satpak77

Everything is on the table. However after it's all put on the table, it should be plainly obvious which deserves cutting and which does not.

Pensions/salaries/benefits for our military and federal law enforcement is in the not category.

USMCFLYR

I saw statistic recently that quote the figure of only 17ish% of those in the military actually spend a minimum of 20 years to retire with benefits.

FlyBoyd

Military retirement: 83-percent never make it

rickair7777

The 20-year system is a key mechanism to get mid-grade types to stick around and keep coming back for more. Otherwise the military would have a serious leadership shortfall, both O & E.

After about ten years or less, most folks have gotten the benefit of military training, education, character building, and team skills (also job skills in some cases, ie pilots, nukes, truck mechanics, etc). Why stick around any longer and put up with all the BS if you can get the same compensation package (401k) in the private or GS sectors?

I'm not saying they SHOULDN'T re-make the retirement system, just that they should look at the consequences and the costs to mitigate those consequences (massive SRBs targeted at needed skill sets). Some of the clowns talking about shifting to a 401k have utterly no idea how the military works, they think it will just be business as usual...not.

Also they should keep faith with those already in uniform. Our retirement system is NOT a contractual entitlement, but nonetheless that doesn't make it right...

block30

Good find. Also, UASIT, thanks for posting.

Grumble

You're assuming Obama cares what you or anyone else thinks.

Packrat

Slept through H.S. civics class, I see. Its the House of Representatives that originates funding bills. They are then passed or modified by the Senate. After that, a conference committee irons out the differences and the Budget is passed by CONGRESS.

All the President does is sign it into law.

But then you probably agree with Megyn Kelly that its historical fact that Santa and Jesus were white.

WARich

Can of worms.

BigBlue

Chignutsak - i respectfully couldn't disagree with you more. This article gives my perspective far more eloquently than I could say.

Mickey in the Middle: An Open Letter to Congressman Ryan and Senator Murray

BigBlue

Another great article -

"The level of sacrifice asked of our military in recent years is historically unprecedented, and America’s warriors are not getting rich enduring it. In fact, 1.5 million of them need food stamps to supplement their incomes, scores have trouble finding post-service employment, and tens of thousands will live the rest of their lives without ever being made whole again, having left things on the battlefield that defy monetary valuation."

Read more: Military DOES NOT Have 'Lavish' Benefits - Business Insider