Military Pay

CINDY WILLIAMS:  was appointed by President Obama

as an Assistant Director for National Security in the

Congressional Budget Office.

Recent Activity:

Ms. Cindy William wrote a   piece for the Washington Times

denouncing the pay raises coming to service members this

year; citing that she stated a 13% wage increase was more

than they deserve. This is an Airman's response to Cindy

Williams' editorial article in the Washington Times about 

MILITARY PAY.

"Ms   Williams:  

I just had the pleasure of   reading your column, "Our GI's 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 in 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's   (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 be nearly

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 open 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

right 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 noses 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?    

A1C Michael Bragg, 

Hill AFB AFNCC