Friday, May 08, 2015

Do the dynamics of income inequality apply to the US miltiary?

It is a topic in "The Military Times" that concerns soldiers in support of a family.

The career military have to plan for retirement. but, do they settle for a life that is better or worse than the Average American in retirement?

Perhaps the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs should carry this message to President Obama.


COL Charles Williams, (click here) Waynesville, MO

It is better than is was 10-15 years ago, but we still have a ways to go.

Pay is based on level of responsibility, not necessarily the workload, or effort level.

That said, I find it hard to swallow that a CSM retiring at 30 years is so vastly differently than a COL retiring at 30. That is borderline appalling.


Our new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is a Marine. I think that is interesting and this topic along with military base security hits at the reality of the Marines.

Marines are the first to respond to the call for war by the USA. They are the first on the ground with personnel prepared to turn the raw circumstances into a path forward for the USA Army.

The Marines also have bases such as Guantánamo Bay and nine bases in Afghanistan with five of those bases in Helmand Province. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. (click here) knows all to well the challenge of being a soldier in the USA military. He understands the hardships and the rewards. Does he recognize the sacrifice these men and women make every day in the defense of the USA and are they compensated correctly?

The average American benefits from the sacrifices of these people. How does that balance in salary compensation and retirement?