How can anyone expect to live on this? :hrugging::: I guess by using food stamps, WIC, First Shirts Charities, and the Airman's Attic... and then praying real hard you get promoted waaay below the zone so you get an early pay raise... or you do like a lot of enlisted guys do.. you work extra jobs. I agree, this is terrible, but at least the military (that are on active duty) get 3 squares and a place to live, however humble it may be. Unless this has changed???  I mean, it still isn't enough, especially if they are in harms way. And Think of the poor devils working at Wal-mart, or other minimum wage jobs...how do any of them support themselves, much less a family on what they make???  That is why we must continue to teach our sons and daughters that educating themselves and having a trade is important. Those on the bottom of the wage ladder suffer the most. Mo

Think of the poor devils working at Wal-mart, or other minimum wage jobs... They have the freedom to quit and look for another job. When you're in the military and you don't like it, you're stuck... If WalMart schedules you for a 55+ hour work week, you get paid overtime. Or you can file a complaint with the labor board. In the military, that's a common workweek, and there is no overtime. And you just can't quit... Thumper http://pages.prodigy.net/realitybites/fibrom.htm - FMS page http://members.aol.com/fibrofit - Fibrofitness It's not sweat... it's fat cells crying

The men and women in the servies are trained to be professionals. They should be paid along those lines. If you're a captain or above (O-3) or have been in for at least 10 years, the pay is ok and nothing to really complain about. It's the junior enlisted who get screwed... and guess who comprises the bulk of our fighting forces...? LOL then again I could go on and on and on about the free military medical system, but I'll spare everyone that little temper tantrum... Thumper http://pages.prodigy.net/realitybites/fibrom.htm - FMS page http://members.aol.com/fibrofit - Fibrofitness It's not sweat... it's fat cells crying

You know what really, really burns me?  I know I've ranted about this before, but every time I think about it I get mad again. The armed services will *know*, actually have proof, that some duty caused medical problems that could or would lead to disability, and they keep it under their hats until those who should have received compensation are all dead. My particular case in point is cold injuries.  Soldiers in WWII and Korea suffered severe cold injuries.  They've known for going on 20 years that these type of cold injuries can lead to disability later in life.  When did they announce it?  2 years ago!  By that time, most of the soldiers had died, and their wives are not eligible for widows benefits because disability won't be declared posthumously unless the application for benefits was made before the veteran died. Here's my mother on a fixed income.  Granted, she would only get about $400 in VA widow's benefits, but that $400 a month along with her SS and civil service pension would at least let her live without worrying about making it through each month. We've saw the same thing with Agent Orange in Vietnam, and now with GWS. It's a crying shame, indeed.

They've known for going on 20 years that these type of cold injuries can lead to disability later in life.  When did they announce it?  2 years ago! Admitting it will cost money. Tho they might admit more now that they're making retirees pay for the care that was promised to them free for 20 years of service... Thumper http://pages.prodigy.net/realitybites/fibrom.htm - FMS page http://members.aol.com/fibrofit - Fibrofitness It's not sweat... it's fat cells crying