THIS IS GREAT!!!!! MOST OF YOU, ALONG WITH MYSELF CAN SAY "BEEN THERE, DONE (DOING)THAT" AND YOU CAN KISS MY BUTT LADY!
The message speaks for itself. It's a shame that some people have the gall to put things in print that they know nothing about. This seems to give us a good idea of what our military personnel are paid.
Subject: 02-Mar-04 Military pay; Re: Scott McClain
On 12 Nov, Ms Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show) wrote a piece for the Washington Times, denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service members' way this year -- citing that the stated 13% wage was more than they deserve.
A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. He ought to get a bonus for this!
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"Ms Williams:
I just had the pleasure of reading your column, "Our GIs 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 leave and earnings statement (LES), I see that I make $1,117.80 before taxes. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When I run that through Windows' 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 (AFNCC), where I am part of the team responsible for the administration of 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 with my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a year, nor does it pay less than this. No, this job is being offered at $70,000 to $80,000 per annum. I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.
Also, you tout increases to Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (housing and food allowances), respectively, as being a further boon to an already overcompensated force. Again, I'm curious as to where this money has gone, as BAH and BAS were both slashed 15% in the Hill AFB area effective in January 00.
Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you have 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 AFDC, 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 DOD 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 DFP (Defensive Fire Position, the modern-day 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 (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 nearly be 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 op-ed 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 rights 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 nose 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?
Rubbish!
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I am NOT depressed... I've just been in a bad mood for 7 years!
Actress Cindy Williams (of Laverne & Shirley fame) wrote a newspaper article denouncing a proposed pay raise for the military.
Status: False.
No, actress Cindy Williams, who portrayed sweet, lovable Shirley Feeney on the 1970s sitcom Laverne & Shirley hasn't been writing newspaper articles denouncing our "overpaid" servicemen. Back in January 2000, a different Cindy Williams -- one working as a senior research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was once assistant director for national security in the Congressional Budget Office -- contributed an op-ed piece to The Washington Post (not the Washington Times) in which she criticized a proposed 25% pay increase for military personnel (on top of a 4.85% raise that had just been enacted)
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I've done everything to try to squelch it, but nothing seems to work," says Miss Williams of "Laverne and Shirley" fame. "I have people writing and calling me, even my friends, asking: 'Are you against a pay raise for the military?' And I reply, 'You know me, I'd fight [in the military] if I could, because I am such a patriot.'"
Ironically enough, much of the angry correspondence (even "hate mail") the actress has received has come from the military ranks.
"It's been really worrisome," says the actress. "It's terrible to malign people like that. I don't know where to go to say I didn't do this."
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There really is no need to apologize. I don't know where Charlie P gets his info. But we have not had troops in Iraq for 4 or 5 years. And yes, you may have identified the wrong Cindy Williams, but that doesn't change the fact that there was, and probably still is, A Cindy Williams that opposes military pay raises and has no clue what she is talking about!!! There are a whole lot of folk that have the mistaken impression that our military live high on the hog, when in fact they for the most part live under the hog and try to share its slop to have something to eat!!!
Lamb, Charlie didn't say that we had troops any where five years ago. He simply stated that the article was writen in 2000.
But, we have had troops in just about every corner of this world for many many years now including Iraq. They may not have been at war but I guarantee you that they were there and they have been there a lot longer than 5 years. I was there in 96' sitting off the coast on a destroyer making sure that nothing happend.
As far as pay raises go, these guys and gals will never make enough money for what they do. NEVER!!!!!!! If it still averages out the same a person serving in the milittary is eligable for food stamps / welfare until they are an E-5. Talk about BS!!!!
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"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency........... Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such as those who made him their president."
Bill, If you check the link you'll see where they got the info,never said we had troops in Iraq for 4-5 years. Your right it was another Cindi Williams. That exactly what the article link I posted states.
The reason I posted the link to the Urban legands web site is becasue the CW that was in L&S has recieved alot of hate mail because of this erronous e-mail.
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We will NEVER pay the uniformed services people what they deserve for putting their lives on the line 24/7 so the rest of us can sit home in comfort and safety, and have the freedom to make statements as stupid and utterly indefensible as WHOEVER MADE THIS STATEMENT DID!
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"Bitte, trinks du das Wasser nicht. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
Military Salaries WAY too high!!
