military benefits

[Joe Moineau]

Just read that Senetor McCain supports the Governments position to reduce benefits for military benefits, and would like to know what Senetor Brown's position is. I am a retired Mass. Army National Guard Officer.

[Jaffo Nerr]

The only conservative position is to end benefits immediately. Soldiers are Free to carry off whatever they please in a time of war - they have the guns. Given this kind of extraordinary opportunity, soldiers should be able to return home with incredible wealth.

[1khybb624f5r6]

As advocated by both Senator Brown and the Senator from Alaska at the April 2012 senate hearing on Veteran homelessness, there are multiple opportunities for making the benefit programs for veterans more efficient with less duplication.  Senator Brown thoughtfully asked what strides had been made in actually ensuring that applicants were veterans and actually homeless before approving benefits, implying flawed administration at a very basic level.  Becoming more efficient and response is not the same as "cutting." 

So before one spring into knee-jerk responses to an changes in redundent programs, perhaps look at the detail.  Ask thoughtful questions:  Why do veterans have a separate health programs or retirement program; wouldn't combining these programs with pre-existing programs be more effective, with less overhead? Why is the administration setting up  job posting websites for returning vets, when Monster.com could be contracted with excellent preexisting infrastructure.   The recent inspector general's audit pointed to many areas of inefficiencies. 

Our leaders looking to use tax dollars more wisely should not be attacked every time that they even cast a glance at veteran's programs.