This Cindy Williams is not Laverne & Shirley Cindy Williams

[Judy Harder]

This  Cindy Williams is NOT the "Laverne & Shirley" Cindy Williams. 

She is a Assistant Director  for national Security in the Congressional Budget Office...... ///////// 

Military Pay

This is an Airman's  response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in the Washington Times  about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all newspapers across America 

Ms. Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing  that she stated 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.

A  young airman from Hill AFB in Utah 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 per month. 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 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 opened  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? You can kiss my royal red a**!!! 

A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF THE  AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN AND PASS THIS ALONG.
 



 

     

[Varmit]

I haven't read the article by cindy williams so I don't know what points she uses to express her opinion.  However, I will say that the airman made a miscalucation in his figures where pay is concerned.  He forgot to add in the healthcare benefits, g.i. bill benefits, clothing allowance, meals, barracks (for single soldiers), on post housing for married soldiers, MWR services, etc.  The cost of which is covered by the military and at little to no cost to him.  The value of which must be taken into consideration.  The fact that there are soldiers on wic and foodstamps cannot be layed solely at the feet of "not enough pay".  The soldiers themselves must take some responsibility for themselves to not get married or have children if they can't afford it. 

I understand the "support the troops" mindset, and I agree with it.  Maybe I would feel differently if these soldiers had been drafted, but they weren't.  They enlisted with the full knowledge of what might be required of them and the sacriface they might be called to make.  They knew the payscale, they knew the benefits, and they did it anyway.  Which brings up an interesting point.

A person could go to a recutiters office and enlist today for the Infantry or other combat arms MOSs and ship out for Basic tomorrow, unlike a person enlisting for a non-combat MOS thats gets put on a waiting list for anywhere from 6 months to a year and half.  That tells me that there are far more who are willing to "serve the country and defend our rights" so long as they don't have to fight. 

And I gotta say, as a Vet, even I am getting tired of hearing the "I'm defending your rights so pay me more" line.  When I served I did so not for the money, college benefits, or training.  I did it because it was my duty, my honor, and my priviledge to serve my country. 

That being said, I am NOT against a pay raise for our military.  What I am against are the e-mails and articles that rail against people like Cindy Williams and tout the tag lines "If you support our military then pass this along".  Heres an idea and one you don't see to often; If you support our military then call and DEMAND that congress, the president, and pentagon cut our fighting men loose from the bullshit Rule of Engagment they are forced to follow and allow them to do their job.  Which is to find, close with, and destory the enemy.  Our men are War Fighters, not peacekeepers, not policemen. The very definition of which means that we have gone to great expense to train these men to be exteremly proficent in the art of killing.  They should not have to give warning before searching a town for enemy combatants.  If they suspect someone of being an enemy they shouldn't have to wait until that person shoots at them before killing him.  They shouldn't have to worry about civilian casualities or the type of ordiance they use.  Politicans and civilians worry about such things.  War fighters worry, mainly, about 3 things...
1)  Staying alive
2)  Keeping their buddies alive
3)  Killing the enemy

So if you support our Troops, contact your congressman and demand that our troops be allowed to do their job.  To fight in a way thay insures total victory over the enemy, not just today but forever.  If not then demand they be brought home.

[jarhead]

Well said Varmit. Hurrahh !!!

[Diane Amberg]

Unfortunately Congress has kept restraints on our troops for many many years. It was a problem during Viet Nam too. I've never understood that, then or now. Right now I'm very concerned about the military suicides here at home. What is up with that? Too many redeployments? survivors guilt? It would seem that making it home safely would be something to celebrate, not kill ones self over.

[twirldoggy]

Diane,  PTSD is a real and difficult problem and it can cause suicide.  There are many horrendous things that happen and have lifelong effects.

One of my former neighbors was a Korean vet.  When 9-11 happened, he went into an altered state of mind and he came over to my house and told me that he was going to kill people.  This happened even though he had military treatment for PTSD.

[jarhead]

Thank you Twirldoggy. I know a couple of your brothers and know one has suffered terribly from PTSD for years. The VA has treatment programs and even though the ones you "talk " too are trained to help, it's very hard to open up to someone who has no idea what you are talking about, except what they read in a book. I know they do their best but sometimes Jack Daniels or Jim Beam seems to have the most receptive ears.
Diane, I have read about rules of engagement in Viet Nam but kinda depends on when and where you were there. In 1969 in my AO(area of operation) which was as far north and west as you could go, it was a free fire zone. A (suspected ) NVA diddy bopp'n up a trail with a gunny sack of potatoes would meet his maker as quick as one carrying an AK-47. By "69" the Monteguards (sp) had all been relocated to the low lands so any one in the jungle were considered enemy.

[twirldoggy]

I hear you jarhead and I know what you say is true.