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Subscribe to RSSPresident Obama unveiled his new military strategy aimed at cutting the Pentagon's budget. A decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan sapped the military and sent Pentagon spending soaring, up 71 percent. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.
With more questions than answers, the Veterans of Foreign Wars reacted cautiously Thursday to President Obama's plan for a slimmed-down military and its potential ramifcations for future veterans.
Joe Davis, the VFW's director of public affairs, said the press conference and written plan were "extemely light on specifics" and "more of a prelude to the upcoming FY 2013 budget request."
"The president, (Defense) secretary (Leon Panetta) and (Joint Chief of Staff) chairman (Martin E. Dempsey) pledged to preserve the all-volunteer force, to avoid hollowing out the force, and to protect those benefits that are provided right now," Davis said. "This suggests, given all the trial balloons floated recently, that some major changes are coming to the current military retirement system, which in exchange for the immediate receipt of a modest retirement check, requires you to first donate 20 or more years of your youth to the nation.
"The VFW is extremely concerned that requiring those who voluntarily sacrifice the most for our nation to sacrifice even more will spell an end to the all-volunteer force, which is an expense this nation cannot afford to pay," Davis said. "But still, we have to wait until the budget request is released til we know for sure what people and programs are being threatened."
Another veterans group also expressed concerns.
"After 10 years of war, now is not the time to nickel and dime our community," said Paul Rieckhoff of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. "Our country paid the price to send troops to Iraq and Afghanistan, and we have a responsibility to protect and support them at home." Rieckhoff said the group will monitor the impact of the new plan, especially on military pay, retirement benefits and healthcare costs.
Reductions in force could mean more service members entering the private labor force, and confronting the nation's persistent high unemployment.
Already, unemployment among veterans is higher than among the general labor force. In November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the national rate at 8.6 percent, compared to 12.1 percent for veterans who have left active duty service since 2001. That figure may understate the probem, though. Businessweek magazine reported that among the youngest veterans, age 18 to 24, the unemployment rate was 30.4 percent in October.
In November, President Obama signed the “VOW to Hire Heroes Act,” which provides tax credits to businesses that hire veterans. The credits vary depending on how long the veteran has been looking for work, and whether he or she has any service-connected disabilities, but can be as much as $9,600. While Congress stalled on most of the president's job package, the hire-a-vet credit received bipartisan support.
Retired Army Col. Jack Jacobs joins Brian Williams with his analysis of President Obama's plan to cut the Pentagon's budget.
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It won't work. World is in a mess, US is in a mess, and we have a President who hasn't served in the military. What happened to the free medical and dental we were promised for life? Iran is about ready to cause the middle east to blow up. What's the US gonna do, take Paul's approach and don't worry about it? Without the military, the way things are in the US, the US would be another 3rd world country.
You can thank the Republicans for no free medical or dental. They forced Obama to remove the Public option from the healthcare bill in exchange for their votes and then did everything they could to tell everybody how bad it was.
So much for trying to compromise and work with the other party. The GOP doesn't care if you live or die as long as they get into power next November.
The problem with America is that we have become the country of ME instead of US.
Got no job? Too bad, I got mine.
Got no heath-care? Too bad, I got mine.
Until we change that, the only ones to prosper will be the minority at the top.
this is what happens when people start believing in this socialist utopia
where everything is free and life is wonderful and there is no danger
cause we all love the planet and each other! freaks! get this guy out
of office in 2012 or there will be a major attack on the US if not before
because these other military leaders are laughing at this bozo!
I retired from the military in 1995. I payed for medical and dental when I retired. A Democrat was President. What was that you were saying? When Bush was President, it was his fault. While Obama is President, it's the Republican Congress's fault. Which is it-the President or Congress? Bush had the house in his corner for 6 of 8 years. He had the Senate 4 of 8 years. Obama has had the house 2 of 3 years and the Senate 3 of 3 years. Who do you blame the most? Dems have controlled the Congress 54 of the last 66 years. Who do you blame for erosion of benefits to the people who have ensured you have the ability to point your finger while on your high horse? This whole thing isn't about party. It's about doing what's right for our country. As long as people like you sit on your A?? and point fingers, nothing changes. I am therefore casting my vote for reinstituting the draft-it's the way of the future with our country as long as our leaders have no concept of what sacrifices the military members make to ensure people have basic freedoms. Oh, and that statement about compromise? Check how many times Dems filibustered Bush the last years of his administration. The shoe fits on both sides of the isle.
So, what? Obama isn't the first President who hasn't served in the military.
What happened to the free medical and dental care? The funding for that went to the millionaires and billionaires in permanent tax cuts.
Yes, the US is in a mess. The economy has been dismantled over the course of a decade, or more. Things finally collapsed. It isn't complicated. If someone isn't working they can't buy products myriad companies offer.
Good post Vet ..Spot on.
I retired four years after you.
You're right-Obama isn't the only one that didn't serve in the military.Clinton(DEM),FDR(DEM), Hoover(REP), Coolidge(REP), Harding(REP), W.Wilson(DEM), Taft(REP), G.Cleveland(DEM), Van Buren(DEM),John Q Adams(both) and John Adams(FED) are the others. How's that for a list. Evan Carter served. The funding for the military didn't get chopped by millionaires and billionaires. They take advantage of the tax loopholes like everyone else. Talk to Congress and the finance committees about that. The Republicans didn't control Congress for over the majority of time-Dems did. The economy hasn't been dismantled-we as a people have overspent and our country led the way. I have to balance my budget. I do that and the majority of Americans do that. Why aren't we demanding the same of our government? It's not Dem vs Repub anymore-it's american fighting american over the spoils our government lets us have.
So what if he hasn't "served in the military", Bush served nothing but his own self-interests when his daddy got him in the TANG, and then he went AWOL.
To answer Stoney and Bob, I didn't say anything about Obama not serving in the military. Feeling guilty for not serving your country? Don't take it out on those of us who did. Throwing stones at Bush doesn't solve any of the problems we have. He had to fight a opposing Congress just like Obama has had to do. He just didn't get up on the bully pulpit and cry to the public about how House Republicans are ganging up on him. This BS rhetoric from both sides does nothing more than setting one side against the other. Of course, then we wonder why nothing gets solved. Go figure!
Why would the billionaire corporations of the Military Industrial Complex want to cut military spending (the offensive budget) most of it goes in their pockets.
How about mandatory National Service (no you don't have to kill anyone) 1 year. Training, discipline, direction, service to the country, responsibility, etc etc.....the youth of today could sure use a bit of that.
There has to be a way to cut the offensive budget and not off the backs of vets either. How about we get started on the waste, no bid contracts, Hailiburton, hardware not applicable to current situations, cut back on the world police force, get out of Afghanistan, corruption and graft in contracting (oh the fat cats won't like that), administration overload, I could go on. It's a mindset that the Military Industrial Complex thrives on, fear and the untouchability of the Offensive Budget.....gotta change.
If it's good enough for our fighting men/women, it should be enough for our elected officials.
The elected officials should participate with our great veterans, who took the ultimate risk for this country..
No more.. No less..
Stop the double standards..
FREE MEDICAL CARE OR DENTAL??????
I have never seen anything free, especially coming through the government.
Nothing is free, some one always has to pay for it eventually.
Azrancher,
Let me be one vet who thanks you for paying for my VA med care than I earned by taking those hits for the nation during one of our wars.
Sure, nothing is free, but I fulfilled my obligation, and I trust the government fulfills their contract with me, and others who served.
And for those who believe that the Obama desire to have a single payer plan - doesn't work. Your costs will increase as well as your wait time to see the limited number of physicians practicing.
Can't wait until one daughter completes her PA program - med care for life!
The reason the wait time increases is because people won't be left in the street because they can't afford insurance. Health care is rationed right now between the rich and the poor, and that's why things seem so nice for people with health insurance.
As I remember it, Iran fought Iraq to a no-decision for 8 years; we kicked Sadam out in 30 days, even with the downsized military that Bush inherited from Clinton.
Without an economy that works we will wind up just like the Soviet Union, a super power that can't afford to feed its own people and collapses of its own weight. The other current example of that is North Korea, where even lighting up your house at night is beyond the reach of all but the elites. But, if you folks really want to keep a cold war military posture to deter Iran, let's reinstate the draft with no exemptions and lets raise taxes to pay for it. Everybody serves and everybody pays for it, just like in WWII. Or would you be happier if we fought it out with other people's children and other people's money?
A Yank in Australia.........your post is way to logical for this board ! You are 100% correct.
MM-######.....oops, I'll work on it....it's that damn lick of commonsense it keeps coming back to haunt me.
Thanks
Forget the plan Mr. President even cutting the military down to zero still brings the public debt to 19 trillion by 2016. Now try something different cut the budget down the line by 15% and raise taxes by cutting loopholes for both workers and corporations. Pay back Social Security trusts and the rest of the trust taxpayers pay fro separately like roads, waterways use etc. Don't leave the deficit for two or three more generations, forget the gimme programs. Stop abusing the (middle class), giving the lower 20% the freebies and by all means either get the highest 10-20% to invest in America not a tax shelter in a third world country or pay 80% income tax of their AGI. If they invest they get to deduct the dividends from their AGI. The more they invest, the more jobs are created and the deficit gets paid off in less than ten years.
What's that old saying; "Old rich men make wars and young men die fighting them".
Old men should fight wars.......
The military like you to get up early....were already up early to pee anyway.
Were grouchy and ready to shoot people.....
We already lived most of our lives so death is no stranger, were already expecting him.
Old Age and Treachory will always overcome youth and skill....
Let the young stay here and fix our country. :)
Part of the reason we have the problems we do is that for the last 50 years we have continuously given the rich tax breaks. What has it brought us but recession that looks like the great depression. I do agree that something should be done about double taxation of dividends. Also, it has become obvious that the Air Force and Navy are much bigger than we need. Meanwhile the army and marines (now isn't that stupid, we have two armies) have been stretched to the limit. Of course if we did not get involved with three disasters (Iraq, Afganistan, and Libya), we would be much better off, the arabs would not hate us so much, those countries would be much stabler, and Iraq would not be effectively an ally to Iran. What are we doing with a military that spends more than the rest of the world?
I can just imagine an army of old folks rolling over the hills of Europe on up-armored motorized scooters with rocket launchers and oxygen tanks.
We have spent $3.7 TRILLION on the wars since 9/11. Enough is enough!
Sure, we don't need to keep terrorists out of the US. Maybe they can stay in your backyard?
World = F*cked
What happened was that no one could foresee that, what 40-50 years ago were inconsequential costs for healthcare and retirement payouts, would help balloon the defense budget to over $700 billion today. I am a veteran, and I assume from what you wrote you are too-thank you for serving-but we all have to accept that things can't continue the way they are. The world has changed dramatically. The US does not control the world any longer, and we can't afford to act like we do. The days of huge ground wars with hundreds of thousands of men and machines is over. We need a more focused military, that costs a lot less, and that is what the President is trying to lead us to. It's time.
Absolutely agree. Obama, Panetta, and the military seem to coming up with a reasonable approach to a more cost-effective military. I'm sure that Bob Gates had a hand in this direction. We need to get our house in order and these actions appear to be the right first steps.
why don't he cut cost on his liberal agenda like giving away billions to soylandra
and all his union buddies and wall street and lazy asses who refuse to WORK!
and cut medicare waste and pork spending etc...before you cut the military?
why? cause he's a big spending liberal who wants more money to create his
socialist worldorder and become a dictator! oh he already is acting like one!
well let's see Ervin--it WASN'T BILLIONS to Solyndra, first off! And you are criticizing the very people you depend on firefighters, police, teachers, etc when you say unions sitting on their butts, and 'cut waste and pork spending sounds great when even if done it wouldn't amount to a hill of beans compared to thedeficit or debt, and the rest I just won't dignify with a comment. The only "lazy" one I see here is you throwing out BS statements that aren't supportable. Quit the blame game for crying out loud and do something to help the country instead of whinning and complaining.
I really hope all of you are aware that cutting $489 billion from the Defense budget over the next ten years will not change at least one thing: Today, we spend more on defense than the next ten largest national defense budgets in the world - combined! Cutting $489 billion will not change that fact. Even after the proposed cuts, we will still be spending more on defense than the next ten largest defense budgets in the world.
Eisenhower had a very good crystal ball, didn't he? "Beware of the military industrial complex."
Bruce- Well done! Isn't it too bad when we ignore a Five Star Generals warning and continue to allow the industrial-military complex dictate and control our economy and budgetary spending?
As long as our country doesn't send our men off to war without body armor and in tin can humvees like "W" and Rumsfeld.
Actually that was what Clinton did Slick. By 1998 the Marines were training with wooden rifles and did not have enough ammot to go around. Like Obama, Clinton slowly stripped the military benefits until they were merely a shadow of what they were.
When Clinton decided to invade Haiti he found he did not have enough troop ships ( none) because they had all been mothballed ad part of his defense benefits plan.
proud
WOW! All I can say is "you are full of Crap".
flnobody... Look at the facts. When I enlisted Carter was President and whne I retired it George Bush. I lived through it..so don't call it crap. Hillary (the First Lady then), Barabra Boxer, and Diane Feinsten wen through the military benefits programs like they were spending their own money. Hillary made no secret her and Al Gore's disdain for the military. Why do you think Bill never visited the troops with her?
you do understand, proud, that no president has the power to just change things or cut military benefits. These are the very "balanced budget", 'budget surplus' things that Newt the Hoot is thumping his chest about in campaigning. Keep in mind that all these cuts you blamed Clinton for were approved by a Republican house. You can't distort history and expect not to be challenged. By the way, I am a veteran who, it appears, served while you were in grade school so don't even think about pushing the "how would you know, you probably never even were in the military" routine on me.
You are right on ragtop. While they bash Clintion for cutting the military they ignore the fact that is the force that George W used to whack the Iraqui army in a month. Or maybe they'll tell us that Bush performed a miracle and transformed an army of wooden rifles into a world class force in just a few months. Yeah, really!
In more recent times, from 2001 to 2011 the Department of Defense budget has increased 71% according to CNN.
Like Reagan said--Nobody ever got into a war by looking too strong.
My thought - After finally making some headway with health care for our veterans, don't do them wrong.
Well nobody will ever acuse odumbo of looking to strong. I just hope he does not replace saluting with bowing......
the way everything is----many of our service people went into the armies because their was no work around, many of them r 23--25 and already did their tours ,and now at home ---guess what their still is no work for them !!!
nothing is changing---they need to stay in the service and make a life out of it ---they will be better off and on top of this why don't the govt bring back the draft?? making all 18-19 yr olds serve ,,, 2-4 yrs,,,
The words " Walk softly but carry a big stick " echo in my ears. The World is Full of people that would love to destroy our country by any means. We have to remain Strong to remain Free.
unknown
Like the GOP?
unknown1, so how many more aircraft carriers and strike aircraft at $150 million each do you think it would take to have us remain strong and free?
We cannot get this buffoon out of office quick enough and yes i said buffoon not the other.
AWOL Bush is already gone, nimrod, now we have an intelligent, thinking man at the helm.
Who the apologiser and chief ? Request permission to relieve the helm. Mayday Mayday . Hard riiiiiiiiiight rudder!
If only Bush could have served a third term who knows how many other sovereign nations he could have invaded - keeping all expenditures off budget, of course.
Maybe it's time for a Jewish prez that wont spend so much money
Where's Anthony Weiner when we need him ??
Probably with Clinton checking out the female congressional pages.
This is an inevitable 10 year plan within reason for our time , but Obama will , make it seem like he's deserves some kind of monument , in his honor for it....
Ronald Reagan said the problem with the USA is the Government so they voted him and others like him in to office. Guess what? The military is part of the Government. So, why are you complaining now? The Republicans support the downsizing of all military benefits - that's call ridding ourselves of all government entitlements. If the working middle class would just wake up and realize they are getting screwed by the Republicans we wouldn't be in this mess now.
proudamerican, you are really a nut case, we have been in the war for the last hundred year, wooden rifles my butt, you mean the stock, right, you got to get out of that trailer park. and as a vietnam vet, what the hell are you talking about, you are such a looser.
Everyone think reducing the military is a good idea but I think they all need to rethink their strategy again. The President idea may be a good idea only if he plans to reduce or remove the military presence from overseas only and continue to strengthen up the military here at home, and continue to work on updating the existing military hardware infrastructure, invest on new innovations for guns and nuclear power, also continue to recruit and train new members so that they can be ready for when one of these warlords attack us because USA has many competitors around the world waiting to take us down and claim to be the super power while they forget that without the influence USA, they are all will be the third world country they were. This is the reason why they hate us American everywhere. USA shouldn’t trust anyone of these so called allies because the very ones which claim to be the USA friends are comparing themselves with the USA every day. All Americans have to do to check on that is read and watch foreign news online and they will see for themselves. We are doom if we don’t pay attention to details.
Todays military strategy is much different than 20 years ago , The new technology should decrease the loss of human life and the financial cost of wars , If that is not the case then what is the point of all the New Technology?
Wonder, technology is great but take it from me, there is no such thing as safe combat and there never will be. The PR departments of the tech companies love to show off their latest gadgets, but some grunt still operates those toys and still comes home in a flag-draped coffin.
Obama will cut far more than needed and leave us dependent on having enough missiles with nukes. Of course that is a pretty nice way to keep our lads out of harms way.
Fo Shizzle go stir Fry.
woofyone you must work for a defense contractor or be one , to be propagating this nonsense
except he has already begun to destroy those also.....
Will Obama go to war to help his reelection chances?
Why is Chavez building missle pad in Venazula with a construction company owned by the Iranian government? Do these fools want to lob rockets at the US?
Is Obama going to do anything about it or ignore that little country?
winemaker, are you taking too many sips of your product?
Hey VFW aren't you suppose to be watching the veterans too? Why is it that the only thing I see in the news is that YOU the VFW are only concerned with the military and NOT with the veterans?...........................
The next idiot that cries about "welfare" is gonna get slapped (metaphorically of course) but you get the point. Look at the Federal Budget! Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, and the Military are 1, 2, and 3 in terms of sucking up our wealth! Is Medicare and SSI "welfare"? No, then STFU about welfare. You could cut all of welfare and it wouldn't even cover the cost of ONE carrier battle group! (We have ELEVEN of those by the way). That's more than there are oceans on the planet! How about that cool F-35 fighter? Yeah at $100 mil each how many of those are we gonna need? Australia is having second thoughts about buying the F-35 because their likely adversaries are buying FIVE times as many SU-35's for HALF the total cost!! The F-22 is so expensive we CAN'T EVEN USE IT unless there is an Alien Invasion of the Earth!! What Navy are those fancy Seawolf submarines supposed to shoot at?? My G_d, what IS it with you people that can't accept ANY reduction in military spending??? Who the bloody h3ll are you planning to fight? The whole world?? Don't you think that money would be better spent on our bridges, dams, telecommunications, space exploration or any number of things that actually BENEFIT US??? Don't cut the benefits or salaries; cut the #*@(#$*$ HARDWARE!!!
Man Bashir, I gotta agree with you. And I'm a former reservist. While I think we need all 11 carriers to project our force as needed (theyre not all out there at the same time, some are back in port), we don't need bases in Germany and Japan. Now, I think we will leave Germany except for the hospital, but I think Obama will keep them in Japan to balance China. There's no reason we cant make further improved versions of our current fighters. Face it, we have to reduce our expenses. Cutting 10-20,000 troops is not the end of the world, we'd draft more if the Us is attacked.
The VFW guys are making leaps that we will reduce benefits, which has not been released yet. Let's not worry about it unless it happens. I wanted a bigger reduction to Defense (and out of Japan and into our borders), but this is a start. Now on to our other expense reductions domestically and also to some tax raises!!
As a veteran I would just like to express amazement at how short sighted and self serving politicians are for the gratitude they express for those to lay it on the line for them to perpetuate reactive protection for this country. They did the same thing after the Viet Nam War. We lost the core of a fighting force that was ill equipped to wrap up for the two wars we have fought for the past decade.
Now we have one of the best trained fighting forces we have had for decades. If you think Iran and the other countries that are infiltrated with an enemy that is insane, but lethal, is going sit back and not take advantage of our actions? Do you think the Soviet Union has enjoyed sitting in the back seat these past several years.
So why is it so easy to cripple our forces, throw the men and women who have bled, worried, sacrificed and given of themselves in ways most people don't even understand, out into the street, cut the benefits they have earned, and walk away with a shallow thank you. We will end up with a draft system again and spend twice the amount of money to try and train men and women of the armed forces. Proactive? I think not. Stupid? Without question.
I am a retired disabled viet nam vet . every time the GOP gets in power, the VA and veterans suffer.This president is the first one to have the VA "s budget fully funded . Last Jan. Paul Ryan propose over a billion dollar cut to the budget
Hey Hey Denny. Don't just blame the GOP. You check your facts it was not JUST the GOP that stabs us Vets in the back but the whole Congress and House of Representatives that does it. Oh I for got the biggest back stabber, THE WHiTE HOUSE. Every time that something needs to be downed they, All of them looks to the vets first..................................................
You're spot on Charles. Veterans are pawns in the greater plan to protect the criminal aliens so they may continue to vote the Dems in power. For $60, an illegal can obtain a CA drivers license, a ss card along with a voter registration card.
The illegals get priority on health care while many suffer. In CA a criminal alien received eleven operations and over one year in intensive care to recover from an illness. Now I believe help should be given, but if a citizen happened to have the same issue, would he/she be provided the same care?
Now the illegal is returning to Mexico. If this happened to a citizen, would his/her house and income be taken to repay the cost?
The Republicans didn't give a damn about the rats and roaches roaming the halls of Walter Reed, but Obama sure did. I hope the Administrator of Walter Reed that Obama fired rots in hell.
Charles I lived a life time in VA hospitals waiting time after time to get treatment The worst was when GOP was in power. As I mention before it"s the GOP house that propose the deep cuts to the VA It was really tough when Bush [2] was in power The VA could only hire foreign doctors that I couldn't understand .
Those in washington know we still have more enemies coming up Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia. Even if the cut the benefits they will just have to bring them back. When we do fight again and with the current situation with Iran. That may be closer than people think.
I am amazed at all the BS here.... does anyone realize that we still borrow 41 cents for every dollar the Feds spend. Folks, everything in the budget needs to be on the table for cuts. Before I get mis-labeled as some liberal, I am a Viet Nam vet, served 25 years in the military, served in combat etc and now retired. But folks, military pay and benefits today is out of sight.... an E-5 in the military today makes more money than an engineer. If you want to pay the Marine in Iraq for his service, then pay huge combat bonuses and not the huge base pay, overly generous housing allowances, COLA, etc for everyone in uniform. Why is it every time cuts to defense comes up we act like we are crippling the nation ? Defense contractors, who make tons of money (I was one once), scream and talk of jobs losses when if we spent the same amount of money we are to spend of the F-35 on rebuilding our country's infra-structure, we would create more jobs. Big defense budgets doesn't mean greater security... we spent 2 trillion getting a couple of Saudi terrorists and Sadam (he was a "bad man" we are told) over the past 10 years and I don;t know what we accomplished. What will happen is Iraq will go into a civil war and return to the same type of country it was before we invaded, Afganistan will probably do the same but it may take a year longer
Good post man, as former reservist, thanks for your service!
rick-723786...Spot on with your observations.
I enlisted in the Army in 1963 and was honorably discharged as a Spec E-5 in 1966. My top pay was $215/mo. <grin>
I am convinced that the worst thing our nation did regarding the military was going all volunteer. (These guys get more in signing bonuses than I got my whole enlistment.) The thing that bothers me more than the money, however, is the nagging question of how is an all volunteer military any different than a mercenary army?
Rick....I for one agree with all that you said.
Bruce -848280......we must have passed each other, I went in as you came out and as I recall my check as an E-1 was $78 a month and I had a $25 Savings Bond taken out of that !
I think we really need to have a draft and a requirement for some type of National Service. It would be good for our youth and good for the country.
BTW, I see some people here trashing the VA, but they have done right by me, no complaints ! Kudos to the people at Northport VA, they are the best !
.... sent too soon.
Anyway in the end we will spend 2 trillion bucks for nothing and the military will in Congress crying for new tanks, helicopter, airplanes, guns, etc because the wore out in the middle east or left it there for our buddies to have in defending themselves.... all to the tune of another $trillion.
The VFW just wants a candidate that makes all of his major speeches at VFW halls like W. Bush.