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Military Benefits
Ladies and Gentleman I am planning to petition the government on two agendas that directly affect our military service members past and present and may need your help.
First, the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill has many great benefits in regards to receiving living and book stipends. But why are non-traditional students still not eligible to for the same living stipend? Currently, if a Veteran trying to use the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill physically attends a university or college to obtain an Associates, Bachelors, or Masters degree that student is eligible to receive full entitlements, however, if a Veteran attends a tech school or obtains their degree online, then their living entitlements are cut in half. Should it matter what kind of school is attended as long as it is being attended and the student is excelling? Should not all fields of education be on an equal field or is the government making a statement that non-traditional schools and students are not on the same level? The petition will call for equal living stipends to the full extend no matter the type of school attended or the type of degree or certification being sought.
Second, retirement. Many of you may believe that a member of Congress serving just one term receives full retirement benefits, which for 2013 is $174,000. However, they must serve 5 years to receive a similar pension as the military. While a service member must complete 20 years to receive “full retirement” which is really only 50% of ones base pay. For example say an E-7 in the military retires today at 20 years of service, their base pay is $4328 a month, this times 12 is only $51,936 a year, divide that by 2 and the retiree will get $25,968 a year. 20 years of service often times in the most stressful, hazardous, and life threatening places for $26,968 a year. While congress must serve only 5 years sitting on their rump in Washington D.C. but have retirement benefits between $40,000 - 55,000 a year. The petition will call for any service member past or present that served at least 5 years will receive the same entitlements as Congress. Anyone serving more than 5 but less than 20 would receive the same retirement package members of Congress are offered with similar years of service. For those service members who serve for the full 20 years will not receive 50% but instead will receive 100% of their base pay. Why should members of Congress serving just 5 years be able to collect retirement and not a service member committing the same number of years to their country? Why should those service members who serve 20 years only be entitled to about half of what Congress makes in retirement after just 5 years?
Again, I do not know all the ins and outs of petitioning Congress, I am not sure exactly of when this will happen, and I am still working out those details, but if I require signatures, don’t be scared to sign. These two agendas should be set in place for all veterans and current military members.
Let me know what you guys think, what should be changed, what should be added, and corrections.
DR Hunter
First, the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill has many great benefits in regards to receiving living and book stipends. But why are non-traditional students still not eligible to for the same living stipend? Currently, if a Veteran trying to use the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill physically attends a university or college to obtain an Associates, Bachelors, or Masters degree that student is eligible to receive full entitlements, however, if a Veteran attends a tech school or obtains their degree online, then their living entitlements are cut in half. Should it matter what kind of school is attended as long as it is being attended and the student is excelling? Should not all fields of education be on an equal field or is the government making a statement that non-traditional schools and students are not on the same level? The petition will call for equal living stipends to the full extend no matter the type of school attended or the type of degree or certification being sought.
Second, retirement. Many of you may believe that a member of Congress serving just one term receives full retirement benefits, which for 2013 is $174,000. However, they must serve 5 years to receive a similar pension as the military. While a service member must complete 20 years to receive “full retirement” which is really only 50% of ones base pay. For example say an E-7 in the military retires today at 20 years of service, their base pay is $4328 a month, this times 12 is only $51,936 a year, divide that by 2 and the retiree will get $25,968 a year. 20 years of service often times in the most stressful, hazardous, and life threatening places for $26,968 a year. While congress must serve only 5 years sitting on their rump in Washington D.C. but have retirement benefits between $40,000 - 55,000 a year. The petition will call for any service member past or present that served at least 5 years will receive the same entitlements as Congress. Anyone serving more than 5 but less than 20 would receive the same retirement package members of Congress are offered with similar years of service. For those service members who serve for the full 20 years will not receive 50% but instead will receive 100% of their base pay. Why should members of Congress serving just 5 years be able to collect retirement and not a service member committing the same number of years to their country? Why should those service members who serve 20 years only be entitled to about half of what Congress makes in retirement after just 5 years?
Again, I do not know all the ins and outs of petitioning Congress, I am not sure exactly of when this will happen, and I am still working out those details, but if I require signatures, don’t be scared to sign. These two agendas should be set in place for all veterans and current military members.
Let me know what you guys think, what should be changed, what should be added, and corrections.
DR Hunter
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