I was just thinking about taxes

The other day I was thinking about my time in the service. Back in the 60's I had to make a choice, skip off to canada, or wait to be drafted. I decided to join the Navy. I didn't like the idea of tropming around the the jungle in Vietnam. I got there anyway, but not in the jungle. So what did I get for four years of my young life being taken from me? Don't get me wrong I was glad to serve my country when they needed me. I got low pay, lost my girl friend when I went overseas. I had a much better chance of being killed. I did have some good times, and met some good people, but I would rather have helped my Dad in his last days of farming. So it would be nice for the gov to allow the vets deduct a small percent of the tax money due every tax year in appreciation for their military service. Like I said just thinking. Stan

Makes more sense than some deductions that are alowed. I would support some type plan where vets choose benifits based on points assighned to each benifit. Let's say just for example the vet accumilates 1 point for each year of service plus extra for time in a war zone. Vet medical costs 2 points but Joe opts out in favor of life time IRS deduction costing 2&1/2 points and spends his remaining points on education and home lending programs. My reasoning is because some vets never use a V.A. hospital while others never see benifits from education,loans or other programs.

I agree Stan, but the government dosent care about you, me or the paper boy. Were just pawns in there game!

I would agree, being a vet myself, but now that its legal to lie about
your military service, who knows where those tax breaks would go?
More than likely to the unintended, as many gov't benny's do now.
Supreme court rules the Stolen Valor Act Unconstitutional

I was never in the service. But I respect those who served, especially those that were in harms way.

However, lots of service men were there voluntarily, and were never in any more danger than I was on the freeways going to work every day.

The fact that 50 years later they are all eligible for free VA health benefits seems a bit off kelter.

Is there any system to give higher benefits to the ones that really were on the battle fields?

I am just trying to understan how to be far to those that served and those of us still paying 50 years later.

keep this in mind as you try to micromanage vets. Every vet is a rifleman first and perhaps a clerk typist second. Every vet was on duty 24/7/365 and subject to injury and death.
Talk to the vets who went through the Tet offensive in 1968 where it didn't matter what you did, all had to grab their rifle and stand off concerted attacks by the NVA.
I'm a vet. Don't double guess my value to my country.

You haven't got a clue what you're talking about. Service connected injury make a vet qualified for health care. The nature of the injury determines the level of care. The the % of disability, the greater the monthly stipend and medical care. There are 8 levels of service care. If there is no service connected injury, there is no stipend nor any free care. As a vet gets put into 6-7-8 levels of care, more and more means testing is done....that is, how much a vet earns and has and how much he/she has to pay for health care. At some level of resources, a vet doesn't qualify for anything. Before you blow smoke, know your facts. Don't paint the vets any thing other than what they are. Defenders of your constitution and country.

You were in the Navy for four years, You were well paid in the day. You were never in any danger aboard ship. You pulled some great liberty in foreign ports and had a blast doing that. You nailed many many young women. You had zero chance of being killed.A cop in SD was in more danger than you were. No years were taken , you chose to be in the Navy.Your girlfriend was a betch and left you.Good move.
Now I and all the other taxpayers should give you some money for what is just life? Get a grip pal. You lost a fellow YT on this post numnuts.

Not quite true. I have a farmer neighbor who calls himself a vet. He was active duty US Army 58-60. Stationed in Germany. Obviously no combat and 1% danger.
Now gets at least 20 K a year in medical bennies from the VA in Sioux Falls for his 3 years of "service to his country" 50 years ago.
He wouldn't know how to load an M1 let alone fire it.

Everyone has their opinion I guess. I was not on a ship 4 years. I chose the Navy because I didn't want to be a grunt on the ground. We flew patrols along the Vietnam coast. We did lose one plane and the entire crew. I did not nail any young women. If I had a choice which I did not. I would liked to have stayed on the farm those four years, in my early 20's. My girl friend was not what you called her. As for the good liberty look up Sangley point in the Phillippines. As I said,it would just be nice for the gov to recognize those who served in some way. Stan

I almost forgot the next air base, if I would have stayed in was Adak Alaska. I think the time in the water if the plane went down is something like five minutes. Check that one out for good liberty port also. Stan

Chief, look at it this way- You had a choice, you took one of the options. We all end up doing things we don't want to and not being able to do things we would have liked to. It's life.

I served in the Cold War. I don't get anything and I didn't "do" anything worth getting anything for. Not my fault we didn't have a war I guess. But it was my choice and I enjoyed the last 2 years of my time in the Corps. Spent the first 2 years getting my head on straight and growing up.

I agree with MOST of what you said, except the part about "....no service connected injury, there is no stipend nor any free care...."
There are Thousands of Vets in that catagory who recieve free care. Just got back from the VA Hospital in KCMO yesterday, with one of them.

I served in US Navy Submarine Service 1959-1964 as a Torpedoman"s Mate on WWII diesel-electric submarines. Although there were no declared wars at that time, we did play cat-n-mouse with "The Bear" and of course old Fidel upon occasion. Now as far as my life being in danger... each time one of those old boats dove we were in some danger. The main goal of a Submariner is to have dives and surfaces equal out. (Any ship can be a submarine....once!)
But as far as whinning about wanting more Government benifits 50 year later, it never occurres to me. I was given $175/month GI bill starting in 1966 when it first became effective. That allowed me to attend college and persue a good career. That , I thought, was just payment and recognition for my short years of service. I recieve very good quality health care in civilian hospitals.

You can't read. I said "means" tested. He evidently fit one of the categories. There are tens of thousands that get nothing. Where do you get the 20k figure? Pull that one out of your..?
Even I, have no clue what is the medical cost for me. Besides, the VA bills my private insurance and my private insurance bills Medicare and it costs the VA not much at all. But...you get to pay it in your taxes for Medicare or.....I paid into it so it's mine anyhow. People....get your facts straight.

Read. Every GI is first a rifleman/woman. Talk to the 1700 who got killed in Pearl Harbor who had a cheesy port duty lounging on the beach drinking manhattan's. When the Jap planes came in, they all had to grab a gun. No GI knows when or where...he/she just signs a blank check for whatever amount your govt. wants to put in there, including death.

In 1953 I was drafted I could've had a deferment by staying on the farm. My older brother joined the Air Force in 1951 3 days after graduated. I was working full time working for the US government when I was drafted. Even though I had to resign I was rehired as a returning vet.
That puts you in a different category whenever there's a (RIF) reduction in force. I was still helping my dad with morning milking when I was drafted. I also married my wife that I went to school with. I spent most of my Army hitch at Ft Bragg NC with the 82nd Airborne. Our daughter was born at Ft Bragg. Hal

I have a Marine Corps bumper sticker that says, "To Those Who Fought For It, Freedom Has A Flavor The Protected Will Never Know".

That says it all.

Submarine service was scarry all right. I had a friend who was under the water, when the sub developed a big leak, that would ferak me out, So I think from my post, a few think I am whinning I expect something now for my 4 years back then. That is not the case. As I said I was just thinking. In this case I got one persons shorts all waded up. I guess I should have kept my thoughts to my self, and kept everyone happy.Sorry for any misunderstanding Stan

Don't apologize to anyone for anything. You paid your dues, they didn't, you could have been maimed or killed, you owe no one an explanation and all those who sat on their butts in school or got some other type of deferrment can kiss our collective asses. There are two types in this world, those that laid it on the line and those that didn't. You did,, so man up and don't whine to them who didn't.

You owe no one an apology. You served, they didn't. You could have been crippled or killed while they enjoyed a deferment and partied in school or became a 4F with water on the knee. There are two types, those that did and those that didn't. You did so man up and stop whining to those that didn't.

thought I lost the first one so I typed a second...no matter, you get the idea.

Sorry you feel that way. I've met some other vet's that had that same negative attitude.
I served 4 yrs in the Navy during the Vietnam war also. I would have liked to have spent that time doing something else but I did what I had to do. I feel that time was well spent to serve & protect the best country in the world. The freedoms we have and the standard of living we enjoy in this country are far better than anywhere else. I feel lucky to have only given the 4 years that I did. Through the years many other Americans have paid a much higher price than me for those freedoms.
I feel that I receive plenty of benefit each day for my service.

It should also be pointed out that there is no funding/treatment for vets who are Category 8.

I thought I made it very plain. I was glad to serve my country when they needed me. I would do it again. I did my job to the best of my ability. I don't remember anyone telling me I wish I would be drafted so I can joun the service. I joined the Navy which was my choice, and made the best of it. In my thought process I just thought it would be nice for those who served, to check a box on the fed tax form, that says something like deduce 25.00 for each year of service time from youur taxes. This would be a thank you from the Gov. That's all. Stan

Man o man, sure have to be careful what one says on here. Jump all over a guy for just expressing some of his own views or maybe even day dreaming ideas. I am a peace time vet. Joined rather than waiting another year or two as I was top of draft list. Got an extra year and 10 weeks of engine rebuild school for doing that. No GI bill, don't qualify for Legion or VFW. They did blow my ears off so I get 10%. Would rather have not had ears humming for last 57 years. Go to VA clinic, they bill my insurance and medicare also. Not complaining, just saying, I lucked out to be in when no war was going on. Couple of skirmish's that got evryone a little worried for a while.

People who think that vets who served during peacetime were in no particular danger may not know what they're talking about. I was a B-47 Jet Bomber Mechanic/Crew Chief in the
Air Force during the cold war times of 1954-1958. My permanet party assignment was with the Strategic Air Command at bases in Florida and overseas in Morocco. As a crew chief on these B-47 Bombers I qualified for a 55 dollar a month flying pay if I got at least 4 hours flying time each month. Several times on flights I was on, things happened which could have resulted in a crash but because of the proficiency of the pilots...and the Grace of God, the crashes never happened. The B-47 was the first big swept wing jet bomber the Air Force had and while it was fast, long ranged because of air refueling capability, and most pilot's joy to fly, it was quite a dangerous airplane making dangerous missions and many crashed and many lives were lost in these crashes. Look it up if you doubt my telling of this....it's on the internet, just google B-47.
The B-47 never had to deliver a bomb into enemy held territory or into an enemy's country, but for a time it was America's best airborne weapon carrier and it was equipped with nuclear weapons to be delivered on an enemy target if commanded to do so and was always flown by qualified people who knew what their mission(s) could be and the dangers of it/them.
I really liked my job in the Air Force and now wish I had made a career of it, but I didn't...and that's another story. Honestly now I'm not sure I would want to be in the military these days....and certainly not during the Viet Nam era. I really don't think the average American Civilian realizes the sacrifice the people in the military are making for them and far too many are critical of the care given to veterans by the VA and other veteran support agencies. If this country is ever conquered and occupied by an enemy these people might wish they had been more respectful of their military forces and no doubt made to realize how important they were.

"...If there is no service connected injury, there is no stipend nor any free care...."
Just going by what you said. Have no idea where YOU got the 20K figure - I didn't come up with it.