CBS News reported yesterday that there have been high level meetings held at the Pentagon recently discussing an overhaul of the military retirement system. In general terms, an active duty military member who retires after twenty years of active duty receives half of his pay as retirement income regardless of his age. Before you get too excited about this, I would like to point out that a level E-6 enlisted military member with 20 years of service earns $3533.40 per month. That would make his retirement approximately $1700 a month. An senior officer at level O-8 with 20 years of service earns $12762.30 a month. That would make his retirement roughly $6000 a month.
Now let’s look at Congress. The current salary (2011) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. A full pension is available to Members 62 years of age with 5 years of service; 50 years or older with 20 years of service; or 25 years of service at any age. In 2002, the average Congressional pension payment ranged from $41,000 to $55,000.
Let’s look at the military retirement system. It provides incentive for people to stay in the military for 20 years in spite of the hardships–family separations, combat tours, living away from extended family, moving every two to four years, low pay, etc. Taking away the current military retirement system would result in fewer senior officers and enlisted people who function as leaders in the military. It would negatively impact the quality of our military forces.
Unfortunately Congress sets the rules for its retirement program and the military retirement program. It is rather obvious that Congress is looking out for itself while it plans on giving our military the shaft. If Congress seriously considers changing military retirement, I will work to make sure every Congressman who votes for the change is voted out of office in 2012 or whenever he runs for re-election.
This is obscene!
