U.S. Military (Ret.): Commission could cut benefits, but talks will take years, at least - Military Retirement - Navy Times

U.S. Military (Ret.): Commission could cut benefits, but talks will take years, at least

When the House of Representatives recently rejected the Pentagon’s call to create a new commission to recommend potential changes to the military retirement system, many retirees might have thought the issue was dead, at least for now.

Not so fast. Senate Armed Services Committee members not only endorsed the idea of a new commission, they voted to expand it into a sweeping review of “all elements of military compensation and retirement benefits.”

Each time this topic is discussed, all involved parties stress that current troops and retirees would not be affected by any potential changes.

That’s somewhat reassuring, although it’s not official until it’s in writing. Current older retirees know that some of the benefits promised to them 20, 30 or 40 years ago are gone or have been significantly reduced.

In the meantime, the drip-drip-drip of the slow legislative process creates a cloud of uncertainty for both troops and retirees. And the accompanying drumbeat out of the Pentagon to do something to rein in rising military personnel costs will not go away.

Personnel costs compete with the purchase of new military weapons and equipment, training and maintenance, and much, much more. But without people, there is no military. And the easiest way to make military service unattractive — particularly the idea of having a long military career — is to keep chipping away at benefits.

Steve Strobridge, director of government relations for the Military Officers Association of America, noted that troops, retirees and their families have reason for “legitimate fears” regarding proposed changes.

I would feel a little better if the Senate Armed Services Committee had followed the House’s lead and rejected a new commission to study active-duty and retiree benefits.

But if there’s any consolation to be found in the Senate committee’s decision, it’s that the commission’s work, and any follow-on decisions that would come of that work, would probably take at least two years.

It almost seems like senators are slow-rolling the issue. Clearly, there is concern about rising personnel costs, but there seems to be a sizable contingent in Congress that doesn’t want to confront this politically volatile powder keg head-on — certainly not in an election year.

So, they kick the can down the road. And for the foreseeable future, retirees must remain in wait-and-see mode.