Mustangsaly

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I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7
million.

If you are a surviving fa mily member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving
spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.
Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough. 911 deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the the dangers.

russellmatic

In a capitalistic country it's BS that either of them get paid anything. They guy at 7-11 who sells me smokes does more for me every day than a soldier on foreign soil. He should get something if he gets held up and shot I guess.

Everyone has a job they choose. Some people for whatever reason choose dangerous ones. Please don't tax me more because they made a choice.

elbenio

Ouch. As a resident of a "capitalistic" country (though not the US) may I say that in my opinion that attitude bites . I have family members who experienced the horror of war first hand- they faught and suffered (three years in a concentration camp) so that their fellow capitalistic countrymen (no sexism intended ladies) and those of other countries could live in peace.

I don't agree with war, in fact I hate it. I hate that people have to fight each other and kill each other to further our own politcal or religious ideals. But that's the way it is. There are people out there who are hell bent on destroying our way of life, the way of life that generations of selfless individuals have faught to protect. The least we can do for those people that put themselves in harm's way for ALL OF US is have a sense of community when providing for the future of their families.

As for the discrepancy between these and the victims of 9-11, it seems appalling. I did the maths based on Mustangsaly's figures, and a war widow who is pregnant with twins at the time her husband is killed can expect as paltry $98000 over the next 18 years. That's just not good enough. They say you can't put a price on human life, but surely they can do better than that.

facepeeler

in the land of the happy ambulance chasers, anyone can get any kind of money for anything they want. Like if I were to walk outside and stub my toe on the cracked concrete sidewalk outside my house, I could take that to a lawyer and sue the hell out of my landlords for probably 20 grand or so. I will bet you $10 that the guy at the 7 eleven that is selling you those smokes isn't legal. So why should he get a dime?

It's called life insurance.

When you die, Im sure you, or at least your mommy and daddy, have a life insurance policy, probably somewhere in the range of $250,000 and up. Most do. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just how it rolls, especially when you have funeral costs to cover. BUT, with that policy comes stipulations. The death has to be accidental. Can't be a suicide or anything like that, or someone doing some stupid shit like scuba diving with Great White Sharks and not staying in the fucking cage like you're supposed to.

Let me preface this by saying that I am a soldier of 6 years and two trips to the Middle East since 9/11. What that means, is I've had to sit through several briefings about the SGLI, or Servicemember's Group Life Insurance.

Notice how I said Life Insurance?

What the SGLI does for you is if you are killed in combat, or operations supporting combat, or in a training exercise and it is not your fault or your own stupidity, your surviving next of kin is awarded the amount of your policy, which before 9/11 was $250,000. But once the Global War on Terror started, they raised the SGLI from $250,000 to $400,000. I myself opted for it, and it doesn't cost but like $60 per month, they draw it out of your first-of-the-month paycheck.

Not everyone in the military has this, it's totally optional. I had a good friend of mine, a guy I grew up with, die in Iraq back in May. He had the $400,000 SGLI and his mother was given the money from the policy.

I know what mustangsaly is talking about, I read the same thing. But that's if you don't have the SGLI, that's just what they will give you if you die. I read it in the National Guard Almanac two weeks ago. Same section talking about the military burials and what goes along with that.

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Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Jabooty_3

Mustang brought up a very good argument, and FP does a great and informed job of explaining it.

Do they unlucky civilians deserve that much money? Would they have realistically earned that in their lifetime? I'd say no to both; but you can't fault them for taking legal action to get it, because they know they can. As FP said, I guess the best thing military people can do is to apply for that SGLI and be as prepared as they can.

licupssy

As far as it goes other than an honor guard, Metal casket, Headstone, 3@ 308 spent blanks, Gold star pin and the American Flag that draped the casket; the only payment your family receives is you GI insurance and last pay check. If your a spouse or child 18 or under(22 if in school) who recieve survivors benefits from the VA and Social Security. I did see something on a Death gratuity but it may have been added after I left the sevice. No amount was given.

When I was in from '67 to '71 GI insurance payment payout amounted to $10,000. Which is what my parents recieved when my older brother was killed in Vietnam in 1970.

(Per facepeeler)
I doubt know how many parents can afford $250,000 policies on their children but the SGLI insurance servicemen have now is deffinently a great buy. I pay as much for my $30,000 policy but it's double indemnity and Whole Life. Term insurance is alright, but I bet the insurance companies save a bundle when older people can't keep up the payments on thier policies.

The survivor benefits given spouses is sort of last century sexism but if they also give it to husbands it seems fair. Besides many lower income families need two incomes to make ends meet.

Sure servicemen get paid. I got a whole $49 a month when I enter the service. They had the big jump in enlisted pay hike to $200 for recruits in the third year of my service which netted me a grand total of $392 a month less taxes. I actually made out best when I served in 'Nam on the Kitty Hawk. I got base pay, sea pay, war zone pay, and Hazardest duty pay for a total of over $1000 a month. Poor guys on the ground in 'Nam only got base pay plus War zone pay.

I don't think civilians deserve anything special for being killed by terrorist. I could see the goverment making an effort to mediate between the Airlines and World trade center insurers to provide a quick group settlement in the case. I could see a loan to temporarily help the families that need help. But I know there are some that wouldn't be satisfied with that so they can fend for themselves.

To russellmatic who thinks the guy at the 7-11 does so much for him. I'd hope the guy at the 7-11 had a little military experience. Otherwise; when you walk up to the counter to buy your smokes and a robber comes in, he may end up pulling out a gun and shooting you by accident.

I personally think they should have went to a manditory draft. Basic training out of high school and then either voluntering to serve to complete a two year term or the possibility of being called to active service between the ages of 18 to 38 as necessary.

I don't exspect any special treatment for our servicemen but a little gratitude for thier service cost little.

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I solemnly swear that I am up to no good! ~~~SWTWC

sr71

I'ts the same thing as when teachers gripe and groan that their not making enough money. They make more money than police officers do. They can get as much as $50,000 a year while the average police officer gets $30,000 per year. I know teachers are shaping the minds of future police officers, etc. but who's giving them protection and makes it possible to teach and shape those minds for the future--our soldiers and those police officers! I should know I've been in the Navy and now I'm going into policing.

facepeeler

I wasn't talking about them having insurance policies on their kids, Im talking about the policies they will have on themselves. I think that only the rich bitches would have something like that.

But once again, not everyone has that. Growing up, all I ever had was the sketchy ass health insurance my dad's company offered, so I learned real quick not to be a sick kid. Now the only time that I get sick it's from something not very nice.

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Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

nocturnal_e

People were so affected by 9/11 that paying an obscene amount of money somehow makes them feel better. People aren't affected by death in Iraq. We have now lost as many soldiers as we lost citizens on 9/11, but no one cares about the soldiers. Personally I think the soldiers are the true victims because they are so YOUNG. When an 18 year old kid gets killed in a war he doesn't understand, that is just as tragic as someone twice his age getting blown up in a skyscraper. When will people understand that?

xevious

I know that this is slightly off suybject, but police officers make a hell of a lot of money. I know of ones that make $30 plus an hour, plus on holidays they get time and a half. Figure in overtime, and all kids of bonuses, and you come up with a hell of a lot of money. I know teachers too. One of my best friends mothers is ecstatic because she just went up to $30k a year. That is NOTHING. Teachers should be paid a hell of a lot more than they are.

thecowboy

How much in benefits does she get paid? That's part of having a government job, lower salary but schweet benefits. Not to mention they only have to work 3/4 of the year.

xevious

bull. A teacher works ALL year. During the summer they have to learn new teaching tecniques, they have to deal with the school system still, and they have to figure out their entire lesson plan for the next year. The "teachers not working summer" thing is a myth. She doesn't get "schweet benefits". She gets benefits, yes, but as I said, the cops get more. Teachers are underpaid and underappreciated for what they do.

/hijack

Juan.©amaney

Bullshit. At least here in Cali, they get TONS of benefits. Don't have to pay back school loans, cheap mortgages, free health care and life insurance. Police officers don't get NEARLY as much as teachers do. I deal with union issues as a rep for mine.

As for the topic at hand, they know going in that they can lose their lives. It's what their job description says. No compensation, they chose that job.

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Justin

No they dont. One of my fathers oldest friends is a high school teacher and during the summer he is always fucking off doing something. He only has to "work" about 2 weeks a summer when its getting close to back to school.