From the Pentagon to life in a van

Kangaruex4Ewe

I was not only referring to housing the veterans in my OP. When I said... "Whatever they need" It also includes proper medical care, therapy, etc. There are many charities out there for our veterans because enough isn't being done in all areas.

He should be getting Tricare too. Um, um, nothing like VA docs.

We hire primarily retired military and oddly enough, single Moms. One vendor called the place the underground railroad for escaping the military.

But, yeah, you have a MOS that doesn't quite map to a civilian job, you can end up with something in civilian life that's sort of a sad denouement. I knew a guy that was in Eagle Claw, retired and found himself on a shipping and receiving dock.

On the other hand, this guy was a Colonel and is really educated, I'm surprised he hasn't been snatched up by a TLA or a contractor. Really surprised.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


My whole family, including myself, are close too; dating to a lineage of being a Son of the Revolution (some would say "war" is in our blood; I digress though).

It is hard to see how our aging military veterans have it in some cases. My friends dad, a retired Major, has been on waiting for something for his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. It is rampant in the delays and while the people who have not served are no less of a citizen than one that did, I struggle seeing monies set aside for programs while the VA struggles to fulfill their duties.

When I initially posted here, the imagery that came to mind is those that the "media" has trucked out and how they have been "left behind". Yet not one story on how much benefits they receive; particularly the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Prior to that atrocious and yet generous bill, soldiers; airmen; and sailors, need to pay into the system of the tune of $1200.

Now? No buy in. No skin in the game and yet the news some how finds the weeping soldier who is "left behind" (listen to their words, they invoke military known vernacular utilized in heart-wrenching moments), yet they can practically go to any school -- see the Yellow Ribbon program -- and receive a paid education that comes with a nice supplement to living costs; currently you receive 100% tuition of the most expensive in-state public school credit hour and receive BAH at an E-5 level with dependents. In most places, that is a "free" 1500-2000 a month stipend to get an education post military.

That is why I have a hard time hearing the cries of "being left behind".

With that all said, when we start to look at how we care for combat veterans and retirees; it becomes bleak. Particularly regarding the combat vets that did their time and got out. They are scarred either physically or emotionally and are offered only VA disability. Yet someone who served from say 1971-1991 and retires at 20 years, without any combat under their belts, receives full benefits.

That I have problems with.

reply to post by ownbestenemy


I can concur entirely with your post. Some things in life are just bass-ackwards for lack of a better term. It happens everywhere I suppose.

I am the type of person that hates to see anyone in trouble, but rarely know how to fix it, and even more rarely how to fix it the right way... if that makes sense. Logically I know some things can not be fixed and I know sometimes people can't be helped, but it is still tragic (to me) to see it occur. In a perfect world... but there is no such thing.

reply to post by redmage


I don't think we should have done any of the bailouts either. The market should have decided.

I also didn't mean it in the literal sense or to try to specifically link the two , but if we had to do a bailout I would have like to seen something more than just helping the highest bidders in congress (lobbyist) .

However, I do see more value (not in a financial sense) in helping bailing out the guy who is willing to die to protect your family over the guy who is willing to give your hungry child a banana , but expect a steak in return or he will take the banana back all the while manipulating the consumers and the market.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


I think we all have solutions, but they would endanger the political power and the seats that they hold. For instance, regarding veterans, I would be not opposed to a .25% (just in case, that is a quarter percent) on all tax revenue be required to pay for veterans who experienced combat. I believe it should be imposed at the State level and should be placed into a bonded account that the general fund of any State cannot touch except for the the purpose entailed.

How much money would that bring? Depends on the state, but using the complete total of tax revenue (from all sources) in all 50 states, we have the following: $798,221,675,000 in tax revenue (all states, all sources). Multiply that by .25% or .0025 and we get nearly $2 billion dollars. While not a lot when you consider the number of veterans in the United States (that sits around 21.2 million; and what I propose amounts to $94 per), it can be augmented by other initiatives.

**It should be noted that I only utilized the total States' tax revenue and this excludes Federal tax revenue. At least how I read the data. **

Overall though, it is expensive. It is a burden, even though we don't like to think of our veterans as such; they are.

40K a year oh please, next story

AthlonSavage
40K a year oh please, next story

... a little bit of insight here. What are you meaning to convey? That the salary of 40k is decent, considering military perks and D.C. perks? Because it shouldn't be a big deal? Honest questions to gain the best insight of the situation....

reply to post by Asktheanimals


I dont think you realise whats going on. The powers that be care no more about you than they do about the people you kill.

As far the powers that be are concerned you were never meant to come back alive, how dare you do that. War, in addition to any other reason is about keeping the population down, and you are one of them, research the depopulation agenda.

when are you people going to learn?

BenReclused
reply to post by interupt42

 

Regardless, our societies priority are all messed up.

Yeah... It seems the good Colonel's are too. My father retired from the Air Force in 1971 as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8), and received about $540 a month in retirement pay. I wasn't able to attend college, but we lived in a house, and all four of us ate pretty well.

Damn skippy!! Don't fall for this colonel's sob story. His retirement pay is close to $7,000.00 per MONTH.

Pay Chart for 2006

reply to post by Asktheanimals


This article is horse crap. That guy doesn't need a job.. he's a friggin retired Colonel. he makes more on pension than most on the board make working.

Unless we're supposed to feel bad for him.. because he apparently did something to warrant his wife kicking him out of the house, getting a sizable share of the money and being stuck with all the bills. Ha!

reply to post by Asktheanimals


After 30 years the man should have a pretty good pension as a bird.
If he blew that somehow, bummer.
We all make choices, some work some don't.

reply to post by Asktheanimals

Unable to return to the home he shared with his estranged wife, and faced with expenses including bills for two sons in college and debts that mounted when he maintained a nicer lifestyle, he took up a nomadic existence. ... . He has not lasted long at other jobs, as a substitute teacher and an executive in a company writing proposals for government grants. ... One of his complaints about the latter job was that it took him too far from his sons.

He makes forty grand a year doing zero hours of work a week, and from the injury he describes, some of that is going to be tax-free VA pay. His health care, at least for the service connected disability, if not for everything, is free. He got kicked out of his house (which he no longer pays for) by his wife and is supporting two adult children who could find their own source of income or go to state school. He got himself into debt by living a lifestyle he couldn't afford. He didn't last in the jobs he had, and doesn't want to move too far away from his adult children to work. I don't have a lot of sympathy for him.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


Meh, choice and circumstance, this guy wasn't screwed by anyone, except maybe his ex-wife.

Maluhia
reply to post by interupt42

 

Was not aware of that , glad to hear it and thanks for the information. However it doesn't say free nor did I see how much they actually subsidized?

Nor does it say how long the wait is before receiving such housing. I've dealt with VA sh#* - nothing is easy OR FAST. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite.

I know of an old Vietnam Vet who was living on a boat on the river that was able to find free housing. It was essentially section 8, it took about two months for him to get approved. Because he had his boat, he was not desperate for a place and went apartment searching. His biggest hangup was working with the landlords to get the apartment to pass inspection for the section 8 housing, that took another 2 months.

Every year he has to re-apply, if he find works and its not enough to pay for his expenses, then they subsidize the rent. Otherwise it is rent free.

reply to post by BenReclused


So this guy just decided to be a bum. He makes a lot more than I do. If I made that mind of money, I would have a nice set-up. He may have a serious drug/alcohol problem, IDK. There's just some people who wanna be hobo's.

reply to post by ownbestenemy


You sir, are correct.

I just got beat out for a job by someone who received veteran's preference points.

We both received the same score on the interview. The 5 points he received for being a veteran put him over the top.

So because I chose to pursue my education and become a police officer at an early age I am punished when applying for federal and most state jobs.

I am not bitter at all.

FurvusRexCaeli
reply to post by Asktheanimals

 

Unable to return to the home he shared with his estranged wife, and faced with expenses including bills for two sons in college and debts that mounted when he maintained a nicer lifestyle, he took up a nomadic existence. ... . He has not lasted long at other jobs, as a substitute teacher and an executive in a company writing proposals for government grants. ... One of his complaints about the latter job was that it took him too far from his sons.

He makes forty grand a year doing zero hours of work a week, and from the injury he describes, some of that is going to be tax-free VA pay. His health care, at least for the service connected disability, if not for everything, is free. He got kicked out of his house (which he no longer pays for) by his wife and is supporting two adult children who could find their own source of income or go to state school. He got himself into debt by living a lifestyle he couldn't afford. He didn't last in the jobs he had, and doesn't want to move too far away from his adult children to work. I don't have a lot of sympathy for him.

edit on 9-1-2014 by FurvusRexCaeli because: (no reason given)

He actually makes $88,000.00+ a year pre-tax with his pension. And if he is getting a VA disability it is tax free and added to his pension. I quite agree, this guy has made some poor choices.

I am curious to how much he pays his two wives in alimony. If one of them was married to him for more than ten years, thay are entitled to up to 50% of his retirement, which would put him in the $40,000.00 range. Even with that kind of money he could buy a small RV and live out of that at least.

interupt42
reply to post by redmage

 

However, I do see more value (not in a financial sense) in helping bailing out the guy who is willing to die to protect your family over the guy who is willing to give your hungry child a banana , but expect a steak in return or he will take the banana back all the while manipulating the consumers and the market.

Care to list the ways this guy isn't being helped?

Having read the article in question and sat down and gave it some thought the following can be stated:

What more should the country do for this man? He served, and did 30 years in the military. He retired and gets a pension/retirement pay from the US government, far more than what more people make. At the same time he has 2 ex-wives, one he has had to divorce from and the other, is in the process of having a divorce from. Having been a child of a military father who retired after 25 years in the Air Force, The contract is to take care of him, not his children, there is nothing there to send them through college, that he has to do on his own. Nor is there anything there that would cover for any and all debts that he would take on. He and his current wife would have Tricare, and access to any military base, including using of facilities such as the PX and commissary.

So unless this man was dishonorably discharged, he would have full benefits and privileges. He has a better life than most people who tend to work 40 hours a week. So how sorry are we suppose to feel for him? He chooses to live out of a van, he chooses to live his life as he sees fit. He is under no obligation to pay for his children’s college education, nor did he have to purchase a house or live a lifestyle that was pretty nice. He could have chosen to live conservatively.

Ask me to feel sorry for him, if he was not an officer, and was hurt on a battlefield, or if he was injured in the line of duty, not from his choices in life. This is nothing more than to play on the sympathies of people, asking for them to feel sorry for a retired military officer who makes more in a month than most people, with medical care for the rest of his life, and benefits to boot, including shopping at any military instillation tax free for the rest of his natural life. Who made bad choices and we are now asked to pay for those choices and mistakes he made?

usertwelve

interupt42
reply to post by redmage

 

However, I do see more value (not in a financial sense) in helping bailing out the guy who is willing to die to protect your family over the guy who is willing to give your hungry child a banana , but expect a steak in return or he will take the banana back all the while manipulating the consumers and the market.

Care to list the ways this guy isn't being helped?

Didn't say he wasn't being help , haven't even stated that its not his fault that he is in debt?

It was not a literal representation. However, unlike the largest lobbying industries that made bad decisions like this guy apparently has ,they that got the bailout , this guy is still in debt and didn't get his multi-million dollar bonus either on our dime.

IMO i would have preferred to given this guy help with my taxed dollar since he put his life on the line rather than the guys who have the advantage of creating the law$ (Lobbyist) and are able to manipulate the market and the consumers. However, our gov't works for the highest bidder.