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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: goldworldnet who wrote (359161)	4/13/2010 12:20:28 AM
From: goldworldnet	Respond to of 793970

To be clear, I am ridiculing a standard that doesn't rely on personal performance. * * *

To: goldworldnet who wrote (359161)	4/13/2010 3:31:19 AM
From: unclewest	Respond to of 793970

Deleted

To: goldworldnet who wrote (359161)	4/13/2010 3:34:52 AM
From: unclewest	6 Recommendations Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 793970

Just wondering if veterans today should be considered a minority? Veterans are a minority of our society, so are cops and firefighters, but I do not find minority status to be appropriate. Our service members are well compensated especially considering the benefits. Today's military pay is a high multiple of what I received from 62-82. A PFC today is paid 16x what I got in 62. I have drawn a paycheck for over 48 years, though I served for 20. Also received and still receive excellent medical for self and family. Now that I am on medicare, the military Tricare system pays my cost share. My wife still gets Tricare. The VA Hospital system improved tremendously under GWB. I don't use it but could. Veterans get a 5 point hiring preference on the post office exam. Purple Heart Veterans get 10 points. Disabled Veterans get priority on some government contracts. Retired Veterans retain PX and commissary privileges. I find all of this to be quite generous. On the other hand I do believe soldiers who spend much of their careers in overseas hellholes (in my case that was 11 years overseas) should be compensated after retirement. I did not voluntarily retire after 20 years. Due to combat related wounds and injuries an Army Medical Board placed me on the (PDRL) Permanently Disabled Retired List. That ended my combat arms career. The only inequity I find in the system is this. Some members draw special hazardous duty pays for most of their careers like parachute (jump) pay, dive pay, demolition pay, and combat pay. None of that is computed in retirement compensation. The military combat engineer schools, Infantry, SF, and leadership schools I attended along with the retirement check, and the other benefits, provided the edge I needed to start my own construction company that I then ran for almost 28 years. I am a grateful veteran. Grateful for having had the opportunity to serve and grateful for the doors to opportunity that service opened. I don't want or need any more govt largesse. Nor do I wish to be considered a minority.