Subject: Military Pay Raise
This Cindy Williams is NOT the "Laverne & Shirley" Cindy Williams.
She is an Assistant Director for National Security in the Congressional Budget Office.
Military Pay
This is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in the
Washington Times about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all
newspapers across America.
Ms. Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing
the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she
stated 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.
A young Airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below.
He ought to get a bonus for this.
"Ms Williams: I just had the pleasure of reading your column "Our GIs
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 with 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 (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 nearly
be 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 opened 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 rights 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 nose 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? You can kiss my royal red a**!!!
A/1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB, AFNCC
God Bless and Help America & God Bless Our Troops
Liberty and Freedom come before any Politician
This Cindy Williams is NOT the "Laverne & Shirley" Cindy Williams.
She is an Assistant Director for National Security in the Congressional Budget Office.
Military Pay
This is an Airman's response to Cindy Williams' editorial piece in the
Washington Times about MILITARY PAY, it should be printed in all
newspapers across America.
Ms. Cindy Williams wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing
the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year citing that she
stated 13% wage increase was more than they deserve.
A young Airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below.
He ought to get a bonus for this.
"Ms Williams: I just had the pleasure of reading your column "Our GIs
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 with 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 (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 nearly
be 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 opened 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 rights 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 nose 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? You can kiss my royal red a**!!!
A/1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB, AFNCC
God Bless and Help America & God Bless Our Troops
Liberty and Freedom come before any Politician
