European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 26, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Military retirement by Robert Kaylor United press International t Hen chief radioman Ronald Collinson t inc 8alc f the Navy base for the last time a year ago at ago he earned the distinction of being one of the youngest Ever to retire from the military on a regular is through quirks in Collinson j j managed to retire with Only 18 of the Normal 20 years minimum service usually ills pension from Uncle Sam now is about a no matter what sort of civilian Job he those Blue government checks he gets in the mail will increase As a result of twice yearly Cost of living and they will continue the rest of his Thomas Moorcr retired As chairman of the joint chiefs of staff in became of living Cost in his annual pension of is higher than the base pay he received on Active retired cmdr James a former Navy Pilot who gels a pension of about went to work As a Well paid Washington representative of an aerospace contractor and ran afoul of the Law that officers cannot sell War material to the United suites for Throe years after they the Navy says to must forfeit some but Little is suing on grounds it is a violation of his constitutional rights he is considered to have a Chance of based on the precedent of a similar suit a few years these examples do not All apply to the average military but they illustrate some characteristics of a retirement described As Liberal by some and lavish by that is now the target of intense criticism and demands for military retirement pay will total about billion this about 7 per cent of the total defense not allowing for the figure could reach billion yearly in the next several with it could be three limes that by the end of the Tiv system is governed by a Thicket of regulations and about 350 sections of various boiled it Means that after 20 to 30 years on Active military people can retire on a lifetime pension that will Range Between about 33 to 62 per cent of the full pay and allowances they got in the unlike most other retirees in private Industry or the they contribute none of their pay to a retire ment the average enlisted Man who retires is about the average officer Many go on to other a growing about 1 out of every 7 of the approximately million retirees go to work for the fed eral government As they collect part or All their military pension plus a full government Pentagon officials want to get out from under the financial Burden of military removing it from the defense department budget and placing it with other government retirement defense Secretary Harold Brown describes the present system As los a Penta gon critic who is the author of one of several reorganization says it is nothing but a License to raid the the Issue rouses Strong service organizations say military people Are entitled to a generous retirement program because of the hardships of family frequent moves and other sacrifices including the possibility of giving their life for their coun critics pointing out that pension benefits Are not so Good for comparable civilian jobs such As firemen or programs for such jobs Are now almost All and while Many give half pay after 20 or 25 years few provide Cost of living it is apparent Congress will legislate changes in the military retirement exactly How quickly and in what form is not so easy to in the despite assurances by Brown and other officials that benefits will not be taken away from those already retired or nearing that Many military people who already see them selves As victims of an erosion of benefits Are some contend it is driving Good people from military careers and destroying in peacetime the military is a defenceless says George a retired air Force colonel who handles legislative affairs for the re tired officers i wish they get on with take it out of the political what it has done to the Active Force is a president Carter wants recommendations on what to do about military retirement from a Blu ribbon panel whose report too late for congressional action this Sam who Heads the military person Nel says the whole question of an Al vol Untener military must be reconsidered before final decisions on retirement that could carry it on even past next year because of the complexity of issues some congressional sources believe that As the 1980 election Carter might wish to wait for a second term to make Controvert some spokesmen Tor service groups say the entire pro Gram should not be considered As a pension be cause retirement is deferred pay that servicemen did not receive during their Active that View gets Short shrift from even the Pentagon says that since military pay has equalled or surpassed Many civilian a harder argument to Challenge is that the retire ment program keeps some servicemen in until or after the 20year even though life might be easier on the its a retention Factor that can keep a Guy in despite his wife says one spins proposal still would permit servicemen to quit after 20 but if they do they would not be permitted to collect a pension until age opponents of that plan argue that under it the military which needs Young blood in Many of its Active combat jobs quickly would become toph cavy with doddering old another proposal put Forward by a Pentagon study group Calls for retirement Points awarded on the basis of the Job those in combat jobs that require younger Points to to wait k thed of Conti groups civil Bremen Era Geof Bat real Rte event Prek Ato years pc people e promo Ali source into Nita Tranotti under who a their be serve of Ca Recti Parta Navy about letter then count la Cia not Cou Sion Alst the among congressional pay raise some wont by Ron Sakho Washington Star ims May con rail with an image of t but not everyone in Congress is pocketing Hal pay raise Hal caused a flood of protest mail a Small number of House and at least two consider the recent 29 t per cent pay raise for congressmen a cup of political Poison and Are refusing to some Call it some say the 29 per cent hike is too some cite Campaign some Point to Lack of a vote on the some Point to Good they can do with the some just tremble at the thought of facing the voters Back Home next the Washington Star has found 20 Congress men who have taken or Are planning o divert toe pay raise Money from their personal usually after taxes have been paid rom the their actions not Only Appeal to constituents who consider such a Large raise an but also put the legislators in a position to gain political mileage by financially supporting educational efforts and causes Back Home where inc voters can show their appreciation every two years at elect Ion one of them is James a freshman re publican from who is refusing to Lake any More than a salary of although Hes entitled to like other members of the House and a Man of Means who ran a successful pro pane Gas company in is donating just under to a Washington based political education Fellowship program for High school students and the Leach fellowships will allow about 30 students and teachers from his congressional District to Sec Washington political institutions each Leach is refusing to accept either a costo living pay increase congressmen received three years and which he opposed in an unsuccessful Campaign for Congress in or this years 29 per cent pay Hes doing it without taking out income tax Money and docs not plan to claim the donation As a tax Hes going to have an ugly tax the Iowa republicans approach is just one of toe avenues being followed by legislators re fusing to accept a pay raise they cannot decline under a situation which has some another wealthy member of millionaire Millicent plans to Send her pay raise Money Back to the As she did with a Cost of living increase congressmen got last tier wealth exceeds last term we tried to Send Back the pay increase every but the bookkeeping was a pain in the said a Fenwick this time were trying to Send it Back while there is some confusion among Congress men looking into returning their Money to the government about the deductions they can take for the comptroller generals office told the House in 1975 thai such gifts to the Treasury can be deducted As a charitable another wealthy Helen plans to donate the entire amount of the pay to charities in new where her attorney formerly served As this would allow the Meyners to deduct the amount As a charitable contribution on their income tax but will hardly be a tax Relief since the two pay Between and in Federal taxes a according to her congressional actually congressmen wont get a full this because the pay raises didst go into effect until  get More like those deducting tax Money from that amount figure they have about left to divert to other Liberal Patricia one of the most outspoken critics of the pay took a vote in her family in a caucus attended by her Hus an and their two Jaime and the Schroc dvrs voted to donate to the Denver childrens visited frequently by the conservative Charles who joined Schroeder in fighting the pay plans to donate to charities in his congressional District which will be selected by a special cons Titu tents last year Grassley returned his of living raise to the David started a program of charitable donations and High school scholarships with last sessions Cost of living this year Hes expanding that to include seminars and forums of inters to his Barbara was both ered by toe fact that the pay for con Gressmen is five times higher than the median income of the people she represents in the Baltimore she plans to donate the of the pay increase it a Flor to Cwi five Washington Are to pocket their entire pay increases planning not Beer Enre pay increases Gladys noon plans to usher after taxes to try to improve constituent serv in the donating his pay in which the Mot Versille Sinneck dents must be so since the nation with education Edward donate his pay toe freshman looking into the signal internships Philip donated or  dded How mum an aide Danio owner and attorn after taxes to i strict for sex aral of group that sent Tom 8 Haw of ret donating it to we Stab tit tem ships with the Leon separate account vote on the the fund until which Hes Sla Fonn vague on his the suit Watt All of his pay ral rations in Page the stars and stripes april 1977