Some of you talk like management eager to reduce the payroll.
I find this statement a little shocking. The military has a budget just like Apple or any company. Part of that budget is payroll and benefits.
The DoD is dealing with sequestration that will last for many more years to come. They have to find savings somewhere. The easiest way is to attack the payroll/benefits aspect.
~ Not to divert, but look at how companies are changing the way they do new hires. Many are being brought in at lower hours so the company does not have to cover them with health insurance.
I think we see officers differently, especially when they get to the O4 marker. It would be considered high mid-level management. Could Microsoft promote everyone for just doing their job from entry level management to mid level, or mid to senior and be financially viable? The difference in pay between an O3 over 10 and an O4 over 10 is @700 bucks a month. That is before we even discuss BAH, which is not taxable, the difference between an O3 and O4 at Quantico is @225 a month, and that is not the biggest jumps. In total 12K a year per O4 promoted just because they did their job and hit their time marker with the military. Multiply that by tens of thousands service members.
As LITS, stated you get paid to do a job. That salary is what you are owed. Nobody in my mind enters to make a million plus flight pay. My DH and now DS say I can't believe they pay me to do this!
No axe to grind here either. We loved every single minute of our 21 years. Every tour, including places like Mt. Home, ID....hub of Elmore county, pop. 10K. and OMG no Alamorgdo, topped off with places like Fayettenam, and Goldsboro....getting the drift that this Jersey girl spent the majority of her life in places that most people would only visit if they had too, but I cried as we pulled out of the driveway on our way to a new home.
Retirement pay was never an aspect of the equation. Obviously, our DS that is an O2 now, loved the life too, or he would not be serving today, again no axe here.
~ This is a kid that has either been an AF dependent or now an ADAF officer his entire life.
~ My DD is a teacher, her top choice for teaching was DOD in Europe. I think that would classify as her loving the life too.
Finally, I have to ask this question. Do you believe we need SS reform? If so, what would be the target year group you would hit for the change? Now, if you say 55, that basically would be inline with the military saying that anyone that is an O4 or O4 select would keep the current retirement system.
~ 45 would be the equivalent in this scenario because they would be 20 years out from retirement if they were able to stay.
I am not saying that this would not have been on the table if sequestration did not occur, but I believe it got on the table because it did.