Gates Pitches Military Pay Cuts

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 2011-05-25 | Julian E. Barnes & Nathan Hodge

[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."

[Colonel_Flagg]

Prioritizing is the last thing on the mind of this government, as good an idea as it is. There are a lot of things the government shouldn’t be paying for — such as the Department of Education to cite just one.

[darkside321]

btw. just for you (some of the surrender monkeys in afghanistan).
And i don´t speak french but sometimes pictures say more then words.
Yeah what a bunch of cowards they are. /s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxFS2FPIhvA&feature=related

[Leaning Right]

What congress should do this week is pass a bill that guarantees that all military votes have to be counted before an election could be certified.

That would be supported by almost everyone in the great heartland between New York and California.

If the Republican National Committee was smart, they'd push that like crazy.

[dragnet2]

But i for example was in afghanistan.

Well, that's very commendable, but we need to rid ourselves of that ****hole, where the average person in Afghanistan too lazy to work, like much of the rest of those in Mid-East.

Again, your comments are completely convoluted and disjointed so much so, their unintelligible.

[Palter]

I didn't say cut the military first. I said everything has to be on the table. Of course all the departments and agencies created by the Dems/Repubs has to get cut.

As for pay. Your joking. No where in the world can you retire at 37 and have the benefits that we have. You are paid very well in the military.

[dragnet2]

That would be supported by almost everyone in the great heartland between New York and California.

Hello...There is more military bases, military personnel and military retirees in California than ANY state.

[OldGoatCPO]

Spoke to friend who manages 501.3c she spoke to staffers with Congressman involved in Pentagon budget. Mullens and Obama got blasted for trying to suggesting local communities, states and 501.3c should take over care of wounded warriors and veterans. Now they are using M. Obama and Mrs. Biden under the guise of care for military families pushing the same thing. Using Michelle My belles high popularity to blunt backlash. Gates is pushing this but Obama has broader goals. First push vets off TRICARE and into VA. This will reduce DOD costs than force vets into. Obamacare. Plans to use CPI to increase health care premiums yearly for vets while tying increases in retirement pay to COLA which uses bogus WH inflation numbers. Congress is receptive as are most vets to Increase in premiums but against CPI. We cost the DOD allot but it was promised if we remained 20 or in my case 30 years. While most people thank us for our service, it is time to show that appreciation. Tell Congress CPI is a no go. Keep the promise to vets and any increase in cost to retired vets must have a corresponding cut to Union pension funds. Remember retired vets include medically retired from injuries during the war. Many of those vets are young and did not have time in service and rank to see substantial retirements.

[Scotsman will be Free]

You can burn my corpse, feed it to the hogs or roll it up in a blanket and drop it in a hole in the ground. Doesn’t matter to me, because I won’t be here, I’ll be free.

[Leaning Right]

The SecDef, is only doing what the CIC tells him to do.

Perhaps this is all a political trick.

Gates calls for cuts in military pay.

Then a month from now Obama comes out and says something like: I've been advised to cut military pay, but I have rejected that advice. The pay scale will remain as it is.

That sounds a lot better than: There will be no pay raises for our military in the foreseeable future.

[Scotsman will be Free]

Congress will NOT vote themselves a raise. Last I heard they passed a bill years ago that automatically gives them a raise with out a vote. They have to vote to deny themselves a raise.

[OldGoatCPO]

Military is cutting personnel, USMC will cut about 20,000. Recruiters will become more selective. Fewer military jobs, fewer recruits, more unemployed welcome to the Gates/Obama military.

[Leaning Right]

There is more military bases, military personnel and military retirees in California than ANY state

Yes, but not enough to move California's electoral votes out of the democratic column. Same goes with New York. Lot's of fine folks live there, especially upstate. But not enough to make an electoral difference.

[dragnet2]

More vote here Republican and conservative than any state. But you’re right, it’s not quite enough. Considering the public government schools are graduating thousands of brainwashed every June, here and elsewhere, it doesn’t seem real encouraging....Likely the same reason Obama is now POTUS.

[OldGoatCPO]

He could have resigned he stayed on fo this he has been an advocate of military pay cuts for more than the last two years. Gates has a reputation as an extremely intelligent yes man.

[dragnet2]

lol...Those self serving SOBs have it all figured out.

[ladyjane]

A pox on you and the rest of the liars, crooks and fornicators who inhabit our capitol.

Worth repeating.

[darkside321]

Well, that’s very commendable, but we need to rid ourselves of that ****hole, where the average person in Afghanistan too lazy to work, like much of the rest of those in Mid-East.

Again, your comments are completely convoluted and disjointed so much so, their unintelligible.

---

Well first i´m drunk today :-)
And yes Afghanistan is a Sh*thole!
Beyond believe.
And no my comments are not unintelligible.
They are just comming (from a now drunken guy) who was born in the US there for has dual citizenship but has lived all his life in europe.
And more important risked his life in Afghanistan. (Not for the US) but as said i was there.
But after exchanging bullets with the taliban it just cracks me up that someone says “we” own the US anything.
Because i don´t.
Yeah i live in europe but thats all.
No US soldier died to protect me (back home in europe)
And NO US soldier guaranteed my freedom.
Btw. Fu*k Afghanistan.
Because there US soldiers did indeed protect me (the same way i did for them).
But this is a different topic.
I have the most respect for everyone who ever served there!
Ok he did not protect my freedom (or what ever politicians say) but he did protect my US/european bud over there.
So if someones tells me that the USA protects europe i don´t respond that well. just a matter of fact.
But i will allways have my respect for all the troops out there who fought with me.
Because this have been the guys who really saved my a$$.
And i never cared from which country they have came from.

[SandwicheGuy]

Start funding from the top. When the expenditures total the taxes collected, stop at that line item.

That is a GREAT idea! So simple, so elegant, so workable. I would like to see that as the next passed ammendment.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yeh lets do that right after we cut the pay and retirement benefits of the 535 useless eaters in the Legislature.

[Grumplestiltskin]

“Do these things, and the country will find itself without an Army.”

Have you ever stopped to consider that this may be EXACTLY what many — if not most — democrats actually WANT?

Just sayin’....