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Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps claims pay cuts would raise discipline

lowflier03

lowflier03

So no $hit there I was
pilot
I'm surprised that this hasn't been posted already.

Just slightly controversial and I actually thought it was a duffelblog article the first time I read it. It's amazing the disconnect common to all the services when it comes to leadership perceptions not matching those of the troops.

The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Mike Barrett testifies before the Senate that he thinks life is just fine for Marines and that cuts to pay would help discipline. Best quote from the article "We've never had it so good."

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/art...rine-Corps-Barrett-Less-pay-raises-discipline

Not surprisingly he's had to backtrack a bit since the first article hit and "clarify" his stance. Though the letter reads more like motivational propaganda dancing around the issue than actually saying anything concrete.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/art...writes-open-letter-Marines-following-backlash
 
81montedriver

81montedriver

Well-Known Member
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Yeh I'll call bullshit on this. If you have ever been a DivO, you know how frugally the young E-dogs live. Whether they are one of the smart ones and actually have a budget, drive an older economic car and live off of McDonalds and ramen noodles, or the dumb ones that are way over their heads in debt driving a lifted f-250, these guys don't make jack.

All cutting their pay will do is make them more angry and lose all motivation to stay in once their contracts are up. On a similar subject, the Marine Corps has always had to do more with less. The problem is, we continue to exceed expectations with less. So as the mother teet gets cut off ever so slowly we are doing the same amount of work and sometimes even more since we have less people with less money and the same equipment that has been used the last 10 years in OIF and OEF.

These are just my observations from my last squadron. I just think SgtMaj MC needs to think back to when he was a PFC and LCpl and remember how shitty the pay was and what it was like eating at the chow hall and living in a shitty barracks room.
 
Flash

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
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I love the misleading title of this thread and the first article, nothing like stirring up hate and discontent by deliberately spreading inaccurate info.
 
LFCFan

LFCFan

*Insert nerd wings here*
When asked whether a smaller compensation package could be seen as a broken promise by servicemembers, Barrett said few Marines use pay and benefits as a factor in enlisting.
Click to expand...

I find this hard to believe, regardless of branch of service.
 
W

whitesoxnation

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We should cut healthcare too. If Marines know there's no sick call we'll make better lifestyle choices. That fixes the "healthcare provider based Corps" worries.
 
BigRed389

BigRed389

Registered User
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LFCFan said:
I find this hard to believe, regardless of branch of service.
Click to expand...

I can see how twisting exit interview/study results could lead to that statement.

I'd bet more of those getting out would say they are tired of things like long deployments, moving, working with old ass broke gear, work schedules, etc. than simply saying they want more pay. Spin that enough and the conclusion is troops don't care about pay.
 
lowflier03

lowflier03

So no $hit there I was
pilot
Flash said:
I love the misleading title of this thread and the first article, nothing like stirring up hate and discontent by deliberately spreading inaccurate info.
Click to expand...

How is it misleading? Direct quotes from his Senate speech:
“I truly believe it will raise discipline,”
“In my 33 years, we’ve never had a better quality of life,” Barrett said. “We’ve never had it so good. If we don’t get ahold of slowing the growth, we will become an entitlement-based, a health care provider-based Corps, and not a war fighting organization.”
 
lowflier03

lowflier03

So no $hit there I was
pilot
BigRed389 said:
I can see how twisting exit interview/study results could lead to that statement.

I'd bet more of those getting out would say they are tired of things like long deployments, moving, working with old ass broke gear, work schedules, etc. than simply saying they want more pay. Spin that enough and the conclusion is troops don't care about pay.
Click to expand...

I would bet this is exactly the case. After getting fed up with the obvious bias I've seen in Navy surveys, I've started contacting the people writing/conducting them. Every time I've been told that the military requires that they be worded very specifically, instead of trying to get a truthful answer, they aim for the answer they want/expect, and limit responses as such.
 
Flash

Flash

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lowflier03 said:
How is it misleading? Direct quotes from his Senate speech:
“I truly believe it will raise discipline,”
“In my 33 years, we’ve never had a better quality of life,” Barrett said. “We’ve never had it so good. If we don’t get ahold of slowing the growth, we will become an entitlement-based, a health care provider-based Corps, and not a war fighting organization.”
Click to expand...

How about the "pay cuts" part of your title? Where is the quote about that?
 
wink

wink

War Hoover NFO.
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Flash said:
How about the "pay cuts" part of your title? Where is the quote about that?
Click to expand...
Forget the article. It simply summarizes the testimony. How about the truth of the matter? Here is the quote most on point.

And I say the point because if we don't get a hold of slowing the growth, we will become an entitlement-based, a health care provider- based corps and not a warfighting organization. If we don't stop -- step back and take a look at one percent pay, that makes sense because our quality of life is good.

Hey, you know what, out-of-pocket, you know what? I truly believe it will raise discipline. It will raise because you'll have better spending habits. You won't be so wasteful.

So, in fact, Barrett is suggesting that a 1% pay cut may raise discipline.

http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/News/Ne...iscal-2015-defense-authorization-panel-2.aspx
 
W

whitesoxnation

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Flash

Flash

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wink said:
Forget the article. It simply summarizes the testimony. How about the truth of the matter? Here is the quote most on point.

And I say the point because if we don't get a hold of slowing the growth, we will become an entitlement-based, a health care provider- based corps and not a warfighting organization. If we don't stop -- step back and take a look at one percent pay, that makes sense because our quality of life is good.....

So, in fact, Barrett is suggesting that a 1% pay cut may raise discipline.

http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/News/Ne...iscal-2015-defense-authorization-panel-2.aspx
Click to expand...

whitesoxnation said:
http://www.armed-services.senate.go...guard-reserve-and-civilian-personnel-programs

2:05:15
Click to expand...

whitesoxnation said:
So there's no confusion I think it's a 1% pay increase, but if inflation is >1% (which it is) then it's effectively a pay cut. It was conceded earlier in the hearing that purchasing power would be less. Also, that doesn't include the out of pocket expense increase (reduction in BAH).
Click to expand...

Again, where is the word CUT? Seriously, I just watched that part of the testimony 5 times and not once did he say "cut". The 'truth of the matter' is that they are talking about a 1% RAISE, which whitesox points out isn't all that great but it is not a CUT. Big difference between a smaller raise and a cut. So yes, the headline of this thread is misleading at best, dishonest at worst.

There are plenty of legitimate debates to have about the budget but when hyperbole and misinformation are used as a starting point how the hell can you talk about the deeper issues like those the E-9's (or are they E-10's yet?) in the linked videos are talking about?
 
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