Military and government pensions are generous. You should only get them if you actually retire. That is, leave all paid work entirely.
Too many officers and politicians view their service as a stepping stone to a lobbying job for weapons manufacturers, foreign governments, or pro-war pressure groups. This means they do and say things, even during their service, that favor these groups and not the nation as a whole.
They can work for whoever they want, just not on our dime. Also FARA must be strictly enforced.