From: Glen Bedel (GBedel@designforum.com)
Date: Thu Mar 06 2003 - 06:16:46 PST
This Airman's response to the Washington Times should be printed
in all newspapers across America. Especially now when the President is
calling up more Reserves and National Guardsmen. Get this response out to
everyone you know. It's time the Jane Fonda's &Sean Penn's of this country
wise up and support the troops that defend them.
Military pay article
On 12 Nov, Ms Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show)
wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s) coming
servicemembers' way this year-citing that the stated 13% wage 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. 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 have 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 op-ed 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?
Rubbish!
A1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB AFNCC"
IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW
OUR SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN. THANK YOU. THIS LETTER
SHOULD BE APPLAUDED BY ANYONE WHO'S EVER SERVED OR HAD A FAMILY MEMBER SERVE
IN THE ARMED FORCES! THIS YOUNG MAN DESERVES A MEDAL!
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Wed Apr 23 2003 - 13:25:47 PDT