Some ask, “Why are you making a big deal about this, since it will be years and years before anyone retires under the new system, and it doesn’t affect anyone already serving or retired?”
For one thing, wrong is wrong. If these changes were being inflicted on today’s retirees, we’d say the reduced pay is not commensurate with their sacrifice. We don’t think future servicemembers’ sacrifices will be any less.
MOAA has no problems with a vesting provision, but the fact that the changes save billions even after adding this big new cost tells you this is a drill to save money at the expense of those who serve longest and sacrifice most.
All the talk about rising personnel costs is simply code for “We don’t think your service and sacrifice is worth what we’re paying you.” MOAA disagrees.
But what’s particularly wrong about this drill is it’s not just future retirees being made to foot the bill.
Because of the technicalities of congressional budgeting, the changes “scored” as having some relatively near-term costs.
And to solve that problem, Congress turned to … you.
The next time you pay more for your TRICARE-covered medications, you won’t have to wonder where the extra money went. It went to cover start-up costs for the new military retirement system that (mostly) grandfathered you.
