You also have to consider what amount of life you give up. I am hardly the worst example, but for this entire year I’ve been living in a desert environment, sleeping in crappy living conditions, eating institutional food, half a world away from my house and family. Locked behind barbed wire & fences, guards and many hostile locals make it unsafe to ever leave. Aside from getting paid for it, it is pretty similar to being in jail in Arizona. I do get paid for it, but how much extra retired life/quality of life would you trade for the several years of young life in prison?
I thought the free medical care ended once you left the service. And the physical conditioning, while nice, is mostly in your teens and 20s and I don’t know how big an effect that has on life expectancy in your 70s and 80s.
A couple different issues could be rolled up in his statement; all this assumes US benefits.
If someone leaves service without retiring, there’s some limited free service through the VA. That’s mostly about service connected health issues. There’s other coverage for retirees though.
For Active duty personnel, while they are in, there’s no co-pay. There’s no financial incentive to ignore/postpone minor issues.
If you retire off active duty you get health insurance till you qualify for medicare at 65. At that point you still qualify for a supplemental insurance. There’s an international option on that after 65 coverage too where Medicare doesn’t cover. It’s great if you want to spend all or part of the year as an expat.
If you retire out of one of the Reserve Components your free insurance kicks in at 60 with the same changes at 65.
Retirees who live near bases can get treated at on base facilities on a space available basis. Outpatient is free and inpatient has a small co-pay.
It does. Years of preventative medicine, vaccinations, and care should have a lasting effect on a person’s life even when they get out, though.
I’m in the military now and this explanation confuses me. And it’s not correct.
Bottom line is once I retire, I have to pay for my health care. I’ll have an annual payment and co-pays. I’m not saying that it should be free (I fine having to pay what I’ll have to) but it’s in no way free. Not very expensive, but not free. I have to this cost if it’s in an MTF (medical treatment facility (a military hospital or clinic)) or PSC (private sector care (aka out in town)).
And the only time reservists get free health care is if they are extended active duty. If you injured on your annual training, you’ll get care, but you can’t get elective surgery for example on AT.
In my state an EMT can only do basic life support. CPR, splints, tourniquets etc. No IV sticks. Paramedics can push certain preapproved meds, intubate, IVs, drill holes in your bones to inject meds right into the marrow and make death pronouncements while in communication with a doctor. There is a reason why paramedics get paid a lot more.
Free isn’t quite as free as it used to be for anyone. Still very affordable.
I’m most likely going to have to retire soon from the National Guard. I looked into the Tricare Retired Reserve. What a horrible system. I spent large chunks of 28 years of my life in uniform including 7 years of active duty. It cost me two good knees and a marriage. Spent my time getting various forms of ordinance lobbed at me. And that’s the best they can do? I was hoping it would save me money from my current plan but not even close. I haven’t run the numbers lately but the last time I checked the premiums would cost me about $10,000 more than what I am paying now per year. Who the hell can afford that? You are right that the active duty plan kicks in at 60. Until then the “grey area retirees” are screwed.
Well, you’re a police officer, so your current plan is bound to be better than anything you can get elsewhere.