Think tank recommends big benefits cuts

A new report by a liberal-leaning think tank recommends a dramatic overhaul of military pay, retirement and health care benefits as part of a $1 trillion cut in defense spending over 10 years.

The Center for American Progress *calls for capping pay raises, eliminating military health benefits for many retirees who are covered by an employer-provided plan, and reducing the value of military retired pay as well as making retirees wait until age 60 to start receiving it.

Recommendations are included in a report, Rebalancing Our National Security, released Oct. 31 by the progressive think tank and advocacy group. The report opposes across-the-board cuts in defense spending that could occur beginning in January under sequestration but still calls for major reductions in defense spending.

Capping pay raises, the report says, could save $16.5 billion over the next five years. Reducing retiree health care benefits, through a combination of restricting care and raising fees, could save $15 billion a year. Reforming military retired pay could save, in the short term, up to $13 billion a year, and over time could save up to $70 billion a year off the current plan.

In addition to cutting compensation and benefits, the report also recommends cutting the number of active-duty troops permanently based in Europe and Asia, saving $10 billion a year. It recommends withdrawing 33,000 troops from Europe and about 17,000 from Asia.

In calling for less spending on military pay raises, the report basically endorses a plan proposed, but not yet executed, by the Defense Department. Under the Pentagon plan, pay raises beginning in 2015 would be capped at less than the average increase in private sector pay, a move that responds to a belief that military members are being paid more than civilians with comparable jobs and experience. This happened because Congress, over Pentagon objections, has regularly provided the military with raises that were slightly larger than the average private-sector raise to eliminate what had been perceived as a pay gap. The end result, says the report, is that the average service member is receiving $5,400 more in annual compensation than a comparable civilian.

read rest here:

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/11/military-think-tank-recommends-big-benefit-cuts-110112w/

*Center for American Progress (george soros' think tank)

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Replies

  • How about "capping" congresses pay as starters?  They're not getting shot at!

    • NOT SHOT AT   - YET !!!!

  • This is what you can expect if Obama keep his power... and it will get much much worse....
    • When gov''ts feel threatened they will do anything to protect themselves.

      This total disregard for civil rights and the due process of law began some time ago

      with past administrations, but has ramped up exponentially in this administration.

      What is happening reminds me of some of things that I read about that was going

      on in Russia or other countries in Africa for example.  The NDAA I think is being

      used to promote this type of Gestpo behavior and as you say will get much worse.

       

       

      A for some of the reductions of pay and services being proposed by this think tank (Probably Leftist)

      will have very little affect on debt reduction.  Even if the gov't were to implement such as austertiy

      program the impact on the economy would have a far greater than any improvement on debt reduction.

       

      Austerity programs don't work and never have.  Just that the current situation in Greece and Spain.

       

  • This is not acceptable. Cut the Congress pay, benefits, health care, perks.

  • Let's start at the top with our Commander in Chief. Reduce his benefits. Then on to his employees (czars), Senate, House, Judicial. We don't even think about taking away from the ones who DO the work - GOT THAT?  Obama?

  • what about pay for politicians? pay while serving in the Senate and House of Representatives and then no pay until they reach the age for Social Security benefits?

  • Sounds like they recommend cutting only that which those who truly served or contributed to our country. I see no mention of cutting funds for deadbeats, or the sloths that make up Obama supporters. Must be a bunch of professors, the people who talk the talk but cannot walk the walk or carry the load. They say and never do and never have done and never will because they lack the brains and ability. My favorite part of going to college was making the professors red faced by asking questions they had no answers for or made fools of themselves trying to answer. I found few good professors, the kind that were truly able to teach.

    Elevengun

     

     

  • I've got a much better idea. Why don't we review all government agencies for waste,fraud and duplication ( term limits for all elected positions,NO RETIREMENT BENEFITS,medical same as private sector / citizens,etc.) and review and restructure all 'entitlement programs' -welfare,foodstamps,ADC,longterm unemployment,etc. ( medicare and SSI are exempt but need to be restructured to be sustainable for future generations). Just as a starter, then eleiminate ALL unconstitutional federal agencies, DoEd,EPA,etc. I bet we could balance the budget in a year or two, and come up with a surplus and actually pay off the national debt in less than 10 years.

    • Take Social Security and Medicare out of the hands of the politicians

      and put them back as Trust Funds as they were originally designed.

      The monies would then begin to accumulate as before and be self

      sustaining, not the current Ponzi Scheme that we currently have.

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