Isn’t it time to start cutting waste from the top of government, where it really exists?

Where is the honor in D. C. for our Armed Forces?

By A.J. Cameron (Bio and Archives)  Monday, October 24, 2011 | Print friendly | Subscribe | Email Us

A good CFP friend in Colorado Springs, CO, forwarded a short column written by Markeshia Ricks of the AirForceTimes.com on October 19th.  It addresses the fact that the Defense Department is planning to cut the tuition assistance program by reducing the cap that the military pays for military education.  Is there no honor in D. C. for those who serve to protect our nation?

I am a huge proponent of reducing government waste, fraud and malfeasance, but assisting those who protect us is not waste, fraud or malfeasance.  Too bad this can’t be said for the President, VP, most members of Congress, the DOJ, the un-Constitutional Czars, the mutation of ACORN, the many departments and agencies that are absolutely useless, abusive and/or un-Constitutional, and the unions that have had unprecedented access to taxpayer money and the legislative process under this regime. 

A friend of mine who works for a Federal agency says the salaries paid to Federal employees are way out of line and should be cut across the board.  When was the last time members of Congress took a pay cut or a reduction in benefits?  Isn’t it time to start cutting waste from the top of government, where it really exists?

Many within the military toil at barely subsistence wages, stretching families emotionally and financially, in addition to being separated for extended periods.  When deployed to theaters of war, those serving are sleeping in less than ideal conditions, even when safely behind the front lines.  If they have a career, their careers are suspended while they serve.  Is this potential reduction in education assistance due to the regime’s DHS Secretary Napolitano labeling of returning military veterans as potential domestic terrorists?  While this notion reveals much about the regime’s schizophrenia, wouldn’t education assistance reduce the minuscule potential of domestic terrorism by any non-Muslim American?

According to the article, the Marine Corps has already reduced its tuition assistance from $250.00 per credit hour to $175.00 per undergraduate credit hour and $225.00 per graduate credit hour, with an annual cap of $875.00.  The Air Force is also contemplating cuts.  Compare these assistance figures to the $4,500.00 annual cap for employees of the Department of Defense, and I’m confident most sober individuals will realize that if there needs to be cuts, the cuts should be directed towards those who already enjoy assistance that is far more generous and/or those who have not served within the military.  How do our politicians sleep with this abuse of those they send into harms way?     
A nation is judged by how well it keeps its responsible promises, how it cares for its most vulnerable and for those who serve to protect its citizens.  Our government gets an ‘F’ when it comes to the protection of innocent pre-born babies, ObamaCare is a ‘legislative’ assault upon all who are not exempt from it (including the President, VP, all members of Congress, and all of the President’s comrades), and it appears we are slinking towards a ‘D-‘ in caring for those who serve in our military. 

What each U. S. citizen needs to realize is that if pre-born babies and members of the military take a backseat to the care of the snail darter and the existence of CO2, the U. S. citizen will, most likely, be subjected to additional abusive assaults by all of those listed in the second paragraph, above.

With the announcement of military personnel being called home from Iraq by the end of the year, the probabilities of military personnel seeking to further their education are likely to spike upwards.  The potential reduction in education assistance will ripple throughout all of the military, and our economy.  Isn’t it sad that those in Congress, who profess their support and admiration for the military, either support the planned reduction in education assistance (Senator McCain), or remain mute on this issue?  The silence is deafening on this and so many crucial issues!

If you care about our country and those who protect you, you should contact your Senators and Representative to inform them that the reduction in education assistance for members of the military is unacceptable.  You can also direct your comments to Markeshia Ricks at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  We can and must do better, and our next opportunity to reverse the abhorrent abuses of those listed in paragraph two, above, comes on November 6, 2012. 

Many thanks to those who have served, continue to serve, and will serve to protect us from our enemies, both foreign and domestic!