Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Letter to the editor:

Military benefit no longer affordable

There are two sides to be considered in the discussion of cutting military benefits. People choose to make a career out of military service. The pay may not be as good as in some private-sector jobs, but the retirement and medical benefits, such as the use of commissary, Base Exchange and military aircraft for travel, exceeds the retirement benefits of many private and public jobs.

I know of no other company where you can go to work at age 20, retire at age 40, and collect a pension with cost-of-living adjustments, as well as medical benefits, for the next 40 years or until death. The taxpayers can no longer afford that luxury. Earn a pension? Yes. Collect at age 65 (like everyone else)? Yes. 401(k)? Yes, so all veterans who have served can benefit.

Military members have this plan from time of enlistment, if they remain till retirement, until they die, through TriCare. Medicare starts at age 65 till death. This is a tremendous benefit. I feel that either everyone or no one in this great country of ours should have this privilege. No one group should be valued above another when it comes to basic rights such as health care.

Until such a system is in place, I strongly support the best possible medical care for all veterans injured while serving this country. I strongly support the GI bill for veterans.

I appreciate the voluntary service of all veterans. My husband is a veteran of the Vietnam War and served in the Air Force for 13 years before opting for a civilian career. However, common sense must prevail.

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