Shame on the United States Air Force
Retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)
Command Chief Master Sergeant (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Shame on the United States Air Force
By
A ‘worksbyjj’
Hello again,
I suppose its always been like this, the rich live on the wealth of the poor. But When it happens to a widow of a retired Master Sergeant of 24 years and an honorable mention of 99 successful missions. With the United States Air Force , even.
Where are those who say, We never leave one behind enemy lines!? Where did we leave one of our own? You ask?
When a widow of such a person grows old with her husband and five children to raise, two jobs were a necessity. For The U.S.A.F. Master Sergeant it meant that he would go on alert for a week on, week off and during the week off he would be an extra hand at being a taxi driver. For the widow, an office secretary, and a part time waitress at a small café with a son to give flyers to, to put on cars, for a shiny silver dollar.
But age carries on and a widow becomes 52. Not too old, but to still wear a dress and be a secretary to a good firm and still wear high heels!! Causes more pain than I can remember. Causes one to consider an early retirement and more working under the table.
While the Master Sergeant never reaches above his rank, a Man’s man, and a confirmed NCO; grudging lifes hard knocks when all of his plans amounted to nothing, retire to becoming a Truck driver with North American Van lines in preparation to starting his own Van Lines, in Australia!!!
Later down-sized to working part time at an auto parts store while building his retirement home in Florida.
Only to die at 72 in the year 2000. leaving nothing but broken dreams and the only thing he could hold to with pride and accomplishment, a United States Air Force Pension for his loved ones.
Leaving a widow who sold what remained of the house and with the help of family, now living in Texas. Living in retirement to the ripe age of 95 years and going. Living on her own early retirement at a reduced amount, and from her husbands U.S.A.F. retirement account…
…for a Retired Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force, having flown 99 missions that happened at time of war with Korea, Viet Nam, …a confirmed NCO for the good of the lives he’s responsible for…AFTER his death, the widow gets $179.00 PERIOD!!!
This poor widow lived the dream raised three girls, one who died young; two boys, one who to live well and the other to become a prophet of God, teaching the ‘Way’ of Jesus. And let me tell you, that was not an easy thing for her to live through either, seeing the hate of a father that disowned his son just like his own mother disowned him and becoming a never do well, only in his life’s testimony and in his own guilt. Living 13 more years than her late husband and living on a two life pension of less than $1000. A month.
I tell you, people that you see every day, walking the streets, picking up cans and bottles, going to missions for their meals all because they are disabled in their minds and receive $940. Dollars a month from SSI, to live on, while poverty levels are considered higher. And then I see this…sin!
When I look at that widows life of work, pain, and heartache and see that the Great Big Idea that The United States Air Force cares for their own, as proven by a grossly discounted pension of the departed Servant RET. For his widow of his lifetime concern for and love for; aside from the many failures he had. I think, SHAME ON US ALL!!!
Shame on a government that cuts its losses by taking the life blood earnings of the dead, worked for in a lifetime to leave behind to their loved ones if they should die. The dead can’t complain, and the old are too tired to care. But CARE they do.
They still have children. They still have a heart to share in love and would love to be able to send them a little something on their birthday. Would love to be able to afford more to eat. Living in a retirement home has entertainment. Of a sort, but even the cost of buying a bingo card is prohibitive by the lack of income.
Less than a thousand dollars a month. And $179. From a grateful government???!!! Friends, if this is how the world really is, then what dreams can our own children have, when the possibility that all they work to earn, and believe me, you don’t do 24, or 30 years at a job without some kind of retirement, when it’s taken away from your spouse???!!!
With no dreams to believe in, it really becomes a dead way of living. The walking dead, the Bible calls us if we are living in sin.
And so, this is why I call this: death by government cutbacks that trample the dreams and I believe if they were still alive, their expectations. A sin.
We’re meant for better. Dreams are still alive in most of us. I hope YOU have some too! If not, then please you are welcome to share mine.
In Him,
J.J.
worksbyjjchristianblogs 