Your editorial on the ”sacred cow, military pensions” displeased me, as the writer knew it would. But I have begun to see that the Harpies are at it again, and are spreading the big lie to the point where it is beginning to be accepted by the Congress and the press as gospel. It demeans me; so please do me a favor and make an effort to scotch this one, once and for all:
Military Retired Retainer Pay is not the equivalent of food stamps and Aid to Dependent Children. We receive it for an old-fashioned reason: We earned it.
When I enlisted in 1942, they told me about this wonderful pension system, and how it was recomputed each time the active duty personnel got an increase, so that 52 percent of base pay meant just that. It was a
justification for keeping the pay low because of future benefit. The Navy did not need all our knowledge and experience as much as it needed to make room so that others could be promoted. Variations in force levels over the years meant that those in my promotion zone saw 54 percent passed over for promotion to captain.
We are a pool who can be mobilized by telegram; no enlistment, registration or draft. Get the back of your hand out of my face.
