Our GIs Earn Enough (washingtonpost.com)

Our GIs Earn Enough (washingtonpost.com)

By Cindy Williams

Wednesday, January 12, 2000

CINDY WILLIAMS was appointed by Obama as an Assistant Director for
NATIONAL SECURITY in the Congressional Budget Office...

The following is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in
the Washington Post about MILITARY PAY. It should be printed in all
newspapers across America .

Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times denouncing the
pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she stated
a 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.

Or Do They?
A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below:

Ms Williams:

I just had the pleasure of reading your column, "Our GI's 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 per month. 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 in
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 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's (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 be
nearly 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 open 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 right 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 noses 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?"

A1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB AFNCC

Thanks to Don for sending Bragg's response.