LETTER: ‘Support our troops’

“Support our troops.” We have all seen the bumper stickers but who is really supporting our troops, certainly not anyone in Washington. The budget for 2015 does anything but support our troops.

First, our men and women in uniform are taking a one percent reduction in pay for 2015 and a reduction in their housing allowance. The bill also includes reductions to commissaries and increases in medical co pays. If passed, future retirees will see a one percent reduction in their cost of living allowance which will result in thousands of dollars over their lifetime.

Then there are our veterans who have to rely on charities such as the Wounded Warrior Project and the DAV, or, some with PTSD, just stand on street corners begging for handouts. Our government should be spending whatever it takes to care for the men and women who have given parts of themselves to ensure our freedom.

On the flip side, reductions in manufacturing of tools of war did not go down. President Eisenhower warned us of the “military-industrial complex” in 1961. This term is used to describe the financial relationships among individuals as well as corporations, defense contractors, Congress, the Pentagon, and the executive branch. Do we really need to spend billions on weapons at the expense of our troops?

If you really want to “support our troops,” ask you’re Senators and Representatives how they voted on these issues and remind them that they can be replaced by someone who will vote for the men and women who proudly wear the uniforms of our United States military.

Robert Hirsch

Fort Walton Beach