’s THE highest ranking non-commissioned Marine. No place left to be promoted TO.
It could just be a serious case of that old time Marine gung-ho.
He did just that SGM.
Thanks for your service. I’ll be joining you on the retirement rile in a few short months.
I’ll buy you a beer and we can toast fallen comrades.
“No place left to be promoted TO.”
He no doubt was promised a career with a civilian company for his selling out of the Marines. It is how high ranking career military are often repaid.
Looks like this sorry SOB just did.
Used to be that E-1 through E-4 did not marry without the commander’s permission preceded by the first sergeant’s recommendation.
Impoverished married junior enlisted have now been around since Vietnam & it’s not a pretty sight. The effect on individual & unit readiness is measurable but not always publically visible due to political correctness.
Impoverished junior enlisted single moms are even worse off.
What the USMC Cmd Sgt Major said seems cruel (never talk of cutting soldier pay) but effectiveness in battle is always subject to compromise by individual personal factors.
Asking sacrifice of others from a position of privilege doesn’t help matters either.
It read like you were quoting that as being my statement especially when I said the same thing as u later in my post. In other words it read like the “Yeah RIIIGHT” was for me! Sorry!
Cheers
Mel
Right. Where exactly will this extra cash flow? No doubt into his pockets.
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