Pratt,
This is Mike Burney and I live in Andrews. I’m a long time listener and love your show. I’m a military retiree and a CHL holder. With this latest vote on reducing the COLA of military retiree pensions in Congress I could no longer remain silent. I’m attaching the text of the letter I sent Congressman Conaway in its entirety. I sent this to Fox News as well. I thought you might want to share my perspective on the issue, of which I lived this up close and personal.
Sincerely,
Mike
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Congressman Conaway,
I just learned that you voted to reduce my COLA on my military pension. I’m not really concerned that now you’ve sponsored a bill to redact this provision from this legislation that our President just signed for disabled retirees, which I am one of them. My concern is that you voted for it in the first place. Even if you succeed in fixing this situation for disabled military retirees, what do you plan to do with all the other military retirees beside disabled? Ignore them? They’re out of luck and just suck it up?
One more question comes to mind. Why weren’t the Federal Employees (to include Congressional employees) drawing a pension included in this reduction of the COLA? I definitely want to know the answer to this.
I first came into the military in 1976 when I entered West Point, one year after the Vietnam War ended. My dad had served multiple combat tours flying crew on B-52’s while I was growing up, so I was raised in a military family. I felt me serving my country is something I needed to do. Back then, the recruiters and the military promised we’d have free medical care for life if we made a career of it. Now it’s Tricare, and it’s definitely not free. In fact, the Pentagon continually attempts to jack up our out of pocket costs and deductibles each year, and mostly succeed in doing so.
When I found out Congressman Ryan and many others, to include you, decided it was time to balance the budget on our backs by reducing our COLA, I was not surprised. I can’t say I was happy about it. Let me tell you why.
I do believe our Congressmen serve a fairly short time (I believe it’s TWO (2) years) and they receive the best medical care (sure beats mine) and receive a full pension that does not have a reduced COLA (for the rest of their lives). I have to serve at least 20 years and my pension is only half of my base pay (doesn’t include the other line items they were paying me regardless of my situation), missing a lot of family time, putting my life at risk at any time, and many times in less than ideal conditions (Gulf War, Bosnia and Africa to name a few). Congressman, I had to move my family 14 times in 20 years. Each time there were many unreimbursed costs. I paid those out of my pocket. I’ve had to say goodbye to my wife several times telling her I did not know where I was going, how long I was going to be gone, and promised I would try to come home in one piece (mentally and physically). Have you had to do that to earn your benefits? If anyone says we join the military to get rich, they know not what they say. It’s a calling, a duty, and an honor to serve…all of which you do not understand.
All we ask is that our government keep their promise. I’m guessing we were too lucrative a target and did not have a union backing us up. I know history shows our government has done this sort of thing to our military retirees and our veterans; especially at the end of a major military conflict. It’s my mistake for trusting.
I just received a US Army Retiree newsletter asking that we retirees help the Army in its recruiting efforts. What do you think I’m going to tell those future soldiers, men and women, now? I believe I’d tell them it’s fine to serve, just don’t make a career out of it. Do your time and get out. What do you think our military will look like in the future if all of us said that. Yes, it would not be beneficial for our future.
During your next reelection, I will be voting for your opponent. I can no longer count on you to protect the military benefits promised after we honorably serve. Please tell Mr. Ryan, Mr. McCain, and the others that voted for this, I’m going to speak with my fellow veterans in my DAV chapter and the other fraternal organizations to encourage them to vote for their opponents as well. I am not a fan of Democrats either, but your vote is indicative of the “go along to get along” politics that so many have had their fill. It’s time for a change, and it starts with you.
I did ask for a response to this. I do truly want to hear your side of this issue. I think it will be most interesting. Perhaps there is some logical reason for your vote on this. I’m not looking for excuses, but truly do want to understand what happened here.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Michael Burney
LTC, USA (Ret.)
Mr. Burney,
Sir, thank you for your service to our Country.
What the left is attempting to do to our military men and women is absolutely disgusting.
I respond to you in query you have received “any” correspondence from “Congressman Ryan”.
Please know I have written letters to Senators Cruz and Cornyn, Congressmen Neugebauer and Louie Gohmert Jr. in reference to the COLA reductions and the lack of proper medical care for our veterans.
While BHO is in office, I do not have alot of hope for the type of “change” WE need but HE offers.
Please thank your family for their service as well Lt. Colonel Burney.
Regards,
Kim Melton
Kim,
I want to thank you for your response here and what you have done by writing our representatives. Since your post, Congress has passed legislation, and the President has signed into law, a revocation of this nonsense.
However, the nonsense continues. Our elected representatives will regret their actions (at least I hope). When Congress passed the revocation of the COLA reduction to retirees, it did not exempt the future retirees that enter military service after January 1, 2014. Here is a clear, concise article on the subject:
http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140212/BENEFITS05/302120025/Congress-repeals-caps-military-retired-pay
These future retirees, unfortunately, are still subject to this reduction. I have expressed my displeasure of this to my elected representatives, to include a face-to-face meeting with Congressman Conaway. (TX-11). I will continue to do what I can to ensure our elected representatives know that putting a future reduction on military pensions will not make for a strong military.
I don’t know any mother or father that would endorse allowing their son or daughter to enter military service only to know that their future could entail a pay cut, even if it is many years in the future. Furthermore, think of the morale builder this will be as Congress and the President seek to reduce what’s left of the military benefit package. Caring for and leading of our Sons and Daughters that enter military service into battle is an honor and awesome obligation. I did not take it lightly, nor should our politicians. If they honestly felt this way, they would revoke this reduction now, and really rethink their path forward to future cuts. We retirees, and many others, will continue to fight the current path this Administration and Congress has taken.
As this Administration attempts to squeeze its “Peace Dividend” out of the military, even while still at war in Afghanistan, we military members (active, Guard, Reserve and retired) know that this is short sighted. As a student of history, our politicians have done this kind of thing many times. Each time the military has paid for this short sightedness of our politicians in blood, sweat and tears..especially blood. I have personally seen this during the Carter and Clinton administrations. It was not pretty, and the US military had a very steep hill to climb after each of these drawdowns to put ourselves back on a wartime footing; especially after 9-11. It created a lot of pain, personally and professionally.
In closing, I would encourage your friends and family to do what you did. Write your Representatives and the President. Go to local paternal and fraternal organizations in your area and tell them about what is going on. I thank you again for your efforts. For others that are reading this and have done something similar in support of this issue, you all have my gracious thanks as well.
Michael Burney