Re: Retire Pay @55 Re: UPDATE FYI

[erick stone]

Bill,   I fully agree with you on this issue, however we can talk all we want, when do we (all of us) form a coalition or partnership with ROA, NGA, etc, and try to address this thing formally. I for one am sick and tired of being treated as a second class military person, when I know for a fact that I have been deployed just as much if not more than my active duty counterpart.   I am due to retire in Sept 2009 and will receive the complimentary BS red ID card, and no further contact with the military until I get 60, I am currently 46 years old. If i don't get run over by a bus or get Alzheimer's, maybe I will see some of the retirement pay I am due, or my wife will get the SBP.   When you and I entered the reserve components, we understood this fact, however when we began this reserve service, the demand for reserve forces wasn't as it has been since desert storm. This retirement plan was designed in the late 40' with the intent that we would only be used for strategic assets and very infrequently. As you are aware, things have changed extensively. If the US Govt wants to use reservists/guard forces, then they have to change the way we are compensated when we retire. The current proposals only begin to scratch the surface, right now we have guard and reserve forces DYING in OIF/OEF and this is the best thing they can come up with????????     I would propose that as a reservist retires, regardless of age, that they at least get a blue ID card and full Space A rights (this is what originally brought me to this forum). As it stands right now, I cant even fly on the planes that I flew into war zones as a reservist. I should get the same Space A rights as active duty retirees, this does piss me off. In addition at least a reduced annuity based upon my final retirement points and service to be received immediatley upon retiring. I am not asking for medical benefits, just the right to do this and yes, have a blue, not red retiree card.   As a reservist, I have been deployed to and participated in the below listed military operations   Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Joint Guard, Joint Forge, Joint Endeavor, Provide Promise, Provide Relief, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom.   I think I have demonstrated my commitment and have answered the call, but each time I deployed my family paid the price, the army uses the term "twice the citizen", this is only a BS insult to our intelligence as we are being relegated to secondary status when it comes to delving out the benefits. If anything being a reservist is twice as hard as being an active duty member, you have to maintain family, civilian job and military skills. Most active duty people I know only have to juggle family and military duty.  No disrespect to our active duty brethren, because most of them are very dedicated and professional, however when we have a high mortality rate of our guard and reserve forces in combat zones, there needs to be a honest and all encompassing review of this disparity in compensation for this risk factor.   In conclusion, I have chosen this path voluntarily, but when I made this choice the usage of the guard and reserve forces was negligible and was stated as that  by command officials and members of congress. We can do one of two things, Organize and partner with reserve organizations and ask for what we want, or just piss and moan and get nothing done, for all of you that are reading this and agree lets do something together and form a grassroots organization and lobby these groups of people.   Erick --- On Sat, 1/17/09, SgtM...@aol.com <SgtM...@aol.com> wrote: From: SgtM...@aol.com <SgtM...@aol.com> Subject: Retire Pay @55 Re: UPDATE FYI To: Reserve-Re...@googlegroups.com Date: Saturday, January 17, 2009, 6:15 PM Tom   Sounds like you are bailing out this congress and the POTUS.  I did 30 years of total service and 4.5 on active duty and retired as an E-9 not an E-7.  Now Congressman Wilson is discounting my service for the service of those who served after 9/11.  That is like saying that my service didn't really count for anything.  Now the US Congress is bailing out Wall Street, the big banks and big businesses to the tune of trillions of dollars, but can't afford 700 Million for retired reservist.  Are you joking with those comments?  We can bail out the millionaires, but the little guys who served there country don't matter.  Bill USMCR(retired)  A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps!

[JPDe...@aol.com]

Bill: I totally agree with your comments. I have come to the conclusion that we will never see a retirement at 55. The politicians are too busy bailing out the greedy and mismanaged but, a reservist has to wait until age 60. it is a joke.

                                                                                                                           John

[SgtM...@aol.com]

Well, I for one just sent faxes to my 2 senators and congressman in DC, waiting to see how they respond.  They keep telling us it is too expensive, while they continue to spend billions helping the rich.  The cost of this supposedly 7 billion dollars over 10 year, they just gave the auto industry over 15 billion, Citi Bank 20 billion, us 0 that zero with no "B".

[Hari Seldon]

Isn't there an expression "Nothing is too good for our troops (and that's exactly what they'll get?)" In the meantime, there's a party in DC for the mother of all Change of Command ceremonies, to be followed by an attempt to close the detention facility at Gitmo (quick, Madame Speaker of the House/President of the Senate, who wants to be first to have these detainees in their district?) And, don't forget everybody is concerned about what type of dog the First Family will get from a shelter (more likely, a breeder/pet store.)

--- On Mon, 1/19/09, SgtM...@aol.com <SgtM...@aol.com> wrote:

From: SgtM...@aol.com <SgtM...@aol.com> Subject: Retire Pay @55 Re: UPDATE FYI To: Reserve-Re...@googlegroups.com

[Clay Jackson]

Well we see what is important to our government leaders and what is not important.  But we did serve to ensure that right.