Broken faith with military retirees
Published 4:27 pm Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Dear Editor,
The following is a letter to Sen. Maria Cantwell:
Senator Cantwell,
Based on the Bipartisan Budget Act (H.J. Res 59), the legislation you just voted on in December 2013, you have broken the faith with all military members, especially military retirees in all our categories and definitions.
I recently met with Congressman Derek Kilmer and senior Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Leadership earlier this month. I will not sit on the side lines while you attack military member’s benefits, dishonor their service, and cast them aside.
I did not see any recommendations for cutting Congressional perks like retirement with less than 20 years of service, private medical plans, reduced staff support, setting term limits so elected officials do not make a career of positions which were designed for continual turnover so we wouldn’t end up in our current stagnation. (Term limits would also limit the retirement perks associated with becoming part of the furniture in Washington D.C.)
As a newly retired disabled veteran with 28 years of honorable service, I now consider you out of touch with the military members of this state. More importantly, I will make it my mission to keep a grassroots movement going to vote you out of office at the very next opportunity.
Thousands and thousands of disabled military members, who have served honorably get to return to a state where their service is devalued and the contract they signed with their country is considered a pawn in a debt reduction budget that they had no part of creating.
Great job Senator Cantwell, through your inaction and the inaction of those serving as our congress, you have allowed the national debt to become almost unmanageable and all of your highly educated counterparts believe going after the “EARNED” retirement benefits of the less than 1% that fight for this county is the right decision.
To be that out of touch with the people you represent and serve must be a special kind of perspective.
Marc Alden, LCDR (retired)
U.S. Coast Guard
About Gary DeVon
Gary DeVon is the managing editor of the Okanogan Valley Gazette-Tribune and celebrated his 25th year at the newspaper in August 2012. He graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Communications - Print Journalism, with an emphasis in photojournalism. He is a proud alumnus of Oroville High School. His family first settled in Okanogan County in the late 1800s. His parents are Judy DeVon and the late Larry DeVon and he has two younger brothers - Dante and Michael. Many family members still call Oroville home. He has a grown daughter, Segornae Douglas and a young granddaughter, Erin.
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