Editorial: It’s time to ensure parity of civilian, military wages

[unhappycamper]

Editorial: It’s time to ensure parity of civilian, military wages

Congress and the Pentagon are gearing up for a reprise of what has become an annual rite of spring — wrangling over the size of the military pay raise.

In their 2009 budget request, unveiled Feb. 4, defense officials ask for a 3.4 percent military pay hike, matching the increase in the Employment Cost Index, a Labor Department measure of private-sector wage growth.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., has already introduced legislation that calls for a 3.9 percent military pay hike for 2009. Early indications are that other lawmakers are of similar mind.

This same scene played out a year ago. The Pentagon sought a 3 percent military pay raise for 2008, matching the change in the ECI, but Congress introduced and eventually approved a 3.5 percent raise.

In fact, lawmakers have approved military raises slightly above the ECI increase in every year of this decade save for fiscal 2007.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/community/opinion/army_editorial_wages_031008/