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Military Pay; from the Airman perspective
Topic Started: Mar 25 2007, 09:17 PM (233 Views)
Condor
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Ruler of the Mountain
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
>The following is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece
in the Washington Times about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all
newspapers across America.
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
>On Nov. 12, 2006 Ms. Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington
Times, denouncing the pay raise coming service members' way this year --
citing that the stated 13% wage was more than they deserve.
>
Any one of you who served knows what the Airman is talking about....


> A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. (He ought
to get a bonus for this.)
>
>"Ms Williams: I just had the pleasure of reading your column, "Our GIs
earn enough" and I am a bit confused. Frankly, I'm wondering where this
vaunted overpayment is going, because as far as I can tell, it disappears
every month between DFAS (The Defense Finance and Accounting Service) and
my bank account.
>
>Checking my latest earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before
taxes. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through the
calculator, I come up with an annual salary of $13,413.60 before taxes, and
$10,490.40, after.
>
>I work in the Air Force Network Control Center where I am part of the
team responsible for a 5,000 host computer network. I am involved with
infrastructure segments, specifically with Cisco Systems equipment. A quick
check under jobs for Network Technicians in the Washington, D.C. area
reveals a position in my career field, requiring three years experience
with my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a year. No, this
job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per annum... I'm sure you can
draw the obvious conclusions.
>
>Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you NEVER had the
pleasure of serving your country in our armed forces.
>
>Before you take it upon yourself to once more castigate congressional and
DOD leadership for attempting to get the families in the military's lowest
pay brackets off of WIC and food stamps, I suggest that you join a group of
deploying soldiers headed for AFGHANISTAN; I leave the choice of service
branch up to you.
>
>Whatever choice you make, though, opt for the SIX month rotation: it will
guarantee you the longest possible time away from your family and friends,
thus giving you full "deployment experience."
>
>As your group prepares to board the plane, make sure to note the spouses
and children who are saying good-bye to their loved ones. Also take care to
note that several families are still unsure of how they'll be able to make
ends meet while the primary breadwinner is gone -- obviously they've been
squandering the "vast" piles of cash the government has been giving them.
>
>Try to deploy over a major holiday; Christmas and Thanksgiving are
perennial favorites. And when you're actually over there, sitting in a
foxhole, shivering against the cold desert night; and the flight sergeant
tells you that there aren't enough
>people on shift to relieve you for chow, remember this: trade whatever
MRE (meal-ready-to-eat) you manage to get for the tuna & noodle casserole
or cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything. This gives some
flavor.
>
>Talk to your loved ones as often as you are permitted; it won't nearly be
long enough or often enough, but take what you can get and be thankful for
it.
>You may have picked up on the fact that I disagree with most of the
points you present in your opined piece. But, tomorrow from KABUL, I will
defend to the death your right to say it.
>
>You see, I am an American fighting man, a guarantor of your First
Amendment rights and every other right you cherish. On a daily basis, my
brother and sister soldiers worldwide ensure that you and people like you
can thumb your collective nose at us, all on a salary that is nothing short
of pitiful and under conditions that would make most people cringe. We
hemorrhage our best and brightest into the private sector because we can't
offer the stability and pay of civilian companies. And you, Ms. Williams,
have the gall to say that we make more than we deserve? Rubbish!
>
>A1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB, AFNCC
>
>IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND
SHOW OUR SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN.


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Neese
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Full Member
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Great article! Our military are vastly underpaid, and it is a shame. Not ony is their pay insulting, but we have a media and a general public who don't give them the respect that they deserve either. How many people are willing to put their life on the line for their country? I can't put a price on a human life, but I can tell you that it is a lot more than $10,000.
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