Our soldiers are tough. The can deal with a lot. Should they have to deal with being stabbed in the back by their own government? Military retirements are under attack. They want do the same screw job that private industry did to their retirees. Traditional defined benefit plans are to be replaced with 401 type investment plans. How has that worked out for the average Joe in the private sector?
The government wouldn’t be looking at it if wasn’t going to save them a boat load of money. It could also be a way of kicking some investment money to the corporations that run America. Ask the average worker who got switched to a 401 if they are better off. Most got screwed. Now grandpa has to work until he drops.
The assault on the soldier started years ago when they greatly reduced the funds available for college. The old GI bill helped build America’s middle class. It was eliminated years ago in favor of a plan that cost the government a lot less money, and provides a lot less aid.
The strains of empire have reached the point where they can no longer afford to take care of the troops. You do remember the medical treatment scandals of a few years back, right?
When Communism collapsed, Russia couldn’t even feed its troops. Malnutrition was such a problem that many deserted so they could eat. We are no where near that point yet, but that’s the road we’ve started marching down.
So far, he military has been able to meet its recruiting goals. What other options do poor and middle class kids have? Even college grads can’t find meaningful work. How can you survive if you only have a high school degree? It’s not like in the old days when many could find good factory jobs. Maybe the government thinks it can get away with reducing benefits because the options out there are so limited?
In the end, Empires always eat its own. One way to measure the fall is to watch how a country treats the average grunt.
-Sixbears
Because It's Friday
3 minutes ago
"The assault on the soldier started years ago when they greatly reduced the funds available for college."
ReplyDeleteActually, soldiers have been assaulted and mistreated long before the G.I. Bill. The Bonus Army came to right to mind. The United States Colored Troops are another obvious example.
American governments have been screwing soldiers since the Revolutionary War (study the Newburgh Conspiracy if you want to know the details).
I think the more cunning soldiers will emulate Michael Lee Platt and William Russell Matix when they get out; they even may moonlight for the Crips or similar gangs when on leave (I've heard of such activity taking place in the Tanzanian army).
Ya know, there is only so much of robbing Peter to pay Paul that you can do before it comes back and bites you in the ass!
ReplyDeleteOne group I'm not sure I would be messing with is the guys that have been trained to do nothing else but survive and watch out for their brothers in arms! Formidable opponents if they wanted to be!