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MILITARY OFFICER
NOVEMBER 2011 $4.75 THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF MOAA | ONE POWERFUL VOICE®
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Under the Gun
Gen. James F. Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, discusses modernization and budget challenges 50
MISGUIDED ATTACK A White House proposal cites a goal to civilianize some military benefits 31
ENLISTING AMERICA Joining Forces supports military families 60
PLUS: CHECK OUT MOAA’S MILITARY EDUCATION GUIDE
Marine Corps, Navy, and
feel guilty for living to be 80 — particularly when it may leave the
“ I almost
Air Force a little short on F-35s.
—Lt. Col. Dee Christensen, USA-Ret.
”
Benefits and Budget Cuts I was struck by [retired Navy Cmdr. W.F.] Hamelrath’s eloquent letter on the pro- posed changes to the retirement system [Your Views, November 2011]. He was spot-on. I would just add that comparing the inherent dangers of military service, which demands sacrifice of your freedom to act in your own benefit and the risking of life and limb, with civilian employment is ludicrous. Thoughtful adjustment of the retirement and health care plans can make sense; slashing results is abrogation of promises made and will gut defense. —Capt. Keith Falt, USNR-Ret. via email
With the [November 2011] issue of Mili- tary Officer, I am given a refreshed list of the DoD budget cuts that MOAA opposes. … Why do you folks not work on a list- ing of some areas where cost reductions might be acceptable? Perhaps MOAA should become part of the solution rather than just a critical bystander. The range of benefits for military personnel is very long. Surely not every one of them is es- sential to the health and welfare of our dependable troops. Some might even be out-of-date. … Most surely, the talent pool of retired officers should be able to make some pretty valid suggestions here. Please leave out the tried and true global but useless items such as “cutting fraud and waste.” We need specifics if we are to be taken credibly. —Lt. Col. Clayton “Fred” Brown, USA-Ret. Dallas, Ore.
Editor’s note: MOAA does propose solu- tions and alternatives to budget and other issues. For example, MOAA presented a list of cost-cutting alternatives to help abate the rising cost of military health care. The association recently was honored by a rank-
14 MILITARY OFFICER JANUARY 2012
ing member of Congress as being among the few organizations that bring solutions, not just problems, to the table. Here’s one exam- ple, a list of 16 options to reduce DoD health care costs:
www.moaa.org/16waystosave. Of course, we’re always looking for mem- bers’ ideas. Members may email MOAA’s Government Relations staff directly via
legis@moaa.org.
How can we expect this administration or Congress to understand anything about the retirement benefits of those who have served in the military when over 80 percent of them have never donned the uniform? —Lt. Richard B. Lilly, USNR-Ret. via email
Marines Under Pressure Regarding the article by Tom Philpott and his conversation with [Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. Amos, “Under Pressure,” November 2011], I was pleased to read the forthright answers Amos gave to the questions Philpott asked. … However, one answer concerning personnel costs, TRICARE, pay raises, and retirement costs was a reminder of [then-CNO Adm. Michael Mullen’s] comments in this same magazine some years ago [“Naval Action,” October 2006] when the good admiral simply said re- tired health [care] costs were too expen- sive. I almost feel guilty for living to be 80 — particularly when it may leave the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force a little short on F-35s. … I don’t think that those of us in the re-
tired ranks are going to let this be an easy thing for the chiefs to accomplish. It seems to me they are setting up an adversarial relationship with those who served and who still love the service. We have served the nation faithfully and to the best of our abilities. I believe we are willing to sacri-
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