[Blindvet-talk] Deploy Cindy Williams to the Middle East or Afghanistan with Military Pay

[NABlindVets at aol.com]

I am mad as hell!!! Read on!
Military  Pay
 
 
 
 
 



CINDY WILLIAMS  was appointed by Obama as an Assistant Director for 
NATIONAL SECURITY in the  Congressional Budget Office..... 

 




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 William  wrote a piece for the Washington Times denouncing the 
pay raise(s) coming  service members' way this year citing that she stated a 
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 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?  What  do you think someone should be paid to defend your life, and the 
life of  your family? 

 








A1C Michael  Bragg, Hill AFB AFNCC
 
Dwight D. Sayer
President,
The National Association of blind  Veterans
_www.nabv.org_ (http://www.nabv.org/)