Your Commander in Chief is helping you. Why is there a disparity in the cost of living allowance and the military pay raise 2.3% COLA and 3.5% military raise? Does this mean my groceries and gasoline are cheaper because I'm on disability?



3.5 Percent Pay Raise on Hold
Week of December 31, 2007

President Bush's veto of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 postpones the expected 3.5 percent across the board raise passed by Congress. However, due to a preexisting law, servicemembers are guaranteed a pay increase, which means military servicemembers will see an across-the-board pay increase of 3.0 percent in their Jan. 15, 2008 pay checks.

White House officials have stated that they will work with Congress to make sure the additional 0.5 percent pay raise is approved and retroactive to Jan. 1 under a reworked NDAA. Compare the 2008 3.0 and 3.5 percent military pay charts.

Let your elected officials know how you feel about this.

Sound Off...What do you think? Join the discussion.
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This is being covered in VA News and associated items of interest: http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/423002698...261001#1400064261001

and VA PTSD Payments Vary State to State: http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/423002698...261001#2360087261001

Thannks Ron. This issue is so important I hope all of the forumily will post messages on all three topics, this one and the two above, to keep this in the eye of the Military.com members, both active and reserve, as well as all veterans.

By the way, please welcome Bomingo into our forumily!
Welcome Ron!

First of all,a 3.5 increase is not nearly enough.It is a disgrace the way our active military members are treated.I know some military members who are on food stamps.I am sorry,but I think if we are supposed to show respect to our elected officials,they must earn it,and that includes the president.Keep in mind that they work for us,and the power of the vote is all we have.I have written my state Rep.on several issues,and her response was always the same " its'the law ".I wonder if we cut their (the politicians) benifits and salaries by about 60%,how many of them would be fighting to get into office.I think they should be paid the same as a regular civil service employee,and with the same pay raises and retirement plan.

Jimmoshier, you make a very good argument and I also believe in what you say...We have elected those who represent us and we should pass this message along to all vets to elect those who are for us and remove those who are not.....

As a P+T disabled Vietnam vet the 2.3% is rather small and my community representatives are receiving 4% for this year. I do believe congresspeople missed the quality of life issue and in my opinion our percentage should include increases attached to QOL percentages...We get performance increases in any work atmosphere so when the disabled vet is not able to shine their talents thus being awarded for their work then we should get a heaping amount because we kinda missed the boat due to our Military Disabilities. Some Web sites have said that it can go to 25% depending upon the age of the vet...

I understand the QOL Issue is still being talked about so we need to address our politicians as I do on a weekly or monthly basis and tell them to support the vets who have been affected both financially and how we missed our goal of achieving the best we could be...

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmoshier:
First of all,a 3.5 increase is not nearly enough.It is a disgrace the way our active military members are treated.I know some military members who are on food stamps.I am sorry,but I think if we are supposed to show respect to our elected officials,they must earn it,and that includes the president.Keep in mind that they work for us,and the power of the vote is all we have.I have written my state Rep.on several issues,and her response was always the same " its'the law ".I wonder if we cut their (the politicians) benifits and salaries by about 60%,how many of them would be fighting to get into office.I think they should be paid the same as a regular civil service employee,and with the same pay raises and retirement plan.

I'm on your side. I agree that 3.5% is unfair, and 3 % is also unfair, but a lousy 2.3 % is a joke. An example: a can of coffee has increased from an average of $5.00 to over $10.00. My homeowners insurance just increased by 15% (never filed a claim against them). My mortgage (ARM) payment just increased by $265.00 . The price of milk has increased by almost 35 %. We won't even get into the price of gasoline.


Do you think the government may have gotten the decimal point in the wrong place? Can anyone tell me where the hell they get the (COLA) cost of living figures?


As for them working for us.....that's really not true if you think about it. They vote themselves a raise. iF THEY WORKED FOR US as you say, then WE SHOULD BE THE ONES WHO DECIDE WHEN AND HOW MUCH OF A RAISE THEY HAVE EARNED. Let's have a law passed that gives us the right to vote on their raises, and then I'm sure you would see them paying attention to the voter.

The pre-election promises are just that..promises. We all know the phrase "Promises are made to be broken". So how can you tell me who's for us and who's against us?

Where else could anyone work and give themselves a raise?

I would have loved to just give myself a raise when I was in the workforce.

For VA disability compensation, the 2.3% increase doesn't come close to REALITY as to how consumer prices have dramatically increased over 2007-08. AMAZING.