Pay for Reserves
Our city and county politicians have decided to show their support for the Iraq war. They plan to pay their reserve military employees called to active duty the balance between their civil service wages and their military pay.
Three problems come to mind:
First, most city and county workers already earn over 20% more than their private sector counterparts.
Second, most government employees in the reserves already receive full civil service pay in addition to their military wages for up to one month active duty each year, a fringe benefit the private sector cannot afford.
And third, the city and county governments are already broke (at least that is what they tell us private sector yokels).
Local politicians should limit war support to waving the flag, giving patriotic speeches and donating personal (rather than taxpayer) funds. Let the federal government pay the troops.
DICK RIDER, Commander, Supply Corps, U.S. Navy Reserve
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