From a personal friend serving in Iraq.
Im currently in Iraq coming home very soon thank god but a year strait this is the type of stuff i have seen and heard from the U.S and honestly it makes me sick but like this airmen its good to know theres still some out there that are proud Americans if you agree with his statement please send this to your friends and family let us take care of our vets not greet them from there tours with crap like this for giving up there freedoms and life for our country to return home to this is very disgusting
This Cindy Williams is NOT the "Laverne & Shirley" Cindy Williams. She is: 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 @**!!!
A1C Michael Bragg Hill AFB AFNCC
IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN. THANK YOU.
Just for the record they mention in here a 6 month tour as a "full tour" well this is true in the other branches but the armys idea of a full tour is 12 month minimum and luckly i wasnt one but many many army men and women have done more then one 15 month tour over here keep that in mind when you read this other then that part i agree with everything said and would love to have said it myself. if anyone im sending this to dont care to read this and thinks that we are throwing a fit or blowin smoke im sorry you feel that way but dont forget these are the men and women that give you the right to think and act on that and have so many other freedoms to enjoy you think other wise go join the military for a simple 2 year contract and then youll see the battle we deal with and it aint just over seas and the freedoms we give up and the pleasures in life we loose time to enjoy and the joy of wonderful family's we have that we rarely get to see. you've got me and women who work there life away at the office and cant take the time to go watch a high school game there son our daughter is in or simply come home and play a game or talk with there children and then you have service men and women who miss out on years of there child's life for there country just think of that when you read this and imagine instead of the extra hours you put in for the x-mas gifts for your kids to use instead spend that over time tossin a ball or playing a video game with them and show them you care and enjoy it for this Christmas and many before and many to come thousands of military men and women cant do more then say hi and happy holidays to there family from thousands of miles away for there country
