Is Monday's front page story by Russ O'Reilly about proposed cuts to the Defense Department not affecting local Guard and Reserve units good news?
The bad news is how the complete proposals of the 2013 Defense Department budget will affect those same veterans and veterans all over America.
The 2013 proposals include some elimination or reduction of military pay, allowances and benefits for current, prior service and retired veterans. This would include Tricare, Tricare For Life, limited/ revoked access to military treatment facilities (Veterans Affairs hospitals and clinics) and a 27 percent reduction of doctors' payment for Medicare/Tricare.
As a concerned retired Navy veteran, any attempt to help balance the budget "on the backs of veterans" is an insult to any woman or man who has ever worn a uniform of the U.S. military. The $14 trillion national debt is not the fault of any veteran, dead or alive.
These proposals, if allowed, will not only affect the 8 percent living veterans but those of the future veterans and their families.
Please follow this story line at military.com and express your concerns to your federal and state lawmakers by phone, letter or email.
Robert J. Bentley
USNR-Retired
Duncansville
