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Washington Times Article
This
Airman's response to the Washington Times should be printed in
all newspapers across America. It's time the Jane Fonda's
& Sean Penn's of this country wise up and support the
troops that defend them.
On 12 Nov, Ms Cindy
Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show) wrote a
piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s)
coming service members' way this year -- citing that the
stated 13% wage was more than they deserve.
A
young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. He
ought to get a bonus for this!
"Ms Williams:
I just had the pleasure of
reading your column, "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 earnings statement I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes.
After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through the
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 where I am part of the team responsible
for a 5,000-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. No, this job is
being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per annum. I'm sure you
can draw the obvious conclusions.
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 of WIC, and food stamps, I suggest
that you join a group of deploying soldiers headed for
AFGHANISTAN, 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 full "deployment
experience."
As your group prepares to
board the plane, make sure to note the spouses and children
who are saying good-bye 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 government 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 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 (meal-ready-to-eat) you
manage to get for the tuna noodle casserole or cheese
tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything. This gives some flavor.
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 KABUL, 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?
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