Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> Rob:
> This is another quiet cut of military pay.
> I wonder how much the military is saving and how much the private
> developers are making?
> IMO it's another way for big business to get some more money into
> their pockets, this time they get it from the soldiers.

The cliche response is that today the military is volunteer. Sure. 
Some kids have almost no choice. I know this; I was one. It is a 
recruitment strategy of the military to sell in poor areas where 
young people have few choices. I think of much of the military today 
as a social welfare program for the poor. Exceptions such as T.J. 
Niklasson show that there are in fact outstanding educational 
opportunities available for outstanding individuals. I wonder about 
the percentage split between those trained to lead and those trained 
to be grunts.

I detest hypocritical politicians who vocally exhort citizens to 
support the military while signing pay cuts in their many forms, now 
to include housing.