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Gates Pitches Military Pay Cuts
The Wall Street Journal ^ | 2011-05-25 | Julian E. Barnes & Nathan Hodge

Posted on 06/12/2011 4:30:21 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

WASHINGTON—The coming round of Pentagon budget cuts will force lawmakers to consider reducing military pay and benefits, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday, raising an issue that could prove politically sensitive in a time of war

In what was billed as Mr. Gates's last major policy speech, the outgoing Pentagon chief said the government would have to "re-examine military compensation," consider altering the retirement system to bring down costs, and address spiraling health-care costs.

Trimming Pentagon spending, Mr. Gates said, "will entail going places that have been avoided by politicians in the past."

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: biggovernment; dod; gates; military
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To: dragnet2

Not there to defend Europe? I spent time in Europe in the military and it was exactly the reason we were there. Now it’s our interest to be in Europe because of interest outside of Europe? What are we defending? Considering our navy and long reach weapons, specifically what interest is that? BTW, in war, an airport can easily and quickly be seized and utilized.


Oh come on.
Please don´t try to tell me that lets say 30.000 US soldiers (+ a US military hospital “where all wounded from iraq and afghanistan are brought too) in germany defend “europe”.
I mean serious against whom?
the bloody hordes of the swiss or what? (because this would be the only none EU country which borders germany)
This is not cold war anymore.
Under this logic the german air base (yeah they have one ;-) in new mexico does defend the US too (against the invisible bogeyman.
Or don´t they?
Does this mean when the german fighters leave the US will be defenceless?
I guess not!
This bases are there for strategic alliances and not for dirrect defence of a country because of the simple fact neither the US nor “europe” faces any danger for a forreign invasion. I mean how should they the US and “europe” together spend 2/3 of the golbal money for the military.
(US 50% EU 25-30%) this leaves 20% for the whole rest of the world.
So please don´t tell me that the US protects europe or the other way around.


41 posted on 06/12/2011 5:16:03 PM PDT by darkside321
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To: Repeal The 17th

Only if they accept the same degree of responsibility. And write a blank check, amount payable up to and including their sorry asses, same as the E-4 does.


42 posted on 06/12/2011 5:16:08 PM PDT by Don Carlos (Retired MSGT (USAF), and damn proud of it. I stood my watch.)
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To: rabscuttle385

“One only has to read recent statements by folks like Lindsey Graham about the “need” for the U.S. military to take care of Libyans, Syrians, Afghans, etc”

We don’t have the need to protect Libyans, Syrians, etc.
We DO have the need to take out supporters of arab/islamofascist terrorists such as Saddam, OBL, Qadaffi, Assad and Achmedinijad.


43 posted on 06/12/2011 5:17:34 PM PDT by ari-freedom (All we are saying....is give the military a chance)
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To: tbw2
If he cuts their pay to less than his cushy social work positions, why would there then be an army

A mass exit of troops over already not enough pay might mean Obama's "brown shirts" could come into fruition (and pay would necessarily go up from there, rewarding Obama's cronies as usual). Anyone got info on how much money Obama's czars each make?

44 posted on 06/12/2011 5:18:06 PM PDT by MamaDearest
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To: rabscuttle385
Bet you a doughnut that Congress will (uheem) ‘vote’ themselves, and their staff, a pay raise this year. Yeah, I definitely need a raise. Yes. I 'deserve' it by my own estimation.

Gee, I have never had a job in my life that let's me give myself a raise...I never worked in Congress.

Guess I was too busy trying not to get shot...

Man, but really on a serious note...this is just like King of England stuff. We have no say in anything. And these fools and clowns in Washington do not 'represent' us, they freakin' rule us with an iron boot. IMO

45 posted on 06/12/2011 5:18:45 PM PDT by 240B (he is doing everything he said he wouldn't and not doing what he said he would)
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To: rabscuttle385
What a sense of entitlement.

I agree. Pay and benefits for service members ain't bad these days. Toss in all the assorted re-up bonuses and it ain't bad at all.

It ain't easy, but it ain't bad.

46 posted on 06/12/2011 5:20:13 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: Colonel_Flagg

Thanks a lot, Sec Gates. We do deserve better! I am currently on 22 years of service, and this is the thanks the Armed Forces get? I have never seen an administration so hostile to our military. Unbelievable!


47 posted on 06/12/2011 5:21:14 PM PDT by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
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To: rabscuttle385

Well it looks like Mr. Gates is sodomizing the military in several respects: both cultural and financial aspects of the service are being violated.


48 posted on 06/12/2011 5:22:36 PM PDT by MSF BU (YR'S Please Support our troops: JOIN THEM!)
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To: rabscuttle385

This from the man who can’t figure out how to win in Afghanistan. Here’s a piece of advice...he should receive no retirement as punishment for being a loser. And that’s being gracious. He should be giving speeches to his fellow prisoners.


49 posted on 06/12/2011 5:24:04 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: rabscuttle385

Before we chop the military budget, and especially troop pay or benefits we need to secure the border and deport all illegals ASAP. Illegals are a huge burden on our medical services, education system, all social services, and our judicial/jails, prisons. We could save a large chunk of change and open up jobs by simply enforcing laws and getting rid of people who should not be here to begin with.


50 posted on 06/12/2011 5:28:27 PM PDT by Tammy8 (~Secure the border and deport all illegals- do it now! ~ Support our Troops!~)
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To: VeniVidiVici

How about Gates and all of Congress, and yes, our Dear Leader, spend a tour in the Sand Box...then come back and take a vote on benny’s and pay.

Meadow Muffin


51 posted on 06/12/2011 5:31:15 PM PDT by Meadow Muffin
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To: rabscuttle385

IMO Gates is the worst SecDef we’ve ever had.


52 posted on 06/12/2011 5:32:35 PM PDT by cblue55 (Envisioning when all that is left is the right.)
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To: Nathan _in_Arkansas

I don’t think they can change the current plan; they will have to change it for incoming service members. What they can do is screw with the housing/subsistence allowance by making it taxable for instance. Actually, they could cap COLA adjustments and if we have high inflation military members will get a pay cut the difference between the COLA and the inflation rate. How is that “I Love Sodomy” training going?


53 posted on 06/12/2011 5:33:07 PM PDT by MSF BU (YR'S Please Support our troops: JOIN THEM!)
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To: rabscuttle385
BTW

The percentage is how much they 'like' Americans...oh, and, they are all Obama's brother's...

54 posted on 06/12/2011 5:38:00 PM PDT by 240B (he is doing everything he said he wouldn't and not doing what he said he would)
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To: darkside321

“But fact is if you want to be able to project force around the globe then you will need forreign [foreign] military bases.”

Thirty years ago I agreed with the above statement. I was in the U.S.Navy and we were in the middle of the Cold War. The 1980s are gone, and so is our ability to make domestic steel. Now, we no longer have an industrial base. Our Treasury is empty. We are being attacked over our southern border and millions of Americans are unemployed.

Projecting military force is great when you’re a rich and powerful nation and foreign enemies are threatening. Our enemies have shifted south, and make up the OAS.

We must bring our troops home to Fortress America.


55 posted on 06/12/2011 5:38:44 PM PDT by SatinDoll (NO FOREIGN NATIONALS AS OUR PRESIDENT!)
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To: Nathan _in_Arkansas
I had a buddy at the range in San Diego. SEAL. Served from the opening days of Desert Shield. He was 5 days from retirement with a new civvie job lined up and a new home purchase in process in northern CA. Sept 11, 2001. An immediate "stop loss". Immediate assignment to new tasks with the SEALs. You may be prevented from leaving even if you no longer want to serve.
56 posted on 06/12/2011 5:49:07 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Colonel_Flagg

Gates wants to cut military pay and Gates now wants to cut NATO...but Gates don’t want to cut Joint Strike Fighter which is a $1 Trillion Dollar monstrosity which can’t be maintained by the services because it’s just too plain expensive to even do the maintenance on! You think he’s in the pocket of the big industry leaders and senate and house armed service committee members that put him in his position to shill for JSF. Meanwhile our Service Members fight, die and lose limbs for peanuts while this old degenerate is planning for his big JSF payout...just the way “Washington works”...you think he’ll be on the Corporate Board of say Lockheed Martin? Bottom line...why do we need a stealth fighter that’s too expensive? Answer...so people like Gates can get rich. At the expense of the men and women who risk their lives everyday for our freedom.


57 posted on 06/12/2011 5:52:54 PM PDT by Chuck N
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To: glorgau

I got out in 1978 as a Captain over 10, married with flight pay. A few months later I was riding a Greyhound bus and asked the driver, “If I had worked for Greyhound for six to ten years, how much would I be making?”

“Oh, it depends on which routes you had, but about $36,000 per year.”

As a Marine pilot flying a $6.5 million dollar helicopter, ready to go to war at the drop of a hat and spending 25 to 35% of my life away from my family, I was making about $24,000 per year. My enlisted crew and mechanics were making a lot less.

The current “entitlements” are for the most part handouts, not pay in exchange for work, as is the case with the military.

Why do congressmen earn $174,000 per year?

Why do Congressional chiefs of staff average $120K?

Why is the NFL minimum salary over $300K?

If the congress & press think the military is overpaid, let’s renew the draft, FOR ALL AGES up to 55. If you are drafted and don’t want to serve, you can PAY someone to take your place. At a MINIMUM, he gets your salary for two years, you get his.

NO educational deferments. If you (or your daddy) will pay $50k per year to go to Harvard, then you can pay the same to the guy taking your place in the military. If the NBA or NFL just offered you a signing bonus of $1 million and your draft number comes up, plan on signing that over to your military replacement.

Start an on-line auction to handle the bidding in case of a shortfall in people willing to take someone else’s place.

Sounds fair to me!

Who has the popcorn?

;-)


58 posted on 06/12/2011 5:53:36 PM PDT by BwanaNdege (For those who have fought for it, Life bears a savor the protected will never know.)
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To: rabscuttle385

I’ve got a better idea. Shut down the Depts of Education, Energy, the EPA, the BATF, the IRS, OSHA, and a few others. Fire all the employees. Cut the staffing at the Depts of Interior, Justice and State 20%. Kick the UN out of the US and leave the UN. Cut foreign aid 25% [to start].Cut ALL Federal funding for illegal immigrants. That should do ‘er.


59 posted on 06/12/2011 5:54:43 PM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: rabscuttle385
Please: NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts.

Due to FR rules I will be unable to comment on this thread.

TSgt
60 posted on 06/12/2011 5:57:35 PM PDT by TSgt ("Some folks just need killin'" - Karl Childers (Sling Blade 1996))
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