This 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
Ms. Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she stated 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.
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 per month. 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 her 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 opened 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?
A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC
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I recall my days in the USAF in 1973-74 as being marginally prosperous compared to making $1.25 per hour working at a fairgrounds before I enlisted at age 17. However, when I got out of the USAF, I made almost as much per month going to college and working part-time as my monthly income in the service. The cost of paying service members is negligible compared to the cost of actually using them in the field. I recall recently seeing an article regarding the war in Afghanistan which stated that the average cost per deployed soldier was one million per US and 25,000 per Afghan troop...
I suggest that rather than focusing on the people who are risking their lives for a pittance, the Congress critter should look into cost overruns and corruption at defense contractors. For example, in 1983 I resigned from Boeing BMAC in Huntsville AL and paid about $1800 in relocation expense reimbursement rather than cheat the government according to orders from my supervisor Louis Weed. I was working on the Electronic Systems Test Set (navy) upgrade of disk utilities, when I was ordered by Weed to sign a labor time sheet which reported twice as many hours expended by the workers as were actually worked. He then reprimanded me for insubordination, upon which I resigned. I seriously doubt that Weed's behavior was the exception rather than the rule.
My family has a history of service in the military. My dad served in WWII, my brother and I both joined, my brother in law was a career navy man, and my nephew served his time too. You do not serve for the money, but you SHOULD be able to come out of a term of service in better financial condition than when you entered. This seems to be not the case any more, particularly for reservists called to active duty.
Any comments?
Edit:
http://www.navycs.com/2010-military-pay-chart.html#officer-pay-chart
Military pay is LOUSY! I would have to be a Brigadier General or greater to make as much per year as I was earning at my last job in 1990...
Lonnie Courtney Clay
Ms. Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she stated 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.
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 per month. 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 her 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 opened 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?
A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC
------------------------------------------
I recall my days in the USAF in 1973-74 as being marginally prosperous compared to making $1.25 per hour working at a fairgrounds before I enlisted at age 17. However, when I got out of the USAF, I made almost as much per month going to college and working part-time as my monthly income in the service. The cost of paying service members is negligible compared to the cost of actually using them in the field. I recall recently seeing an article regarding the war in Afghanistan which stated that the average cost per deployed soldier was one million per US and 25,000 per Afghan troop...
I suggest that rather than focusing on the people who are risking their lives for a pittance, the Congress critter should look into cost overruns and corruption at defense contractors. For example, in 1983 I resigned from Boeing BMAC in Huntsville AL and paid about $1800 in relocation expense reimbursement rather than cheat the government according to orders from my supervisor Louis Weed. I was working on the Electronic Systems Test Set (navy) upgrade of disk utilities, when I was ordered by Weed to sign a labor time sheet which reported twice as many hours expended by the workers as were actually worked. He then reprimanded me for insubordination, upon which I resigned. I seriously doubt that Weed's behavior was the exception rather than the rule.
My family has a history of service in the military. My dad served in WWII, my brother and I both joined, my brother in law was a career navy man, and my nephew served his time too. You do not serve for the money, but you SHOULD be able to come out of a term of service in better financial condition than when you entered. This seems to be not the case any more, particularly for reservists called to active duty.
Any comments?
Edit:
http://www.navycs.com/2010-military-pay-chart.html#officer-pay-chart
Military pay is LOUSY! I would have to be a Brigadier General or greater to make as much per year as I was earning at my last job in 1990...
Lonnie Courtney Clay
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