Obama Signs Onto 20% Military Retirement Pay Cut

OFF THE WIRE

Source: washingtontimes.com

President Obama stated Monday that he would support a 20% pay reduction for retiring military personnel as well as redefining benefits for those that leave before achieving 20 year of service. So it�s only a matter of time before these recommendations are realized.Obama has been greatly cutting down our military personnel for natural born citizens while simultaneously hiring illegal immigrants. He has also been ending highly successful military programs and allowing different compnents the military to simply degrade, prompting the Washington Times to state that Obama has our decimated our military, leaving the US only �marginally able� to defend itself.    In a letter to congressional leaders, Mr. Obama said the proposals are �an important step forward in protecting the long-term viability of the all-volunteer force, improving quality-of-life for service members and their families, and ensuring the fiscal sustainability of the military compensation and retirement systems.�    Mr. Obama said he has directed his advisers to refine some recommendations, and that the White House will report to Congress on any proposed changes by April 30.    Under the recommendations, the plan would continue to offer full retirement benefits to anyone who has served 20 years or more.    The Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission issued a report in January report calling for shrinking the size of traditional military retirement pay by about 20 percent and offering a defined-contribution benefit for troops who separate before 20 years of service. Lawmakers of both parties raised sharp questions about the panel�s stated belief that the changes will satisfy service members while also saving money for the Treasury.    The commission�s proposal include decreasing the �multiplier� that the Pentagon uses to calculate traditional retirement pensions from 2.5 to 2.0, lowering the initial value of retirement checks by 20 percent.    Under the new plan, the Defense Department also would contribute up to 6 percent of basic pay into individual troops� retirement savings accounts. The Pentagon already contributes 1 percent automatically, and the added contribution would go to all troops who serve more than two years, whether or not they chose to separate before 20 years of service.