The Affordable Care Act

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

Having volunteered doesn't mean anybody's in for being treated like a piece of meat.

Sadly, that's specifically what was volunteered for in exchange for the promise of an entitlement life at somewhere around forty-two where the rest of us have to pay forty years worth of homage to an individual who -- for at least four generations -- did nothing to make us safer, anyway.

But hey, that's just me.

That said, I do get the relevance of the above statement to the ACA: lots of folks are crying the same thing related to being "forced" to pay. Key difference? Everyone is paying based upon their humanity as opposed to a few volunteering, whining about it, than expecting lifelong compensation.

It's all an ugly business.

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Sadly, that's specifically what was volunteered for in exchange for the promise of an entitlement life at somewhere around forty-two where the rest of us have to pay forty years worth of homage to an individual who -- for at least four generations -- did nothing to make us safer, anyway.

But hey, that's just me.

That said, I do get the relevance of the above statement to the ACA: lots of folks are crying the same thing related to being "forced" to pay. Key difference? Everyone is paying based upon their humanity as opposed to a few volunteering, whining about it, than expecting lifelong compensation.

It's all an ugly business.

your attitude is not much different than Rumsfield's.

[mpholland]

Originally Posted by icenine

What people do not realize that during the 2000s (the aughts) when we had two wars going the military (the Navy anyway) was downsizing at the same time.
I remember people getting kicked out at 10 years because they could not make E-5 but at the same time a war was going on. It was really strange...and they started to pull Navy sailors off of ships to fill Army billets in the Middle East.

The Navy is trying to eliminate Seabees altogether. My boy was forced out on medical after a motorcycle wreck, but prior to that he was having a hard time trying to make E6. It is tough when there are between 400-500 people taking the tests for only 4-5 advancements.

[icenine]

Originally Posted by mpholland

The Navy is trying to eliminate Seabees altogether. My boy was forced out on medical after a motorcycle wreck, but prior to that he was having a hard time trying to make E6. It is tough when there are between 400-500 people taking the tests for only 4-5 advancements.

It is a complete 180 from when I joined....back in the late 80s they were so hard up to keep people that they would bend over backward to keep you in.
For example up till 2005 you could retire as an E-5.

Now they are trying to limit who can stay in 20 years....yeah it is really difficult to make E-6 in overcrowded rates.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by icenine

your attitude is not much different than Rumsfield's.

No.

Reality is in alignment with Rumsfeld.

I'm just willing to codify it.

[mpholland]

Originally Posted by icenine

It is a complete 180 from when I joined....back in the late 80s they were so hard up to keep people that they would bend over backward to keep you in.
For example up till 2005 you could retire as an E-5.

Now they are trying to limit who can stay in 20 years....yeah it is really difficult to make E-6 in overcrowded rates.

He was medically discharged at 100% with no work restrictions. They sent him to school for a couple years, are still paying his books, tuition, and housing, plus he gets about 3K/month and medical for the rest of his life, with COLA's. I think it actually worked out better for him in the long run than staying in, as he only had 14 years in and was hard up against his time limit for making E6. I often wonder where he got his ability to fall into a pile of shit and come out smelling like a rose. He has always had that gift. His mother and I certainly have never been that lucky.

[icenine]

Originally Posted by mpholland

He was medically discharged at 100% with no work restrictions. They sent him to school for a couple years, are still paying his books, tuition, and housing, plus he gets about 3K/month and medical for the rest of his life, with COLA's. I think it actually worked out better for him in the long run than staying in, as he only had 14 years in and was hard up against his time limit for making E6. I often wonder where he got his ability to fall into a pile of shit and come out smelling like a rose. He has always had that gift. His mother and I certainly have never been that lucky.

I think the military has been sort of taking care of those who are forced out because of high year tenure....The VA is much more responsive to the medical needs of those with service connected disability. However I think most would rather just do the 20 years and retire if the system would let them.

I always feel bad for the guys that do 14-16 years and then get forced out through no fault of their own.

[mpholland]

Originally Posted by icenine

I think the military has been sort of taking care of those who are forced out because of high year tenure....The VA is much more responsive to the medical needs of those with service connected disability. However I think most would rather just do the 20 years and retire if the system would let them.

I always feel bad for the guys that do 14-16 years and then get forced out through no fault of their own.

I think Michael would have been 14 and out if not for the bike wreck. However, I can pretty much assure you it was unintentional. Nobody does this on purpose. And that is just a small portion of his injuries.

[Tom Joad]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Was that voluntary?

Pete

What are you trying to do now Pete?

Sit in judgement of the men and women that served this country in the armed forces while you never did?

Are you trying to say that because they voluntarily enlisted they deserved to be used like this because they weren't smart enough to take a pass on serving their country like you did?

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Tom Joad

Are you trying to say that because they voluntarily enlisted they deserved to be used like this because they weren't smart enough to take a pass on serving their country like you did?

Deserve? Deserve?

They OWN it. If you lack the intelligence to realize you are volunteering for indentured servitude, that's nobody's fault but your own.

And don't give me this elitist and entitlement "serve your country" crap. That is a lame Nationalist argument based in -- let me guess -- your own service and/or the irrational canonizing of folks who managed to get through Basic.

Sum? The only judgment I sense here is yours and it is rank.