DoD braces for political battle over military pay

2014-12-30T09:44:34-05:00

From: Army Times

The Pentagon is bracing for one of its biggest political battles in years as a blue-ribbon commission on military compensation and retirement nears the end of its two-year study and moves closer to releasing its proposals for change by Feb. 1.

An internal document obtained by Military Times reveals the Defense Department is setting up a rapid-response plan that will scrutinize the commission's potentially controversial proposals and send a recommendation to President Obama within 60 days, or by April 1.

DoD leaders have no idea what the independent commission will propose to Congress, so they have tapped a team of high-level officials to review, analyze and prepare a formal response to influence a potentially historic vote on Capitol Hill.

The stakes are high; the commission's report is likely to set off a far-reaching debate about the future of the military compensation system, with a basic structure that has changed little over the past century.

In some ways, the Pentagon is eager to support big changes that might cut personnel costs and reduce long-term defense spending and save money for investments in research and new weapons systems.

At the same time, military officials worry that sweeping changes to military compensation — such as radically changing the current retirement system — could devastate recruiting and retention and threaten the long-term health of the 41-year-old all-volunteer force.

The report from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission will include detailed legislation that members of Congress may immediately begin debating, revising or potentially putting to a vote.

The commission's recommendations likely will include contentious proposals, such as replacing the military's 20-year cliff-vesting retirement model, creating new incentive pays or eliminating some in-kind benefits that service members receive in the form of installation-based services.

As the Pentagon and the White House begin facing pointed questions about how the proposals might impact readiness, defense officials will launch an intensive internal review that ultimately will inform Obama's official position.

From Feb. 2. Through Feb. 6, several Pentagon "working groups," as well as a team from the RAND Corp, think tank, immediately will begin to analyze the proposals, according to the internal DoD document.

Separate "working groups" will study topics that include "pay and retirement," "health benefits" and "quality of life benefits," according to the four-page PowerPoint, dated Dec. 18.

The working groups will mostly include officers at the O-6 level from each service and civilians at a similar pay grade.

Specifically, the analysis will focus on the potential impact on recruiting and retention and will aim to "develop the DoD response for Presidential consideration," according to the document.

From Feb. 9 to 13, the working groups will convene at an "off-site location" for further analysis.

From Feb. 17 to 19, members of the working groups will brief their services' senior leaders on the status of the Pentagon's official response.

By Feb. 26, senior leaders, including the undersecretary for personnel and readiness, will receive a draft of the formal response.

By March 6, the Joint Chiefs will vet DoD's official position on the commission recommendations. At the same time, Pentagon civilian leaders will reviewing it in a process led by Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work.

By March 13, the defense secretary will approve or reject a final version of the Pentagon's response. It's unclear at this point if that will be outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel or his successor, Ash Carter, who is likely to be confirmed by the Senate in early 2015.

From there the official response will go to the White House, where it will face further review.

The DoD plan aims to have Obama provide formal recommendations to Congress by April 1.

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/benefits/pay/2014/12/30/dod-prepares-for-compensation-report/21008055/

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 9:56 AM

2014-12-30T09:56:29-05:00

Very interesting!
I wonder what kind of compensation changes they suggest whether for the good of the common Soldier or for worse..

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 10:04 AM

2014-12-30T10:04:32-05:00

I have a strong feeling that when these proposals are revealed that I will be thankful the Air Force is putting me out to pasture next Fall. Whenever the folks that defend our nation's freedom for 20 years or more are looked at as the cash cow, there is something horribly wrong with the priorities in Congress.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 10:40 AM

2014-12-30T10:40:34-05:00

I'm sure this means more cuts to some of the programs and services currently offered to us. We go through this same madness every year. If the budget needs cutting, why not trim the fat on Capitol Hill first and foremost. Military pay and benefits should be an absolute last resort.

Response by SSG Nick Tramontano made Dec 30 at 2014 10:59 AM

2014-12-30T10:59:57-05:00

The politicians always want to screw the troops over pay while they get big bucks and benefits....BOHICA !!

Response by CPO Bernie Penkin made Dec 30 at 2014 11:49 AM

2014-12-30T11:49:24-05:00

I get leary when Congress and the Rand corporstion discuss our pay. Some folks on Capitol Hill believe that we are moochers and don't deserve retirement pay at 20 years. Rand Corp has not been friendly to us either.

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 12:25 PM

2014-12-30T12:25:48-05:00

I'm glad the DoD has such a detailed plan to address these recommendations. I'm a little afraid of what might happen in Congress as they look to slash the budget. A peace dividend?

Response by PO3 Jonathan Cooper made Dec 30 at 2014 1:03 PM

2014-12-30T13:03:37-05:00

These conversations that happen over this are just stupidity at the highest level of leadership. How does congress every year seem to look at cutting the defense budget as oppose to finding ways to, oh I don't know, increase tax revenue? Unless the next time I'm deployed out to sea we can bill Exxon for protection at the clip of 100 million per ship...

Response by SSG Dr. Roy Coble made Dec 30 at 2014 1:04 PM

2014-12-30T13:04:55-05:00

In the end, we all know, it will be the service members and retirees who get the raw end of the deal. If we could tie congressional pensions and pay to the same structure as our service members, we would see different outcomes.

Response by SCPO Dale Leighton made Dec 30 at 2014 5:00 PM

2014-12-30T17:00:49-05:00

So the Congress appropriates millions of dollars on the mid-life refurbishment of the M1-A1 Abrams tank which the Army has gone on record as saying they don't want or need. It gets funded because the refurbishment is done in Speaker of the House John Boehner state of Ohio.

Well it meets the waste and abuse criteria of the Waste Fraud and Abuse Act and takes on the appearance of an Ohio bridge to nowhere.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 5:12 PM

2014-12-30T17:12:41-05:00

Dear congress, you've beat my body up for 20 years. You've directed me to go to Europe, France, Africa, Germany, Italy, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and places that you don't even know we've gone. I've carried bleeding brothers and buried them. I've written letters to a mother a father a wife a child stating that their husband died honorably. I've spoken to comrades before they've taken their own life because the nightmares wouldn't stop. I've worked 20 hour days in freezing rain wondering if I'd ever come back home. For twenty years I've heard that I get paid too much for my small sacrifice to the defense of this nation. My hearing is bad, I can walk with a limp, I get constant migraines, and my wife and family think I'm an asshole because I lose my temper a lot. For twenty years I've beat my body and mind to the breaking point to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now that the light is near, someone is turning it down like a dimmer switch. I've sacrificed birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, and a marriage or two. I'm an old soldier, marine, sailor, or airman. I completely agree with your decision that my retirement is not right. After those twenty plus years of sacrifice, being a bag boy at Walmart, a meat flipper at McDonald's, a begger on the side of the road all while listening to some 20 year old (my manager) yell at me about how I'm a nobody makes me wonder if I did all that in vain. How am I suppose to tell my son and our younger generation that the military is an honorable thing to do. How am I suppose to stand honorably believing that my country loves me back. Thank you for adjusting our retirement. Thank you for the wounds.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 5:44 PM

2014-12-30T17:44:17-05:00

Expect big cuts. The military is now so small, and so separated from the rest of Americans, that there is no political penalty for cutting military pay and benefits the way there would be for cutting welfare, social security, medicare, medicaid, or any of a thousand other federal programs.

The military has done some of this to ourselves by basically losing billions, with a B, of dollars in Iraq in Afghanistan. Not money spent to achieve objectives...money that we literally do not know where it went.

We also haven't passed an audit in over a decade, and recently said we couldn't even conduct an audit for the next five years. Doesn't exactly help the argument that we need more money when we can't even account for what we do have.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 30 at 2014 6:11 PM

2014-12-30T18:11:50-05:00

I don't anticipate any major cuts to happen in the next few years. Congressional Republicans will resist any significant reforms or changes until 2016 elections. A New president will have to deal with the issue.

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Dec 30 at 2014 7:28 PM

2014-12-30T19:28:01-05:00

The thing about Congress is that they fail to realize that only 1% of the population serves this country. You would be lucky if 1% of those decide to stay in for the whole 20 or more years. They have no problem paying themselves extravagant salaries to serve. In which they get paid to solve next to no problems.

The Politicians have no problem giving money to foreign governments, to people that do nothing for anyone but themselves.

If you look at the cash flow of money spent on the military, you will see the common denominator. The cash eventually gets to corporate America.

During any period of war, the politicians always seem to find money to fight a war.

Anyone see a trend, when the government needs bodies they open their check book.

Maybe, they should have held their check book close and used surgical technics to get the 2 individuals that were eventually caught.

Now, that the individuals were caught and taken care of, the politicians want to renege on the 1% that made it possible

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 5:27 AM

2014-12-31T05:27:54-05:00

I guess the liberal word in the media is 'bracing'. You would think someone has some originality. I forget what the 'narrative' means, God forbid! :)

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 12:48 PM

2014-12-31T12:48:20-05:00

I don't understand why it's so hard for Congress to do the right thing and pay our servicemen & women what they're due.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 1:56 PM

2014-12-31T13:56:06-05:00

Team,
The Military service is less than one percent of the current population in the United States. I have read the article about the proposed budget on military pay. I have to say, no Soldier should ever have to worry about their pay, or medical coverage for their families. Worrying about their family is the last thing you want on Soldiers minds. I don’t see how anyone could say we are being paid too much for our service. I remember as an E-1/PV1 bringing home after taxes and the monthly contribution to the GI Bill of under $400.00 a month. I was also married and had a young child to take care of as well. I know times have changed since 1989, but the cost of living has gone up drastically in the last 25 years. A gallon of gas was average around $1.00 during that time and has only recently gone down in some areas of the states to under $3.00. Everything else like groceries in the stores is outrageous in cost. BLUF: We have service members that are not here for just money, but their way of life and their profession. That is your volunteer service men and women, I am speaking of. The money comes with the territory of responsibility that we have accepted to take on. Moving up in rank does not get easier, it gets harder and the work requires more hours, even weekends and Holidays to get the job done. For many of us this is our desire to serve no matter how much midnight oil we burn, our main responsibilities is the accomplishment of our mission and the welfare of our Soldiers. Keep in mind our roles as an Army is to Prevent, Shape, and Win. Our mission is to Fight and win the Nation’s wars through prompt and sustained land combat, as part of the joint force. I hope that everyone can understand the point that I am bringing to the table. I have served during a time when we were doing more with less and it is making its way back around again.

Mission First, Soldier Always!!!

Response by SPC Donald Moore made Dec 31 at 2014 2:37 PM

2014-12-31T14:37:35-05:00

I don't really have a dog in the fight but I don't think congress should think about cutting any pay unless they are willing to take a pay cut themselves. A big one at that.
If anyone working for the government is overcompensated, it is those fat cats in DC.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2014 10:22 PM

2014-12-31T22:22:49-05:00

This all comes down to the continually widening gap between the military and society. Your average citizen has no clue what is going on in the military. They don't realize that the military is wasting millions on the F35 when we have plenty of fighters that can do the job that this underwhelming plane continues to do. We as a nation continue to follow "Buzz words" instead of doing research and looking at what is actually going on. Until your average citizen really starts to dig into the governments finances, nothing will change. Until Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc talk about the budget instead of Ebola and other random BS, no one will care. While we are at war, America is at the mall.