Ryan Defends Reduction to Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Early Military Retirees

Ryan defends reduction to cost-of-living adjustments for early military retirees: If these guys want to cut ‘benefits’ to those that are young enough to get other jobs there is a far better place for them to start than with our military retirees.

This post was last modified on January 26, 2021

Kip Hooker:

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  • I can't escape thinking that this whole argument is overloaded. I think that cutting retirement pay for ANYBODY is going to be a third rail, and doubly so for the people who have served their country. Myself, so far as places to cut, military retirement should have been last, well after examples like:

    "...the $7 billion worth of U.S. military equipment being destroyed as U.S. troops pull out of Afghanistan, or the nearly $1.5 billion to keep the lights on in unused or underutilized federal buildings.

    Then there's spending that just seems silly, such as a nearly $1 million grant for something called the "Popular Romance Project" -- a website and documentary that celebrates romantic movies, books and pop songs.

    The list goes on: $2 million to renovate a rarely-visited Civil War grist mill in Virginia, and $3 million for NASA employees to attend seminars on how Congress works."

    Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wastebook-report-details-30b-in-questionable-federal-spending/

    I think that someone needs to stand up in Congress and say "Y'all need Jesus".

  • I wouldn't have a problem with this if they had also cut the benefits illegal immigrants take, cut the welfare, cut out other shit, too. I have no problem sharing the pain to get our country out of the spending oblivion and we were cutting spending across the board. But to cut the pensions to wounded warriors is beyond insane when many on welfare (not all) are scamming the welfare system, or spending money to study duck genetalia, or the mating habits of albino squirrels, or the intelligence of your political opposition. AND we dealt with the sequester BS and all of this other shit and they are INCREASING spending???!!!! WTF? Rand Paul is done. Paul Ryan is done. They sold their souls to the DC machine. Time to send them home.

    • this latest deal is to prevent a phase of sequester going through, isn't it (which included some serious military cuts)?

        • I hope you're at least taking the paper from work to do the printing!
          Otherwise, it might be cheaper to buy a toner cartridge, bring it to work, and take it home with you when you're done for the day. That way, you're paying for toner only. You're not using your personal time for work, and not using your paper and electricity.

  • Kathy, if they want to make cuts, let'em cut food stamps or some other type of completely unearned entitlement. Those people are parasites stealing the taxpayer's money.

    I did an incredibly difficult job that was often extremely dangerous, and I lived in miserable conditions for years. I ate bad food, received medical care that was spotty at best, and I was separated from my loved ones for years:
    I *earned* my retirement check.

    • You are preaching to the choir. My stepfather would be gone 6 to 9 months or more at a time. But to be honest, you chose to stay in those conditions. I'm very grateful that you did, and if it were not for you and others like you, I could not be free to discuss this with you. But they are not cutting your pay. They are just not giving as much of an increase. And you will get it back after you turn 62. This, for you should be within 4 yrs. Social security Retirees can not receive full benefits until 65.
      Yes, food stamps should be cut. I believer that there is a bill in Congress right now that would do that. But none of those cuts will go into the Military budget.

      • The food stamp cuts are what is holding the farm bill up. Progressives won't vote for it. Look, if they were actually SLASHING the GD budget across the D board, I'd be ok. Sharing the pain. Gotcha. BUT when they are INCREASING spending after two years of sequestration "cuts" designed to make only certain segments of the population hurt, it pisses me the hell off. Especially when wounded vets, many of whom don't have another source of income due to their injuries, are not exempt. And their VA disability is taken out of their pension. They can't get both. Oh, and with SS, it was understood from the beginning you wouldn't be fully eligible until 65. It wasn't suddenly. And when they try to change it to an older age, even 67, for FUTURE recipients, riots practically ensue.

        • It's already set up so that 67 is the new eligibility age. It's really screwed things up, because people are taking what they can get at 62 instead, and still working, instead of going to 65 and stopping working.

      • What I'm saying is that the veteran's benefits should be cut LAST. And I'm not even a veteran. I tried to join the Navy when I graduated high school, but they didn't want me because of injuries to my right leg.

    • Kathy, I agree with IdahoGuy, not with Paul Ryan, who, though he may be a number crunching bobble-head doll and political guru, has not earned a perpetual retirement check, at the expense of the American taxpayer, for his less than four years of an insider political wrangling job. It's never a career changing decision to say the military has to take it on the chin, we don't have a union to go to bat for us and if we did, the American taxpayer would certainly not be able to afford our services and like the old Soviet Union, we'd be reduced to monthly incomes of $2 for privates, $7 for sergeants, and $20 for lieutenants, $25 for captains and so on...flag officer and generals would be earning around $250 to $350 a month...is that what you propose? If it is, you won't be getting an army, navy, and air force worthy of this nation and its people. I've seen that first hand and it's not pretty.

  • Kathy, I was an SF medic for my entire career, with the exception of a few years with a Ranger Bn. ( before they became Ranger Regiments ).
    Spec Ops see * a lot* of combat, even in short campaigns like Grenada and Panama, Spec Op troops get killed and wounded.
    The "hazards of our chosen profession" was a saying that we used a lot.

  • I retired from active duty in 1992, I didn't take anything but NSAIDs until then. I never said that I took pain meds while on active duty, I don't see how you made that assumption from what I wrote.
    I take gabapentin now, it's an older seizure medication that works on chronic pain. It's not a narcotic.

    And where did I say that I wasn't receiving another source of income? I'm working full time, and I've noted that in other threads.

    Are you one of our new trolls?

    • I have not read your other posts. I just don't understand how you could serve 5 tours of combat duty for the 21 years before 2001 and get shot-up so badly.
      At any rate, Gabapentin is a nerve pain medication. I know because my husband gets them from the VA Hospital. If it helps your pain, I wish you well, it doesn't touch my husband's.
      My only point was that this part of the bill is not a deal breaker, nor should it be treated as though it were. This cut should include all government workers, but no matter what cuts are proposed many will howl.
      I feel no loyalties to any side but the truth. I question all, even victims and would be victims. If that makes me a troll, then so be it. I am a libertarian conservative, which means that when numbers don't add up I question them, no matter who the teller is.

      • OK Kathy. Your story reeks of bullshit to me!
        If your husband gets his meds from the VA, then you should know just how underpaid the military folks are, and to begrudge them a pittance of their retirement makes you sound like a real asshole.
        Like Idahoguy said, let them cut the increases in the welfare sponges that didn't do shit to earn what they get! They're the real drain on the economy.
        BTW, I am former military, but I didn't stay in long enough to get a retirement. But, when I got out, they lied to me telling me I wasn't eligible for the disability I should have gotten for injuries received in the service. Now, 27 years later, I have been fighting for over a year to get a crappy little partial disability, and I still don't know if they will deny me or not. So much for taking care of those who gave up everything to serve the country!

        • Bob is in a wheel-chair because of the great care he got at the VA Hospital. We had to fight for over 2 years to get any help. Anyway the point is, I've gone through the system. Who have you got to help? Who have you talked to? What is the nature of your disability? Mental, physical? I'm not asking to be nosy but maybe I can put in some recommendations you haven't tried yet. If you would like I can give you my email. Don't give up. Sometimes just getting one person on your side makes all the difference.

          • I don't think Kathy is Olivia or Creepers. She is trying to actually have a discussion and is offering help. Unlike the other two, I don't think she is spewing BS. Can we give her a chance and not be what we complain the Progressives are all about? *cringes in preparation of shoes being tossed in my direction*

          • I don't think Kathy is Olivia or Creepers. She is trying to actually have a discussion and is offering help. Unlike the other two, I don't think she is spewing BS. Can we give her a chance and not be as bad as those we complain about? *cringes is preparation of shoes being tossed in my direction*

          • The problem is she came in here and her first post was that they should cut the pensions of retired military. I don't know about you, but that set off red flags and fireworks in my mind.
            I am especially annoyed about them cutting pension COLAs for disabled vets.

          • Anyone steps into this place ought to catch on quick and if they don't, if they opt to get real serious and start their big defense, they would never fit in very well at all. If their feelings get hurt so bad that they don't want to make their point under the unbearable duress caused by the somewhat crass nature of a few regular's humor or the terrible thumb pressure, then tough. No loss. If said offended putz pulls up her big boy panties then feel free to step back in, but if a target jumps up it WILL get attention. If we didn't laugh (at you) we'd cry (over your room temperature carcass).

          • "we’d cry (over your room temperature carcass)."
            i'm not so sure* period

            *we're not talkin bout Alien here, are we?

          • Sure, i understand the point of a gauntlet.. No loss to you, but I'm also thinking about those who might want the site to grow.. Also, from Kathy's vantage point, if she poked around she'd probably think i'm about as liberal as Olivia, in some threads, and is wondering WTF?

          • Some gave a thumbs down because I offered to help someone?Says a lot about the low age of maturity. Kinda nixes any chance of a real conversation. Very sad really, it makes my heart hurt.

          • Kathy, we have a lot of trolls on here who give people TD no matter what. They like to lurk because they are too gutless to come out and say anything.

          • I have all the help I need, but right now I'm stuck in paperwork hell. Getting approved is a time consuming process, and that's even with my congressman rapping their knuckles!

          • Like I said, I went through that paperwork hell for over 2 yrs. I wish you much luck and if you need help please don't hesitate to ask.

          • I worked at a VA clinic for two years, but to Kathy that would be the dreaded " double dipping" she harped on.........

          • I didn't harp on it I stated what it is. It is not double dipping unless you retire from both jobs. Just think of what your retirement pay would be if you had retired from the VA.

      • Kathy, you're beginning to sound a lot like someone else, who is well know around here, for her...well...posts.

        • Why? Because I dare to disagree? Have we become so like the progressives that we become like rapid dogs when someone dares disagree? Is it progressive Nazism that we hate or just the fact that we are not the ones in charge to enforce our own? For reasons that I have already stated, I do not think that this cut is unreasonable. Maybe you do, but are you willing to pick a candidate based on this one issue? Can we have conversations with people who may disagree on some issues? I bet that we agree on more than not.

        • Why? Because I dare to disagree on some issues? Have we become so like the progressives that we become rapid dogs to anyone who dares express a differing opinion? Is it the progressive Nazism that we hate or just that we are not in power to enforce our own? For reasons that I have already stated, I do not think that this cut is unreasonable. Maybe you do, but would you pick a politician based on this issue? At any rate, can we have reasonable conversations with people who may disagree on some items?

  • So let me see...I put in 21 years on active duty, did five combat tours and have been both shot and received significant shrapnel wounds on multiple tours..........and I should lose part of my retirement?

    And yes, I realize it involves the COL increases, but how many of you writing against this have multiple metal plates and cadaver bone implants following your gun shot wounds?
    How many of ya'll having been taking medications for chronic pain for over two decades due to your military service?
    I think that I've earned my retirement check, thank you very much.

    • Idahoguy, I'm confused. You were taking medication for chronic pain while still in the Military? This affects you so you are under 62, were able to work in the military with chronic pain, able to live off of your retirement check now with no other source of income and worried about 1% off of your COL increase? Kinda smells fishy.

        • While you hide behind your acclaimed patriotism, you have all of the thought process of a liberal. This is not a football game! The stakes are to high to cheer for "our team". Everything should be questioned and the truth spoken boldly. I served in the Military, as did my father, my step-father, my brother and my husband. We say we want cuts but howl when the cuts affect us, then scream "at the other side" because they howl about cuts to them. This screams of hypocrisy!!!

          • You are so full of SHIT! You totally contradicted yourself in that PATHETIC attempt at a post. BTW BITCH, you don't have the FIRST CLUE who I am, much less what my patriotism is, let alone my thought process. I suggest you go find some other way to amuse yourself, YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE HERE!

          • You have not made a single comment that proves your case. Liberals and Progressives love to name call to attempt to intimidate. Seems like that is the "league" you are in.

          • Who the fuck do you think you are?
            You don't know us. We're largely ex-military here, and not the type you are familiar with, the pencil pushing geeks that sucked up to the brass so they could get a cushy job counting paper clips.

          • So what, we should forego our retirement benefits, is that your grand plan? First of all, 1% is peanuts and if you were actually serious, you'd demand that the bureaucracies and all government employees take that selfsame 1% cut. In fact, why don't you volunteer to take that 1% cut...hypocrite!

  • Are we the same people that want government to stop spending? This does not cut peoples retirement, it cuts the cost of living increase and only by 1% AND they get that back at age 62.
    In case most of you don't know how the system works, most people that retire from the military went in at about age 20. They then retire at about age 40 to 45. Most will then get a civil service job for 20 years. At age 60 they usually get another type government job. This is a double and even triple dip retirement. This does not affect the ones who went in for 6 to 8 yrs and then got out. The ones affected are living well and can afford the 1% cut.

    • Kathy, being a 23+ year retired veteran, I gave you a TD for intimating that most military retirees game the system. Not so, most people that enter the service enter between ages 18 and 25 as you correctly surmise, but most do not retire. The military has made it increasingly difficult to do so and it has be thus for the last 15 years or so. I, as you purport, did retire at 47 and that was after 23+ years of being ridden hard and put up wet and all that while I stood on my head in a bucket of shit to get what little retirement I finally ended up with. Again you mention that most retirees will then get a civil service job for 20 more years...uh, like what, mail carrier, dog catcher, corrections officer, security officer? Remember, at 45 to 47 you've about pushed the envelope for most all federal civil service jobs and the states aren't really all that happy to see you either. I don't know where you're coming up with this anecdotal evidence, but in my circle of retiree friends, I'm not seeing it. When I reached 60 I was between jobs and no one was interested in giving me a start at a career, with regular hours and medical benefits and life insurance. I'm in excellent health for a 60 year old and I'm currently reduced to working 12 hour shifts for minimum wage (not another type of government job, by the way).

      I have a bachelor's degree, I speak several languages (part of what I did while I was on active duty) and I despise socialism and I'd like very much to be able to retire from another job of any kind so I could actually "double dip," as you infer. I take it you dislike people to double dip, or triple dip, am I right? Why, if they're still healthy, would you like to prevent a retired military guy, or gal from being able to garner another retirement? It's not like what they retire on, from the military, goes much further than a car payment and some groceries, or the rent and some miscellaneous bills, unless you'd rather we slept in a homeless shelter as some vets do and be a burden on society as most illegal aliens are, especially the Muslim type. No, I have to disagree with your anecdotal evidence and give you a TD for your inferences regarding "most" retirees.

      • hisham, I was born and lived most of my life in Norfolk, Virginia. My father, step-father and brother were in the navy. I was in the air-force, though I did not retire. I can honestly say that I do not know anyone who retired from the military who did not go into civil service work. Civil Service gives preferential treatment to ex-military and is probably the best union in the country. Dog catcher? Hardly. From Instructors to Computer programmers, Security and Secretary's lots of Civil Service jobs and most are ex-military. Do I begrudge them? Of course not (though we can have a conversation about whether or not government workers should be union).
        My only point is that 1% of COL increase is not draconian. Do you disagree?

        • Your problem is, you spent all your time in Norfolk. It is too close to DC, and all there is to do there is to work for the government.
          Try thinking about all the folks that went back home after they retired. The people that came from the "flyover states". They don't have the opportunity to get big bucks government jobs. THEY are the epople that are getting screwed.
          If the government wants to cut back, let them cut the salaries of politicians and welfare scum.

          • If you were in Military you would know that Norfolk is a huge military town, the whole area is. They had 5 navy bases, 2 Air force bases, an army fort, and of course the marines and coast guard. That area is not too close to Washington and is not liberal. You have to get to Richmond to find people who work in Washington. Civil service jobs are at every military instillation in the world, as well as every government building.
            I wish you were half as interested in really listening to me as putting me down.

          • I know Norfolk, my cousin was stationed there and my dad retired from Fed Civil Service working for the Navy.
            I didn't mean close geographically, I meant politically, as in it's connected to the seat of power.

    • Ms. Kathy. I have given you a TU simply for the fact that you asked an intelligent question.
      I have known many "lifers" who have gotten out and padded their retirement with government jobs. And I don't hold it against them one bit.

      IMHO, they have earned that right. I have also known plenty of "lifers" who have NOT. Do I like the way the system is set up? HELL NO!

      However, I no more blame the folks who have served 20+ years for using the system as it is set up than I blame the illegal alien invaders for playing the system. We need to change the SYSTEM that allows it.

      However, overall I prefer the vets play the system than the illegals.

      • oddballz, I never said anything about blaming anyone. My only point is that we should be informed about what this portion of the bill is all about. Not giving and extra 1% for COL is not cruel and unusual punishment. This saved money will stay in the Military. We all know that lots and lots of cuts will be needed to get our deficit under control. But for every idea of cuts a group is standing, waiting to holler.
        I am hearing a lot of criticism about the Ryan budget bill, but if this provision is the worse then maybe its not so bad.

        • put your life on the line for my country and then we'll talk about what ought or ought not be removed from the patriots that have served honorably.

        • So, why do you have to agree that the military hasn't been cut enough? Is there some fat to trim off it's diet, certainly there is, but it's in appropriations and some goofy military research programs, not in the people who've moved on. Retirees aren't sitting on bags of money that they've stolen from the American taxpayer like the unions are. The programs that need to be cut are primarily on the left side of the equation and are all treated like sacred cows: WIC, midnight basketball, school lunch program, more pay for teachers, EPA, FCC, OSHA, Department of Education, NEA, NPR, national endowment for the arts, FDA, DOT, NEA, the UN and all of it's blood sucking entanglements, etc.. There is plenty of unnecessary pork out there that can be trimmed from the federal and state bureaucracies that isn't even considered because of union intervention, or rabid, political media hype. Look there first and then come back and talk to me about wasteful spending programs that need to be slashed.

          • Put something in the bill to cut the retirements of EVERYONE else in government, including Congress, and we'll talk.

  • Quite possibly the next Speaker of the House.

    Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

    -Pete Townshend 1971

  • So the pork fattened criminals are looting the treasury again I see. I don't see any cut to any unearned entitlement programs.

  • If and WHEN Ryan forgoes his freaking retirement pay or a percentage of it, then and only then will this cut be acceptable!

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