Phooey on the Pentagon

Posted By: MarcW
Date: Friday, 28 July 2000, at 1:48 p.m.

Reuters reported today that the US Pentagon has come up with a plan to end the practice of some soldiers using food stamps to be able to buy enough food to feed their families.

"The subsistence plan would provide eligible members with electronic debit cards containing a fixed monthly value based upon the member's pay grade and family size."

This is simply the substitution of one form of payment for another. The only thing it accomplishes is to permit the Pentagon to claim that "no soldier is on food stamps." It does nothing to address the underlying problem.

The pay grade is certainly a contributing factor. Locality pay has been practiced for a while, but the differentials are not always sufficient to cover the cost of needed food products.

The family size is another issue. This program could become an incentive for a population explosion in the lower ranks of our military if there is not careful planning up front. The situation could be avoided if each "incremental child" resulted in a reduced increment of support such that the average benefit per family member reduced with each additional child. That would provide the disincentives necessary to ensure the program has the desired effect of ensuring families can feed themselves without creating an unintended incentive to have more children for the financial benefits they offer.

What do you think about this?

Messages In This Thread

Phooey on the Pentagon
MarcW -- Friday, 28 July 2000, at 1:48 p.m.

Re: Phooey on the Pentagon
Nancy -- Sunday, 30 July 2000, at 2:00 p.m.

Re: Phooey on the Pentagon
MarcW -- Monday, 31 July 2000, at 10:34 a.m.

Re: Phooey on the Pentagon
Nancy -- Monday, 31 July 2000, at 4:48 p.m.

 

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