Flesh and Blood

 It’s disheartening to see that the federal budget deal includes a reduction in the cost of living increase for the military pensions of those who are still in uniform – designed to save about $6 billion over 10 years The cut is a drop in the proverbial bucket and affects only 1 percent of the military – but there are numbers, and then there are people.

While disabled veterans were spared this cut – and while benefits for veterans have actually improved in recent years -- it’s distressing to watch the rules being changed for players still on the field.

In civilian life, those wearing uniforms seem to get a much better deal. Retiring cops and firefighters who have put in their time and been judicious with their money can actually leave the job wealthy, and the ability to retire on disability is sometimes misused. Is it because our local heroes are fighting wars here at home – and the ones doing it elsewhere aren’t top-of-mind? As dangerous as police work or fighting fires is, does it compare with being in the middle of a shooting war?

Of course, it’s true that only some of those in the military will ever get close to shooting at the enemy, or being shot at. But they are available to do so, if needed. Similarly, while the potential is always there, cops and firefighters don’t see “action” every day – but they are there because we need them. As they rise in the ranks, they are paid more, while the chance that they will be out facing danger lessens.

In one of my earliest jobs, I had a boss who was always complaining about “overhead” – meaning for him, “Too many people work here, and they are paid too much!” The number of people was in the debatable range, but trust me – we weren’t paid enough, even by our industry standard.

Pentagon bosses who support the military pension cuts say the money going out the door for pensions could be better used tor training and other improvements. But what about the promises made to real human beings? Would such cuts be necessary if the resources available were better managed?

As an aside, I am actually in favor of re-instituting the draft – not because I love war. Quite the opposite, in fact – I wouldn’t want to see people drafted. But just having the system in place would ensure that the general public – and the voters – remain engaged with this subject. Would the President and our legislators have as easy a time involving us in never-ending wars if the public were paying attention? Jeez, both World War II and the Civil War lasted less than five years.

But I digress. I have developed a real distaste for the word “entitlement,” – or rather, the way it’s being used. An entitlement is something that’s owed to people based on a promise in exchange for something. Social Security isn’t a perk – those getting it paid into the system all their working lives. Those in the military serve their country at relatively low rates of pay, but have been promised certain retirement benefits. Some of these folks have fought in our never-ending wars. Don’t they deserve better?