It pays better to be civilian.

pepperkin

On 12 Jan, Ms Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times
denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year,
citing that the stated 13% wage gap was bogus. A young airman from Hill AFB
responds to her article below.

Ms. Williams:
I just had the pleasure of reading your column of 12 Jan 00, "Our GIs
earn enough," and I am a bit confused. Frankly, I'm wondering where this
vaunted overpayment is going, because as far as I can tell, it disappears
every month between DFAS (The Defense Finance and Accounting Service) and my
bank account. Checking my latest leave and earnings statement (LES), I see
that I make $1,117.80, before taxes. After taxes, I take home $874.20.
When I run that through Windows' Calculator, I come up with an annual salary
of $13,413.60 before taxes, and $10,490.40 after. I work in the Air
Force Network Control Center (AFNCC), where I am part of the team
responsible for the administration of a 25,000 host computer network. I am involved
with infrastructure segments, specifically with Cisco Systems equipment. A
quick check under jobs for Network Technicians in the Washington, D.C. area
reveals a position in my career field, requiring three years experience with
my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a year, nor does it
pay less than this. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000
per annum. I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions. Also, you tout
increases to Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for
Subsistence (housing and food allowances, respectively) as being a further boon to
an already over-compensated force.
Again, I'm curious as to where this money has gone, as BAH and BAS
were both slashed 15% in the Hill AFB area effective in January 00. Given the
tenor of your column, I would assume that you have NEVER had the pleasure of
serving your country in her armed forces. Before you take it upon yourself
to once more castigate congressional and DOD leadership for attempting
to get the families in the military's lowest pay brackets off AFDC, WIC,
and food stamps, I suggest that you join a group of deploying soldiers
headed for Saudi- I leave the choice of service branch up to you. Whatever
choice you make, though, opt for the SIX month rotation: it will guarantee
you the longest possible time away from your family and friends, thus giving
you the full "deployment experience." As your group prepares to board the
plane, make sure to note the spouses and children who are saying goodbye to
their loved ones. Also take care to note that several families are still
unsure of how they'll be able to make ends meet while the primary breadwinner
is gone-obviously they've been squandering the vast piles of cash the DoD
has been giving them. Try to deploy over a major holiday; Christmas and
Thanksgiving are perennial favorites. And when you're actually over
there, sitting in a DFP (Defensive Fire Position, the modern-day foxhole),
shivering against the cold desert night, and the flight sergeant tells
you that there aren't enough people on shift to relieve you for chow,
remember this: trade whatever MRE you manage to get for the tuna noodle
casserole or cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything.
Talk to your loved ones as often as you are permitted; it won't nearly
be long enough or often enough, but take what you can get and be thankful
for it. You may have picked up on the fact that I disagree with most of
the points you present in your op-ed piece. But, tomorrow from Sarajevo,
I will defend to the death your right to say it. You see, I am an American
fighting man, a guarantor of your First Amendment rights and every other right
you cherish. On a daily basis, my brother and sister soldiers worldwide
ensure that you and people like you can thumb your collective nose at us, all
on a salary that is nothing short of pitiful and under conditions that
would make most people cringe.
We hemorrhage our best and brightest into the private sector because
we can't offer the stability and pay of civilian companies. And you, Ms.
Williams, have the gall to say that we make more than we deserve?
Rubbish!
A1C Michael Bragg
Hill AFB AFNCC


***********
You have to admire his spirit And his sarcasm, as well! Besides, he is correct.
Cindy Williams needed that.

Shiminay

heeheehee - TAKE IT MISSUS!

That's an unreal wage - less than $14k for a job that (as he so rightly pointed out) should be earning him close to $80k.

I actually have a couple of friends who have served/are serving in the US Army - scary stuff - one of them's off to Kosovo I think (or maybe he's already been - can't remember). Anyway - they deserve a hell of a lot more than they get!

---

All the best,

Dav
@B^)

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Prepare yourself - The Beefy King stirs from his slumber...</font>

[honey i] violated [the kids]

Blitzkrieger

I never realised they were paid that little! A guy I know who works as a delivery man in a furniture store makes almost double that!

Hobbes

they get to kill people though. Job perk.

Belisarius

Job Con: People kill them , though youd hardly think it from more recent cases of US interventionism , however thats a different story .

It is amazing , and Considering theyre one of the more active armed forces in the third world , youd think theyd get even more than the norm .Though one has to guess theyres some convuluted idea of Patriotism involved , ya know some poor Trailer trash type passes by a "Uncle sam needs YOU!" poster , he looks left right and behind him and gulps "Who me?". God bless those idiot yanks

---

Shrewgar!