Are Our Troops Losing Their Pay Raises?

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Long article to start with, but it is a vital situation for our troops.

U.S. troops will continue to receive their base pay and their next 3% pay raise will still take effect in January if President Donald Trump vetoes the Fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, congressional aides told Task & Purpose.

However, the defense policy bill also authorizes reenlistment bonuses, hazardous duty pay, and other special pays, the aides said on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. This year’s National Defense Authorization Act would raise hazardous duty pay from $250 to $275 per month.

If Trump vetoes the bill, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is prepared to introduce separate legislation to ensure that troops get all special pays and bonuses, said a Senate Armed Services Committee aide.

Congress could vote next week on the annual defense policy bill, which includes a provision that would create a commission to change the names of all military installations, ships, streets, and other Defense Department assets that honor Confederate leaders.

Trump has said his administration will never allow 10 Army bases named for Confederate officers to be renamed, even though Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has indicated he is open to doing just that.

More recently, Trump has vowed to veto the National Defense Authorization Act unless Congress also repeals a federal law that protects tech companies from being sued for the content that users post. The law is known as Section 230.

“Very sadly for our Nation, it looks like Senator @JimInhofe will not be putting the Section 230 termination clause into the Defense Bill,” Trump tweeted close to midnight on Thursday. ”So bad for our National Security and Election Integrity. Last chance to ever get it done. I will VETO!”

Trump’s tweets have caused some confusion about whether troops’ pay would be protected if the president carries through with his repeated threats to reject the defense policy bill.

When asked about Schumer’s tweets, a spokesperson for the senator told Task & Purpose that the National Defense Authorization Act includes a pay raise, so if Trump vetoes it he would be hurting service members and weakening national security. (Not true!)

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It looks like there will more troops getting reassignments. This time from Somalia.

President Donald Trump has ordered most of the roughly 700 U.S. troops in Somalia to leave the country by early next year, the Pentagon has announced.

“As a result of this decision, some forces may be reassigned outside of East Africa,” a Defense Department news release says. “However, the remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries in order to allow cross-border operations by both U.S. and partner forces to maintain pressure against violent extremist organizations operating in Somalia.”

The U.S. military will still be able to carry out counterterrorism strikes within Somalia, the news release says.

While the Defense Department is not saying exactly what prompted this move, Trump has ordered drawdowns in both Iraq and Afghanistan and he has repeatedly vowed to end the U.S. military’s commitments overseas.

Somalia has been a failed state for decades. The U.S. military has been helping local forces fight al-Shabaab, which declared allegiance to Somalia on 2012.

Earlier this month, a CIA officer who had served as a Navy SEAL was killed in Somalia, the New York Times reported.

Read the entire Defense Department news release below:

The President of the United States has ordered the Department of Defense and the United States Africa Command to reposition the majority of personnel and assets out of Somalia by early 2021.

The U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from Africa. We remain committed to our While a change in force posture, this action is not a change in U.S. policy. We will continue to degrade violent extremist organizations that could threaten our homeland while ensuring we maintain our strategic advantage in great power competition.

As a result of this decision, some forces may be reassigned outside of East Africa. However, the remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries in order to allow cross-border operations by both U.S. and partner forces to maintain pressure against violent extremist organizations operating in Somalia.

The U.S. will retain the capability to conduct targeted counterterrorism operations in Somalia, and collect early warnings and indicators regarding threats to the homeland.

African partners and enduring support through a whole-of-government approach.

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Has the Christmas rush caught up with you?

Have you become part of the rat race? Is it overwhelming you?

You are not alone my friend. There are over 10,230 follow veterans who have your back.

However, if it is just too much, GET Help!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7. It has highly qualified counselors there to help you. the will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it.

The Time Spent Deployed, Can be Frightening. Here’s a Story That Isn’t

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible.

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What a week I have had.

My back went belly up on me last Saturday, and I have been suffering ever since. I am taking Tylenol to help.

Today I went to have a blood test done. I turned to go into the parking lot, and I was amazed to see at least a hundred cars lined up to get tested for the virus. There is panic here. In my county there have been many people coming down with the virus. The blood test came out great, and I got out of there as fast as I could.

There are other problems, but I am through whining for now.

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Did you take advantage of all the free things for Veteran’s Day?

I hope you did. You certainly deserve it. I told you in a previous post that my Veteran’s Day day was being at the Oregon Coast. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the little town I went to was having a Veteran’s Day event. They were right across the street where I was getting a haircut.

I so wanted to join them. I could see all the American Legion hats, and they were hugging and really enjoying themselves. My haircut took too long and the event was over. However, it felt good to see such a small town gathering to honor our veterans.

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I will share another excerpt from my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

I have chosen one about a Vietnam veteran that is from the same town that I got my heair cut at. It is the town of Waldport, Oregon.

He shared with me a story that was very positive and hard to find from soldiers of the ERA.

He said:

” I was sitting on the ground with a buddy, when I looked up into the trees. There were a bunch of monkeys up there playing around. I told him I would love to have one of those monkeys as a pet. ” His buddy said he would take care of that. He cut a hole in a coconut, drained all the milk out of it, and place a quarter inside it.

The Veteran then told me, “My buddy put the coconut out in the middle of an opening with a string attached to it. Sure enough the monkey’s saw the glittering of the quarter on the inside of the coconut and soon there were several nearing the coconut. One monkey reached inside to try to get the quarter out and my buddy yanked on the string catching the monkey with his arm stuck in to coconut. He pulled the monkey next to me and I got ahold of him..”

That started a long friendship with the monkey. The veteran even made a home for him to live in. It had a grass bed, food and drink there for him, and things were going great. The monkey really bonded with him to the point that he could let the monkey out and sit with him. He didn’t run away.

Well, some odd things started happening.

The other men were complaining that things had been stolen from their personal stash of food. Yes, it was the monkey. One soldier threatened to get rid of the monkey if he didn’t keep control of it. The monkey kept stealing food.

Then the other soldier had enough. He grabbed the money. He made a miniature parachute for him and threw him over a cliff.

The veteran was very upset that this had happened. He became depressed.

It was a couple days later, and as the whole group was gathered, this brave little monkey came strolling into the camp with the parachute still attached to him.

The veteran was ecstatic.

He had gotten his monkey back. I couldn’t get much more out of this brave veteran. This rest of his story was too sad for him to tell. I did find out that he was severely wounded, and received the Purple Heart. He ended up with a drinking problem, but overcame that with the help of his wife.

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Checking in..

How are your doing my friend? The times are difficult at best. The pandemic, and rioting. Not knowing who will be our next president, and much more.

The days like we have been having can drag you down . It can push you to the edge. I know, I was on the edge way back in 2001. I was ready to check out of this hotel called earth. I came to my senses and got help. I am still here to be able to write to you.

If you are overwhelmed, GET HELP!!

Here is a toll free number to call 24/7, and it is free. There are highly trained counselors there the help you. They will not hang up until they know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

Please call if you need it.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

______________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible.

Many Veterans Are Still in Harms Way, Never Forget Them

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible.

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What roller coaster ride we are on right now!

We don’t know who is the next president yet. The pandemic is going crazy. There is still rioting. The word turmoil seems too kind right now.

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We must always remember our brothers and sisters who are deployed.

I know the feelings they are going through. I was deployed to Korea in 1960. (Yes, I am old.)

Many are in trenches hunkered down. Some are going door to door to chase out the enemy. They are being fired upon, and are in harms way.

It is hard, at best, to think this is fun to do. They are stressed out 24/7. Never forget them. They are fighting for you and I.

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I hope you have checked back in my posts.

The are many great things there are for veterans on Veteran’s Day. There is a whole post for restaurant deals, and another post for up coming veteran events.

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This may be a very short post today.

I just had surgery on my left eye three hours ago. The strain of trying to type with one eye is starting to get to me. I had surgery on both eyes, and the right one is doing quite well. I can see so much better out of it right now. Hopefully the other eye will do as well.

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Got to have bed check before I sign off.

How are you doing? Are you withstanding all the crap that is being thrown at you? I HEAR YOU!!

Know that there are over 10,000 fellow veterans following this site, and each and everyone of them has your back.

But, if you are just too overwhelmed, GET HELP!

Call this toll free number right now. They have highly qualified counselors there to help you. They will never hang up until they know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255 Option # 1

_______________________________________

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

_______________________________________

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. I want to reach out to as many veterans as possible.