As a Service Member, we are vastly under manned or understaffed. Our retention is terrible due to the fact that our pay is mediocre to say the least, our benefits are minor (Not terrible) and we put our lives on the line for America, go on deployments away from our families for months on end with no real compensation. Our pay is also taxed when in reality we get paid by taxpayers, so in reality it’s like we’re paying ourselves.
We should take a hard look at Military Base Pay to improve retention. Better BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) to accommodate affordable rent for Service Members. Better BAS (Basic Allowance for Sustenance) to be able to afford food. Better pay increases the longer you stay in to incentivize staying in longer.
We fight for the American people and get little in return, we have enough stress as it is with our jobs, deployments, work ups and training. We shouldn’t have to worry about feeding our families, paying rent, paying for gas, bills and such.
What do you think about funding pay increases for deployable active duty by cutting any service member with a rating on “non-deployability” on their permanent profile?
There are many reasons they might have that rating, but the fact is they won’t be deployed and Service Members like you have to go more often to make up for them. Might also aid retention to know your fellows are all pulling their weight.
Not entirely a bad idea, however they get hit with what’s known as a “LIMDU” or limited duty status to encourage them on getting healthy or processed out of the Military Via Medical board. Pay deduction would be in my opinion a chastisement for some because accidents happen. Pay increases for those deploying would be beneficial and aid retention but at the same time pay increases for all across the board would not only help retention but also aid in those looking to join as in a lot of cases there’s a lot set to retire with no replacements.
I believe we need to abolish the standing army and have only state level militias. I realize we learned a lesson during the War of 1812 (poorly supplied and trained state militias) so that is where the emphasis should be.
While the Constitution does allow Congress to raise and support armies, it also appropriations are not to last more than 2 years. Congress has made a joke of this requirement and the military has become “too big to fail.”
I would have less issue with a person choosing to make the military his career if the standing army were small, and supplemented by state militias instead.
I understand where you’re coming from and reforming the Military is a viable solution to a lot of the problems within the Military as a whole. Low funding especially, where is our money going? A lot of conformity that shouldn’t be allowed in my opinion and a lot of the “New Navy” is just ridiculous, in all seriousness, the new so called “woke agenda” mother fuckers wouldn’t have mad it passed p-days back in the day.
Also, side note, today marks seven years in the Navy for me.