Should Military Retirees Be Forced To Wait Until Social Security Retirement Age To Collect Their Pensions?

Hello Black Car.

Are you throwing down a challenge?

Listen: No one will join up and spend more than their first enlistment if they had to wait until they are 65, 66, 67, 68, or 69 years old to begin to collect their military retirement.

The military justifies lower pay not compatible with the civilian sector by the fact that you can receive a retirement benefit after 20 years. Starting pay in the military is only $1.440 a month. OK? That's not a lot and we have to take out income tax AND social security tax out of that.

The military would have to begin to pay people a starting pay of about $40,000 a year just to get them to enlist IF there were no immediate retirement when the military service is finished.

It has nothing to do with patriotism or mercenary means.

You would not work for a company that puts you into harm's way and possibly being killed if you had to wait until you will be 68 years old in 2050 to receive both social security insurance benefits AND military retirement benefits.

Remember, friend, WE too pay Income Taxes AND Social Security Taxes. We are not getting anything for nothing. We are paying our way as we go - just like the rest of society.

Best wishes,

Larry Smith

Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)

First Sergeant

No. And their pension is not a mercenary perk. They joined the service

under a contract that if they fulfilled certain requirements, they would get a

pension after so many years. They were also promised free medical treatment

after retiring and the government has been watering that down. If the government

reneges on pensions, we won't have many takers for the military. Besides the

government will next go after Social Security pensioners and anything else they

can.

The military retirees fulfilled their part of the contract and the government should

fulfill their part.

A pension is not a mercenary perk by far. Military personnel are promised a pension for successful completion of 20 years of service. Active duty personnel can receive their pensions immediately. Those who are in the reserves, typically have to wait until their are 60. Due to hazardous duty, exposure to toxins and other ailments that go with service, many vets would never live long enough to see their pensions. Why don't you sign up, do your 20 and donate your pension to charity until you hit social security age? Put your money where you mouth is.

Or, we could do like South Korea and have mandatory conscription. Along with that, we could pay conscripts about $15 a month while treating them like crap. Instead of complaining you would be serving for beans. Aren't you glad you have the option to stay a civilian instead of worrying about being drafted like in some other countries? Besides, the military makes up less than 1% of the population and out of that small number only a small fraction of them stay in for 20 years. The savings from doing what you suggest wouldn't even make a dent.

so a school teacher who retires at 20 years of service should also wait until 72 to collect? just curious? so for the last 22 years my husband has received less pay than his civilian counterpart..and when he retires in 8 years...after 30 years of service you think he should wait 15 years to collect his pension? when is enough going to be enough for you?

I have a better idea. Let's remove pensions for those who serve a single term (or even a few) in Congress and get a lifelong retirement plan that would make all of us jealous. It should be treated like the public service job it actually is. When they leave office, they leave that fat paycheck behind, too.

Betcha they'll NEVER vote for that, though.

they deserve anything and everthing they recieve. Its a truely difficult life and job choice.AND, its hard on the familys as well. These guys put it on the line (and gals).. and some (personal experience) , have memories that they dont want, dreams they dont want,and life styles they wish they could change.( PTSD)..Its an ungrateful goverenment thats the real shame here..sprayed and betrayed..Vietnam Vet.

Maybe, but how about you serve 20 years in the military and ask the same question to yourself

Absolutely not. Those who earn their pension deserve their pension the day they retire. Funny, you want to punish those who earn their money but we have rampant welfare and social assistance abuse overlooked by the government. A hood rat can permanently keep her welfare but let’s punish retired veterans? If you think about it, we probably pay out more monthly to those who abuse welfare than we do to retired vets.

Any service personnel that served their country for 20+ years deserves their pension.They earned it by protecting your right of freedom of speech which you just exercised by posting that they don't deserve what they earned.

Enjoying your freedom?Thank a vet.