This is a great letter. I thought everyone should see. Hope all is well......Mark...btw thanks Kaye

[Guest guest]

Subject: Support the Military

Ms (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 wage gap was bogus. A young airman from Hill AFB

responds to her article below. He ought to get a bonus for this!

Ms. :

I just had the pleasure of reading your column of 12 Jan, " Our GIs earn enough "

and I am a bit confused. ly, 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 25,000- 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

Saudi. 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 you manage to get for

the tuna noodle casserole or cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything.

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 Sarajevo, 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. , have the gall to say that we make more

than we deserve?

Rubbish!

A1C Bragg

Hill AFB AFNCC

Mark E. Armstrong

www.top5plus5.com

Oregon State Chapter Rep

Pancreatitis Association, International