Military benefits target in cost-cutting talks (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines)
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Quote: The list of programs under attack includes pay raises, retired pay, health care benefits, commissaries and exchanges, and even the size of the force.
There are benefits that could be eliminated without affecting the majority of the military and are only there as perks to the 0-6 and above military, and also for members of congress. There are also several bases which are open only as a "resort" for the brass. These bases have beautiful golf courses and other rec. facilities geared for the brass.
Also we need to get out of Japan and Korea and move all people there either back to the US, Hawaii, or Guam. In Europe we could close 2/3 of all bases and not suffer any consequences....
1.) Close all US base Golf courses. Being in the Navy I didn't even have a place to keep my clubs. Overseas I have no problem with them as they are a quality of life issue.
2.) Close all exchanges or comms.. in the US or open them to civilians. Walmarts are close by....
3.) All military brass fly commercial in conus. Sell all the Gulf streams based in the US. They can fly commercial, maybe somebody will bye them a beer...
4.) Close most stateside hospitals. Issue military members federal health care. Have an urgent care facility on base that's all you really need. Most bases now have a major hospital nearby.
As for the real savings we need to close bases. We don't need 37k troops in Korea anymore. We don't need anybody in Japan. South Korea and Japan can take care of themselves. Even the Ruskies wouldn't want to mess with them. China will compete with them but they are on equal terms pretty much.
As far as Europe goes, there is only one base I can think of which we can never leave which is Rota. As long as we have a base in Rota we can control the Med and what comes through. We need a few air bases, but as far as the Army goes everything they do can be done state side.
There are benefits that could be eliminated without affecting the majority of the military and are only there as perks to the 0-6 and above military, and also for members of congress. There are also several bases which are open only as a "resort" for the brass. These bases have beautiful golf courses and other rec. facilities geared for the brass.
Also we need to get out of Japan and Korea and move all people there either back to the US, Hawaii, or Guam. In Europe we could close 2/3 of all bases and not suffer any consequences....
1.) Close all US base Golf courses. Being in the Navy I didn't even have a place to keep my clubs. Overseas I have no problem with them as they are a quality of life issue.
2.) Close all exchanges or comms.. in the US or open them to civilians. Walmarts are close by....
3.) All military brass fly commercial in conus. Sell all the Gulf streams based in the US. They can fly commercial, maybe somebody will bye them a beer...
4.) Close most stateside hospitals. Issue military members federal health care. Have an urgent care facility on base that's all you really need. Most bases now have a major hospital nearby.
As for the real savings we need to close bases. We don't need 37k troops in Korea anymore. We don't need anybody in Japan. South Korea and Japan can take care of themselves. Even the Ruskies wouldn't want to mess with them. China will compete with them but they are on equal terms pretty much.
As far as Europe goes, there is only one base I can think of which we can never leave which is Rota. As long as we have a base in Rota we can control the Med and what comes through. We need a few air bases, but as far as the Army goes everything they do can be done state side.
Many of your ideas of base closures and troop deployments within the global perspective are naive. Hell let's cut troops pay while we're at it...
One option, GAO says, would be to make people who leave the military after 10 years eligible for retirement benefits, but make them wait until age 65 to begin drawing a check. This could save money by reducing the number of people who serve beyond 10 years solely to earn future retirement benefits.
I really doubt people that serve beyond 10 years do it solely to earn future retirement benefits, there may be some, but I don't think that this number is high enough to warrant a change in retirement benefits. Honestly, the number of people serving after 15 years would likely say, "well I've made it this far, why not another five years."
Here's some exerts from an online blog, which is right on the head...
Your ideas are 20 years too old....from g2mil.com
[SIZE=4]The U.S. military operates six major airbases in Japan, the same number as when the Cold War ended. As the U.S. military shifted focus to the Persian Gulf and constructed a dozen of new airbases in that region, it did not close any bases in Japan, even though their rational dissipated. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=4]Maintaining 50,000 U.S. troops in Japan requires millions of dollars each year to rotate GIs for three-year tours, which includes shipping their children, pets, and household goods. In addition, mainland Japan is an unpopular duty station because of cold weather, high costs, and polite yet unfriendly locals. Since housing costs for military families and American civilian employees are twice that of the USA, the U.S. military also spends millions of dollars for additional housing costs and "locality" pay.
[/SIZE][SIZE=4]Over 27,000 U.S. military personnel and their 22,000 family members are stationed on Okinawa. The U.S. Air Force maintains the large Kadena airbase on the island while the Army and Navy maintain several small bases. The Marines have a dozen camps and a small airbase at Futenma where loud helicopters anger nearby residents. (left)[/SIZE]
2.) Close all exchanges or comms.. in the US or open them to civilians. Walmarts are close by....
They are self supporting, paid for by the troops, you will not save a penny, you will waste money. Why are you trying to destroy a system which has operated well for over 100 years. Roughly two-thirds of AAFES’ earnings are paid to Morale, Welfare and Recreation/ Services programs. In the past 10 years, $2.4 billion has been contributed by AAFES to military MWR/Services programs to spend on quality of life improvements, including youth services, Armed Forces Recreation Centers, arts and crafts, aquatic centers, post functions and golf courses.
I've heard enough. Don't even want to see the rest of the plan....
They are self supporting, paid for by the troops, you will not save a penny, you will waste money. Why are you trying to destroy a system which has operated well for over 100 years. Roughly two-thirds of AAFES’ earnings are paid to Morale, Welfare and Recreation/ Services programs. In the past 10 years, $2.4 billion has been contributed by AAFES to military MWR/Services programs to spend on quality of life improvements, including youth services, Armed Forces Recreation Centers, arts and crafts, aquatic centers, post functions and golf courses.
I've heard enough. Don't even want to see the rest of the plan....
If our President and congress want to reduce military spending they can pull us out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Otherwise leave military pay, healthcare and benefits alone; our troops have earned it.
PS: That includes the Commissary and Exchange too.
I'd say troop end strength. I think an honest restructuring of certain units and certain job fields. For instance, I've seen alot of supply warehouse types, sitting around with literally nothing to do all day in supply units. Namely b/c when the T/O for those units were made the numbers were necessary for inventories and the movement and tracking of gear. With so many of the processes automated and even overseas alot the tasks being done by KBR, the number of personnel in he field outstrips the number of personnel necessary to accomplish the task. Alot of inside the wire, non mission critical activities should be done by contractors or civilians. The salary pay will be a saving over salary/benefits combo of a service member, plus it allows more efficiency as you don't have that dip i production every 3 years that comes with rotation. Most clerical and non-technical jobs can be assigned at a gs5 or less pay.
I don't think any field can be 100% eliminated and the civilians should answer to military leadership (the oic of whatever section they work for, or the CO of the unit) but numbers could be drastically reduced in some.
Absolutely, positively DO NOT take my commissary benefit! PX, could live without. Now, the Class Six... :-)
In all seriousness, the Tricare Health Benefit for retirees is HUGE! And I'll be frank, at some point, even though Congress is fighting it tooth and nail, it will go up. The price for retirees has not changed since it's inception, more than 10 years ago. And with a husband that was senior enlisted, unfortunately, we'll be the ones that sees one of the major price hikes. But, I still argue that it would be cheaper than what we would pay with his GS position.
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