Every Little Bit Helps

My pal, Prem, who recently retired after 26 years service with Singapore Gorkha Police Contingency is getting at least 5 times more than Gorkhas from British Army and probably 10 times more than Gorkhas retired from Indian Army. And, to put it all in perspective probably about 1/4 or 1/5 of what he'd be getting if he'd retired out of the USMC.
 
Seems like a crying shame. Thew best troops wind up getting the least pay for their life of effort.

My wife and I would be in some deep wet stuff if I hadn't stayed in the Corps for that twenty years.
 
I'm one who believes the US military folks have always been underpaid (how much extra these days for getting shot at? I think it was $20 a month when I was in.) and still are underpaid. Ret pay equally low.

But the Gorkha retirement pay is beyond poor -- it's ridiculous.
 
Couple of months ago, the local paper ran an article about a ex-soldier who did not receive his pension (what little of it) since his retirement 5 years ago. Apparently all the letters he wrote to the Government pension dept over those years mysteriously did not get any attention. And the soldier was a decorated veteran of the Malayan struggle against the communist terrorists too.

Methinks that it is a great tragedy that government money usually ends up with those that least deserve it or is wasted in ludicrous schemes.

Andrew Limsk
 
Not to mention the fact that here in the US, the veterans benifits are usually the first place that the gov't looks to swipe funds from when they think they need a new project. ...

It is a shame what the medical benefits that vets were promised 20 + years ago have now turned into these days. ...
 
The medical care for retired military is just starting to improve, but OH so slow. They have a tri-care for life deal that up to now hasn't done anything for me and my wife.

A couple of months ago I took her to the emergency room in Austin. They never did find out why she was so sick, but the bill almost made me sick. After the medicare's miserable sum, and the almost nothing from the military, we still wound up digging up over $300.00 of our own cash.

That's why, Uncle Bill, I have to keep my emergency cash money in my safe at home, and try to keep it at a certain level at all times.

From what I have seen so far, even the medicare is a rip-off at $50.00 a month from both our checks.
They just do no pay that much when you need the help.
 
The VA was turning me away with never ending excuses and paperwork. I struggled three years and finally got Senator Harry Reid to go to bat for me. When he got in the picture it took the VA 10 days to get everything together and it has been pretty smooth sailing since.

So, my advice is, Pappy and all, it might behoove you to start writing letters. Find a Senator who served in the same branch of military as you did and fire them a letter.

And let's face it, the primary goal of any insurance company whether it's car, health, life, whatever, is to make a profit and paying claims doesn't help that bottom line.
 
Well for once I kinda lucked out in a way I think. I bought a $5,000.00 Well Known Insurance Company's whole life policy back in 1965. I was 25 then and it wasn't all that expensive.
Then I bought another one just like it in 1968 and a couple of more down through the years.
I kept them all up even with the price increases, not too much, over the years.
The nice thing and how I lucked out is that there was a clause in the policies that should I ever become disabled the Well Known Insurance Company would pick up the monthly premiums as long as I was disabled.
Looks to me like they're in it for the long haul now as the back injuries aren't going away, ever.
And they've paid the last 5 years as well.:)

I agree with Pappy about the medicare. It's probably not really worth the $50.00 a month.:(
I'm still wondering what the best supplemental insurance that will pay for prescriptions is!!!!
My script bill alone without insurance is gonna take up over half of what I get from SSDI!!!!

On another note:.......
I am also gonna contact my Oklahoma Represenatives one of these days soon.
I was in the Oklahoma Army Nat.Guard starting in Sept of '64 and then went to boot camp in January '65. I served my time in MOS training until sometime in May of '65.
Then I moved to Arkansas and was transfered to the Army Reserves and was then in the reserves when we moved back to Tulsa and was until I got out on a medical discharge.
The VA is telling me I like 3 days of having enough time in to qualify for medical benefits!!!!!!!!!
I think it sucks and I served my time doing what I was told to do just like everyone else!!!!
I don't think 3 days should make any difference!!!!
I mean I was allowed to leave Ft.Hood Friday night at midnight instead of having to spend the weekend there when I could've been home.
The gal that designated the days we were mustered out just picked random dates as there were 3 of us that were friends and really did want to travel home together.
I still think the way she did it was to discourage us and maybe try to keep us out of mischief, but if I had of known that another 2 weeks, hell even 2 more months, even would've made the difference in getting benefits or not I would've gladly stayed the time!!!!

The bastards lied to me about family support too. About a week before I was due to be mustered out I found out about that from a friend who worked in finance, by then it was too late and you dayumed sure couldn't get any back pay for support!!!!
I've since found out I'm not alone in getting screwed outta military benefits.
Balance deleted to protect a couple of buds that were there, did it, got the $hit $hot outta them, came back, and then had records sealed and now they weren't there and didn't do it.
Can you say Screwed Royally? I guess compared to many I don't have any gripes, let alone problems.:(
 
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