A military retiree story

            I turned 65 yesterday and all my medical retirement benefits have changed, and are changing. I still can't figure it all out. That probably applies to many others, too.

            It is almost predictable that if the USA cuts military incentives to join and stay in, then people will get out. Of course if we are unilaterally disarming, some may like that effect.  Others may think otherwise for a myriad of their reasons. I myself was going to get out, but the retirement incentives were one of the reasons I stayed in. Many of my peers chose to get out, too.

            And after I "retired" from the military, I went back to work eventually.  I even became President of a small Company, so I "didn't fall off the turnip truck" yesterday.

            And yep, I've been shot at, too. There's nothing like the crack of the bullet going by my head to make me think about my military career, and risks. And in my case, the first time of being shot at was by banditos in the Philippines during routine peacetime training.

            And I "buy the line" that the USA may enlist a single person, but they also retain his or her Family, not just him or her. Some of my jobs have been in both first enlistments (officer and enlisted), and subsequent reenlistments. Numbers count when manning a military service. For example I recall I had to fill 9 different ranks over 340 different job skills in a constantly changing structure, too. Now most think that is a good kind of problem to have. I did.

            And incentives sure helped fill my bag of tricks. So did addressing the complaints gleamed from exit polls.  Bottom line, I had a real job to do, and I did OK at it.

            Now I get to try apply what I thought were incentives offered to me to stay  in,  and now seemingly are being retroactively changed on me. That is immoral, to me, especially if those doing it are simultaneously also taking care of themselves and their Families. So don't be surprised if military people start bailing out at higher rates, like at rates that affect our national defense readiness, especially if and when we get involved in a real war that threatens our national survival. Even in WWII there was a two year spin up to truly try win the various wars.

            And I think most know we have serious national financial problems for both avoidable and unavoidable reasons. But again, it just seems immoral to me to see others taking care of themselves at others expense, including my  own. Even I go for shared sacrifice, but I literally mean it. No one is "above the law" in my mind.

            Even in WWII around 200 congressmen voted themselves exemptions to the "rationing" system.  Well then that got publicized, and then they then voted themselves back into the rationing system.  Yep, even I can be somewhat cynical about people, too.

            Alas, and as usual, there is no free lunch.

            So yes, we still have to pay taxes, including  those in the military, both active and retired. None live "the life of Riley".  And we have always done so, like pay taxes. That's kind of like how a successful society works, and we have a pretty good society and culture in the new world USA.

            It is something worth both defending, and improving. I did my part, now others can now take up the "stance", if they want to; and if someone thinks it is important enough. Lord knows we don't have to first dig ourselves into a hole first. We still have lots of smart people who can think ahead, and do.  And incentives sure help to fill their bag of tricks, their quiver if you will.