Do we pay our VETS enough???

[bigq]

It doesn't seem to be enough to me. 100% is about $2300 a month. If your in california that doesnt go far. My dad was 100% and I could have sworn it was abut $3200 and that was in the 80's? For someone to lose both legs it seems to me we should give more so they can have a more comfortable living.I am not clear on the pension part, don't know how long you need to be in and does this apply to the reserves also?
Vets benefits (http://veterans.house.gov/benefits/disabilcomp.html)
VA pays a monthly monetary benefit to veterans who are disabled by injury or disease incurred or aggravated in the line of duty during active military service. The amount of compensation varies with the degree of disability and the number of dependents. Currently, the compensation amounts range from $108 monthly for a 10-percent disability to $2,299 monthly for a 100-percent disability, with additional amounts payable for special circumstances associated with the disability. VA disability compensation is tax-free. Last year, more than 2.5 million veterans and dependents received disability compensation or survivors benefits valued at $22 billion.

[HOSS]

It all depends on highest rank achieved during military career as well as time in.

[NOTALENT]

For what there doing for us...I dont think they do..I would rather take funds from some of this other Bull shit stuff..like welfare, immagration issues etc...to pay or troops and Vets a better salaray...or even this new election arnolds trying to do...fock..with 80million dollars we can do alot..for them..

[HOSS]

We do alot. We have a volunteer military. Wanna do some good? Lower my mortgage rate. Lower MY tax bracket.

[Her454]

Wanna do some good? Lower my mortgage rate. Lower MY tax bracket.
I think this should be done for ALL Vets. And no, in my opinion we dont pay them enough.

[Liberator TJ1984]

NO !!!
but we can pay for Illegals :confused:

[Forkin' Crazy]

I think this should be done for ALL Vets. And no, in my opinion we dont pay them enough.
I think you are right. But.... there is a flip side of the coin. Just how much is 10% disabled?
I have a friend that works for the USPS. Disabled Vet. He draws a check ($800+) per month, but works a full time job at the USPS.......
I don't quite understand the logic in that.......
If a paraplegic has a really good job and makes high 5 or low 6 figures, should they be eligible for disability?
Don't get me wrong. I think the ones that have sacrificed should get what they deserve, but until the waste is stopped, they never will.

[HighRoller]

We don't have enough money to pay our vets more money, but we can pay the states 1 billion dollars to take care of wetbacks? All it takes for our country to fall completely apart is for good people to do nothing about things like this.

[HOSS]

I think you are right. But.... there is a flip side of the coin. Just how much is 10% disabled?
I have a friend that works for the USPS. Disabled Vet. He draws a check ($800+) per month, but works a full time job at the USPS.......
I don't quite understand the logic in that.......
If a paraplegic has a really good job and makes high 5 or low 6 figures, should they be eligible for disability?
Don't get me wrong. I think the ones that have sacrificed should get what they deserve, but until the waste is stopped, they never will.
I too have a friend who works for USPS. Disabled. No go soldier at that. Louisiana Army National Guard. Fell off some bleachers at a Miltary Parade. Claims he hurt his back. 10% diabled and draws a check for life. This happenned during first Gulf War so he is also a wartime vet. Incident took place on one of his weekend drills. The guy was and is always a slug. Do we do enough. GOD DAMN RIGHT! I haven`t gotten a penny from the military. I signed up, ETS, end of story. Married couples get much more bread than a single soldier. Then when they have to deploy the families argue that single soldiers should go first. But they don`t mind cashing the check.
Anyone in argue of this should enlist. Part of your training is a mindset. These guys are willing to put there lives on the line for what they believe. I know I was. And thats when there was a 50k insurance policy.
War ain`t easy.

[Flyinbowtie]

My son is active U.S. Army, and is an E-4. He is an EFI/electronics guy on diesel and gas turbine engines. 2 years into a 3 year active duty hitch.
My nephew is active U.S. Army, and an E-4 currently serving in Iraq. He is an infantryman, by choice.
Both young men knew the pay when they joined, and neither has complained about it at all. Nephew re-enlisted while in a hot zone for another 4 years.
As an old man of 46, I find it rather ironic that these kids, who are volunteering to serve their country are paying federal income tax to boot.
The enlisted ranks below Sgt. should not be paying federal income tax, it is just wrong. These kids are not really making much beyond Ca. minimum wage anyway. While on Iraqi soil they are getting extra $, but the idea that we as a nation ask our young people to serve then take back their pay just rubs me wrong.
My son, who is stateside, even has his pay docked to subsidize using the chow hall and living on base, so the idea of 3 free hots and a cot isn't accurate. While I understand that we as taxpayers are ultimately paying for all of this, and there is abuse in the system, I think taxing these kids stateside or in a war zone is wrong. Officers, senior elisted, non-coms, these guys are choosing a career path and the pay and benefits improve considerably above E-6. When not in a war zone, they should fall into the same tax bracket as the next guy making middle class wages.
Remember, the kids that are serving over there now are our veterans of the future. It is not like these men and women come from some other planet to fight, then go back when they are done. These are our friends and family..they live with us, will marry our children, etc.
I have been in a couple of those Veterans homes, where some of these men go in what should be the golden years of their lives. It is tragic, like a village of the damned.
A couple of good friends are Vietnam era vets, and the B.S. they have to go through to get care for injuries they still suffer from is unreal. Taking care of these people shouldn't even be up for debate, it is simply the right thing to do.

[HOSS]

I paid federal income tax and state tax during my enlistment. The old saying goes, " if you can`t take the heat, get the phuc out of the kitchen".

[Flyinbowtie]

So did I Hoss.
It isn't about the heat in the kitchen. It is about the right thing to do.
IMHO

[HOSS]

IMHO
your entitled to your opinion. I think it stinks. I don`t want my government giving a God damn thing out. We give too damn much as it is. I bet the military is still at 3% pay raise. More than I`m guaranteed.

[Froggystyle]

Retirement benefits suck, as do the tax brackets military are in.
My retirement income from the Navy is taxed at 32% on my federal form.
In fact, every military benefit, re-enlistment bonus or payment on bonus and my retirement is taxed at the 32% bracket. I don't know of any rich guy being taxed at 32% federal right now. Speak up if you are.
My $50,000 re-enlistment bonus was paid in four installments. One disbursment was for half of the bonus, or $25,000 which amounted to $17,000 after taxes. The last half was disbursed over the remaining three years of the re-enlistment at about $5,600 per year. I didn't even get to make a decision about how to invest the whole thing. I got it doled out to me. Total re-enlistment was for $34K or so. Bullshit.
Now if you re-enlist overseas you get it tax free. Most SEAL/s did that if the opportunity arose, which it usually did. I didn't get to do that though as I re-enlisted immediately out of training to guarantee four years in the teams.
Not to mention my retirement is a fraction of my pay. A small fraction. As a SEAL I made not only my E-6 base pay which was around $2500 per month when I got out, but Housing (2K), food ($250), That amounted to right around a $4750 total for me with no kids. In addition to that, SEALs got jump pay($250), sea pay ($350), dive pay($250), demo pay($350), professional pay($350) and extra hazardous duty pay ($350). When deployed we got sea pay ($350) Combat zone pay ($250) and family separation pay ($250) We took home a lot of per-diem pay for trips where we were separated (I was gone about 240 days/year) and other pay benefits for uniforms and stuff. Total on all of this good stuff was easily another $3,000 and sometimes depending on per-diem closer to $5,000. Now a lot got spent from the per-diem for hotels and such, but if you were thrifty you could bank a lot of it.
All of those special pays are taxed at 32% by the way... except combat pay, which assumes you are in a tax free zone being deployed. Per diem in combat is tax free also.
Bottom line, I made between $7,750 and 10K per month depending. That amounts to a tidy little yearly sum of $93,000 to $120,000 for stated income. Let's work off of $90,000 as a nice round number. Don't everybody get their panties in a bunch over what we got paid either. We were worth every damn penny.
Military retirement is at 40% or something for my year group. That would mean that in a just world I got $36,000/year as a retirement as a minimum. Not the case. My "retirement" income is based on base pay. For those keeping track that is around $2500/month. 40% of which is $1,000
Fortunately for me, as my debilitating injury occurred during a night combat equipment parachute jump and as such is combat related, the 30% disability I receive as an E-6 over 6 is tax free. The other 70% I am not disabled isn't though.
So, 30% of my $1000 per month retirement is tax free, and I get charged 32% on the remaining $700 or so. Take home of $1,000 is $775/month.
I didn't become a SEAL for the retirement or the pay. I had my reasons. The slap in the face after forced medical retirement is garbage though.
If the only change was that we were taxed in a normal bracket for the wage and retired based on the last two years pay while serving I would be happy. Very happy.

[HOSS]

Didn`t you know that your re-up bonus would be paid in installments? Maybe you should have done 30. I know you said that you weren`t in it for the money or retirement. I guess the bottom line is like I said, " these guys aren`t in it for the money". Its a different mindset.

[Froggystyle]

Didn`t you know that your re-up bonus would be paid in installments? Maybe you should have done 30. I know you said that you weren`t in it for the money or retirement. I guess the bottom line is like I said, " these guys aren`t in it for the money". Its a different mindset.
Irrelevant. I know what you mean, but the thing about being selfless and devoted to the greater good above yourself is that it is nice when others reward you when you are not fishing for it.
Veterans won't ask for better tax benefits or consideration. I never have. I have never personally voted for it or lobbied for it. You hope that the people you protect/whatever will respect the contribution and reward the sacrifice.
Most hightly motivated folks I know don't work for money, they work for respect and acknowledgment. That goes a long way.
Cutting your retired basis pay by one third of what you actually make is disrespectful.

[Jeanyus]

I paid federal income tax and state tax during my enlistment. The old saying goes, " if you can`t take the heat, get the phuc out of the kitchen".
Do people shoot at you and try to kill you while you are at work? If so then I vote that you dont pay taxes, get a lower mortgage rate, and get better benifits.
Not to hijack this thread but this line is too funny "or even this new election arnolds trying to do...fock..with 80million dollars we can do alot..for them"
New election?
Let me clairify things so you won't be in the dark. In November California is going to have an election, regardless of what Arnold does. The election will cost $35 million. The things that Arnold wants to put on the ballot will cost another $45 million. That comes out to about an additional $1.25 per resident of California. I will gladly pay $1.25 to get a chance to vote on cutting the pork out of the California budget. OK I'm Done.
PS I don't think any money collected from CA. state tax would go to veterans anyhow.

[HOSS]

First off have you ever served?
Second, I you did then you knew war was a possibility and death was a possibility. So if you don`t want to die or even have that possibility come about then why the phuc did you enlist?
If you can`t take the heat get the phuc out of the kitchen.

[Jeanyus]

So you think everyone who served in the military enlisted?
I think someone needs a hug.

[rivergoer]

NO !!!
but we can pay for Illegals :confused:
fockin right brother!!!!! we do pay some dumb ass shit and waste alot of money twoards stuff that we could cut out and put twoards our troops. what do peoplle think that a life is only worth 25k taxble a year, because thats all i get paid in the marine corps and im maried,ones who aent married get paid less its bullshit! they pay movie stars millions of dollars to act like soldiers **** why not give some of that to th soab's that are doing it for real, and not acting, sorry but that shit hits a bad spot with me pisses me off the way we get treated and run down. by the way right now im overseass and in the marine corps and im a corporal right now should pick up sergeant real soon.

[Phat Matt]

Last year Buddy got a foxtail in his ear and they had to put him under to get it out. It was burrowing in. I paid the vet about $500 so I think he got paid enough. :D

[Her454]

Last year Buddy got a foxtail in his ear and they had to put him under to get it out. It was burrowing in. I paid the vet about $500 so I think he got paid enough. :D
LOL, get back up the SandBar and keep those Dog Molesters in line.......

[fat rat]

Irrelevant.
Most hightly motivated folks I know don't work for money, they work for respect and acknowledgment. That goes a long way.
Cutting your retired basis pay by one third of what you actually make is disrespectful.
I totally agree!