Cheating the troops - 1974 I was offered HALF of the price of a HOUSE as a re-up bonus!

[symbolman]

Here's an interesting statistic I was exploring because of the latest Re-Enlistment Bonuses offered.

In the USAF, in 1974, I was offered a Variable Re-enlistment Bonus if I rejoined of TWENTY GRAND, Tax Free.

Now, in 1974 I could have bought an entire Cheap HOUSE - or paid Half in CASH, with relatively cheap interest rates.

So, the price of an average home in the USA in 1974 was about 40,000 dollars.

The average NOW is around 220,000 dollars.

This should mean that if I was given the same bonus, taking inflation into account, the bonus would be 110,000 dollars!!

All I've seen them offer these poor bastards lately, and they've bumped it some, is about 45,000 dollars.. LESS than HALF of what I'd be offered today.

In effect they are Cheating these people. Of course if you have NOTHING, then it's an Economic DRAFT.

Sons of bitches. Monsters. Start that Draft again, and see how long this "war" lasts. Watch them do it the minute a democrat is in the White House, and then BLAME everything on the Liberals.. been there, done that, collected all the Spoons, Ashtrays and T-Shirts

[sandnsea]

1. I bought a house for $16,500 in CA

in 1976, some friends bought a bigger house for $25,000 at the same time. My folks bought a house on 2 acres for $25,000 in 1972. So maybe they should be getting even more of a bonus.

But yeah, that's just another example of the out of kilter economy. Minimum wage is triple of the 70's, at best. Housing is ten times higher, as are cars, utilities, health care, etc. Working people don't have a chance.

[symbolman]

4. Sure!

Yeah, that's what I was telling my wife, I could have bought a Pretty Damn Nice place with that money, even in California, and who knows, THAT HOME could be worth a Half a Million Bucks today, like just about any other California (where I was stationed) "postage stamp" sized property is..

Of course they should be getting more of a bonus, hell, if I was in, I'd tell them "Screw the Money, get me my own personal TANK!!"

You could hire Blackwater guys to get your back :)

Thanks for the post and thoughts, you know the score, that's for sure!

[Phentex]

2. They should offer free gravesites instead.

Who needs a house when you're in a body bag?

[symbolman]

3. They DO my friend!

As a veteran you get a FREE grave, and your widow gets a FREE Flag.. and that's about it.

Unless Bush has made even the DEAD Veterans "HOMELESS" as well.. I wouldn't put it past those creatures..

THanks for your post and thoughts :)

[Phentex]

7. Do we really want to offer a good incentive

for going to war?

I understand your point, and I think it's a shame how we treat our soldiers and veterans. Then again, isn't it wrong to try and attract them with more money?

I hate Bush.

[symbolman]

8. Cheaper than Blackwater Pro guys

as I used to call the soldiers, "McTroops".. or as Bush senior called them, "Fodder Units" - it's true.

[fasttense]

5. Don't worry, at the rate that house values are falling,

twenty grand will soon be enough for at least half a house. With that twenty grand you will also be able to buy up some cheap, cheap hedge funds too. One thing that bushes hate is deflation.

[GeorgeGist]

6. Prime mortage rate July 1974 = 12.0%, Oct 74 =11.75%

look it up.

[sandnsea]

9. I got a VA at 7%

1976

But yeah, a lot of us are aware of how much worse the interest situation can get. Or better if you invest in interest bearing vehicles.

[CatWoman]

10. man

look at all you old goats :P