[anthony634]

WOW! Even thinking this - breaking the faith with military retirees - makes me shudder.

As a member of several military organizations, if we confirm that this is even being considered, we'll ensure every active duty member in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive updates on this issue via e-mail and snail mail.

Wow.

[marron]

I guess what is at issue is whether or not your military retirement pay is yours. Is it yours or is it not. Have you earned it or have you not.

If its yours, then whatever else you have or earn is no one's business.

If its not yours, then its welfare and no self-respecting soldier would accept it.

So we need to settle this issue and quickly. But if they decide that military retirement is welfare they had better wonder where they are going to get the next generation of career soldiers. We are in a new, high tech, special ops world. The military doesn't run on minutemen anymore. It runs on guys that have been around, are well trained, and spend their life preparing and doing. Break your pact with them, though, at your peril.

[FlyVet]

I won't be answering that survey, if I get one. If they want to know that badly, they can go after tax records.

[PokeyJoe]

I only served 6 years.

I'm not a retired person, nor am I a recipient of military retirement pay.

To break with Veterans who have EARNED retirement pay, regardless of their rank, current position, income or status, smells bad and is political suicide.

He should propose cutting retirement pay for Congress. That would play better with voters.

Better yet, do unto Clinton what Clinton did to his dad. Take away Bill's Secret Service protection.

[templar]

"Support our Troops" means put a sign in your yard. Nothing else.

[CholeraJoe]

First disenfranchisement at Military Medical Treatment Facilities. Then offset of disability compensation by military retired pay. Then means testing at VA Medical Centers. Then means testing for Military Retiree Pensions.

What's next? Means testing for BX and Commissary privileges?

Who cares anyhow? All of the WWII and Korean vets will be dead soon. The Vietnam vets are all drugged out hippies and the Cold War vets never really experienced combat. /sarcasm my a$$

[tomball]

If the President really wants to save some big money, let'specifically begin with everyone who voted themselves raises. Start means-testing the members of Congress, Senate, and Judicial branches of our government first. 90% of the bloat begins in the beltway.

Our military people are already means-tested 24-7. They have no union representation like the federal clerks and secretaries. Like most of us civilians, soldiers do not have the luxury of being able to vote themselves raises. In fact, these taxpayers are the last people whose pay should be scrutinized while we are at war.

Our military pays for itself in more ways than one. That's more than I can say for any democrat sitting in congress right now.

[Let's Roll]

And NOT means test prescription drugs for seniors? Smart - real smart.

[Mike Darancette]

I think that they should means test all Federal retirees specifically Congressmen and Senators.

As to Bush seeking to means test military retirement I think that that MOAA is over reacting.

[gitmo]

Bush taking aim at his foot?

[azcap]

Forget about means testing and eliminate all pensions for former congressmen, VPs, and presidents. It's probably only a couple hundred million but I love to see the weasels from both parties argue against it.

[Sabertooth]

Stupid, if true.

[OldSmaj]

...strongly recommend that military retirees refrain from answering those questions that pertain to their personal finances.

Refrain?

Refrain?

Send me your damn survey, Mr. Secretary of Defense.

I'll refrain on it.

Send me several, I always need some refraining material.

You want my finances, Mr. Secretary of Defense?

Well, you can kiss my ass.

Damn civilians sitting on their lard asses, doing nothing but scheming ways to crap on the retiree.

You damn bunch of fools, can't you see that they way you treat me in my retirement will have a direct influence on the type and quality of troops you attract in the future?

Bunch of REMF idiots.

[jim_trent]

My father-in-law is a triple dipper. He was in the Military in late WWII and served on for 20 years. Then in his early 40's he went to work for the Post Office where his serving in the military gave him such an advantage that he had no worries at all about not being hired. He ended up working there until retirement at about 60 or 62. And he exploited a loophole that has since been closed down. He paid a couple of years worth of Social Security payments to the Feds and got a full Social Security pension for life too. He is 87 years old now, has been retired since he was 60 or 62 and is getting over $100,000 per year just to continue breathing.

Of course, the same people around here who say that the government is too big and too expensive say that this is OK.

[BobS]

What a biased article. What if it's to INCREASE military retirement pay? Bush has boosted all he can for the military.

[ntnychik]

Nickle and diming our military is a pitiful way to treat them, particularly while so many of them are laying it on the line daily in hostile situations.

Politically, this is beyond stupid. The Bush admin's. attempt to close a VA facility in Canandaigua, NY is riling even more vets in a relatively conservative area of upstate NY, not to mention the economic impact of hundreds of lost jobs from one of the region's major employers.

What nimrod is dreaming this stuff up? (Hope it isn't the big guy, but he needs to put an end to it. Veterans Day would be a nice time.)

[america-rules]

"Bush May Means-Test Military Retiree Pay"

You idiot ! The correct title is "Beware Invasive DoD Retiree Survey "

There is nothing in the alert that mentions Bush and it refers back to a 1996 comment from some idiot in the DOD.

It goes on to state that 66% of retired military are poor etc..

These surveys are common and happen all the time. The can be used to increase pay and benefits, COLA, FHA etc..

Bush has given the military three huge pay raises that almost equal all eight years under Reagan or Clinton - in just two years !

If you want to slam Bush tell the truth !

Finally, I'm a retired military person with a 60% VA disability rating who is also worth a couple million dollars. I have a few dogs in this hunt incase you think I'm shooting from the hip !

[Paul C. Jesup]

Is the U.S. Federal Government trying to find out how many different ways you can screw the military before you have a coup de ta.