# You often hear how military families are barely scraping by. Why is this so? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916 "2009-05-01T01:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/61 "2009-05-06T03:18:06Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > That’s all and good from the perspective of a family member. From the perspective of an actual service member, the service kind of stinks (or did at the time). > > Need something done? You can’t make an appointment like a normal person; you have to take time off of work and report to “sick call” at a specific hour of the day. In the real world, I call and make an appointment at a time convenient to me. > > Feeling truly sick? Again, “sick call” at a specific time. Unfortunately there were a lot of lazy people and scammers, which made the triage process exceedingly long and boring. In the real world, I make an appointment and show up at a designated time. This isn’t the same as an emergency room, needed for emergent care; I’m referring to a normal sickness. > > Need to fill a script? Go on sick call at the designated time. Wait through the triage process. Turn in your script. Return later in the day, or maybe the next day. Civilian world? “Do you want this now or would you like to pick it up? Now? Okay, be about 5 minutes.” > > If anyone wonders why I don’t want the government to run health care, then this is the number one reason. The funny thing is, the dependents were always treated with respect compared to us, and so that treatment might compel them to _want_ a government system! > > To be honest, the care I received was always excellent. I have no complaints about any treatment or care that I ever received. Hell, I’m not even complaining about the service aspects; just comparing it to civilian life. And if you were sick enough, you could bypass the triage process. Without really meaning to, I discovered that vomiting violently in the restroom would move you straight to the front of the line. 😉 Just as an FYI, at least IME at FT Bragg over the last 9 years. I would never encourage my Soldiers to go to sick call. They had the option to go to AMEC (Acute Minor Emergency Care), make a same-day appointment, or go to the emergency room. Sick call was, and always will be, full of shammers trying to get out of PT or something, so if a Soldier was sick enough, AMEC would be the best option after duty hours, and I would comp the Soldier the time spent there if he/she really was ill. Same day appointments don’t have the triage issue, because triage is done over the phone. For someone who cannot wait for either of the above, that is what the ER is for. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/62 "2009-05-06T03:29:52Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > **Cubsfan** , > I never suggested you did say anything about Recruiters, that was why I quoted **electronbee**. Your idea of a compensation package notwithstanding, I was trying to demonstrate that my pay and compensation is not affected at all if I use the MTF or not. I get just as much pay if I live in the barracks or off post. Granted, I get BAH if I live off post, but either way, I get housing paid for. > > By your logic, the annual meal at [Golden Corral](http://www.bargainist.com/deals/2008/11/golden-corral-military-appreciation-day-free-dinner-for-veterans/) and the current [Disney](http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/archives/december01/stories/121001_01.shtml) and Six Flags promotions are part of the Service Member’s compensation plan. By your argument, you must do something to earn the compensation, that is, serve in the military. Other than Golden Corral, you can’t use the benefit when you get out. Others I forgot to include links to are the 10% I get off on my Sprint Wireless bill, the $1 buffet I get at my local CiCi’s, the free coffee at Starbucks, etc. For all these benefits in my compensation plan, I must be a member of the Military. > > SSG Schwartz Your comparison is heavily flawed by one huge issue: we are not employed by Golden Corral or Sprint or Disney. Those freebies or discounts aren’t being provided as payment for my service. They are given out of appreciation for our work. Nothing more. The same could be said about student or senior discounts or freebies. There are people in the civillian world who have jobs with insurance that has no premium or copays for dental or pharmacy (some medical too if they are lucky). Is that free in your book? How about companies who match 401k’s? Is that free? You seem to think that anything other than taxed pay qualifies as a freebie or a perk. It’s not. It’s part of your compensation package. We are paid less than we would be if we didn’t have medical or a retirement plans. It all evens out in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/63 "2009-05-06T12:02:33Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > Just as an FYI, at least IME at FT Bragg over the last 9 years. I would never encourage my Soldiers to go to sick call. They had the option to go to AMEC (Acute Minor Emergency Care), make a same-day appointment, or go to the emergency room. Sick call was, and always will be, full of shammers trying to get out of PT or something[.] Aye, I wish that’d we’d had that option. I think I alluded to it above, that it was really the shammers that screwed up the entire process for everyone else. Good people (I think I was one of those) really just tried to avoid sick call unless we really, really needed it (like the occasion that I discovered vomiting in the latrine would bypass triage). When in AIT at Ft. Gordon, I was on the swing shift, and there simply didn’t exist afternoon sick call. It was fantastic the one time I needed medical attention: go the hospital. ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/64 "2009-05-06T14:31:02Z")
SSG: The Recruiters to what they are told, just like everyone else, and it’s mainly geared for people in high school. But, as you know as you are in the service, “myths” and “half-truths” have a tendency to become fact when they are actually fiction. As a side note, I was a used car salesman at one point in time and with that job behind me and my experience with Recruiters, the Recruiters that _I_ dealt with were worse. But, YMMV as I was at a more respectable dealership. My favorite Navy adage is 50/50/90: Given a 50/50 chance on something we’re wrong 90% of the time. 😃 Hee! ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/65 "2009-05-07T03:13:43Z")
> [@electronbee](#): > > SSG: > > The Recruiters to what they are told, just like everyone else, and it’s mainly geared for people in high school. But, as you know as you are in the service, “myths” and “half-truths” have a tendency to become fact when they are actually fiction. As a side note, I was a used car salesman at one point in time and with that job behind me and my experience with Recruiters, the Recruiters that _I_ dealt with were worse. But, YMMV as I was at a more respectable dealership. > > My favorite Navy adage is 50/50/90: Given a 50/50 chance on something we’re wrong 90% of the time. 😃 Hee! Thank you for your Service. Thank you for perpetuating a stereo-type. As far as the community I am in, selling half truths and myths will prove to be counter productive, because in small towns, everybody knows everybody and if I don’t share what I know to be FACTS, that will get around and make my job harder, but you just go along spreading Recruiter myths and other bullshit if that is what gets you off. As to the Military being geared to people in high school, I would love to know where you got this “myth.” > [@](#): > > But, as you know as you are in the service, “myths” and “half-truths” have a tendency to become fact when they are actually fiction. This is saying all Recruiters lie. Convince me you meant it in any other way. If you did not, show me one lie I have told an applicant. If you cannot, then I would invite you not to post bullshit about me. You say what you want about what you know, but leave me out of it personally. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/66 "2009-05-07T05:52:53Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Aye, I wish that’d we’d had that option. I think I alluded to it above, that it was really the shammers that screwed up the entire process for everyone else. Good people (I think I was one of those) really just tried to avoid sick call unless we really, really needed it (like the occasion that I discovered vomiting in the latrine would bypass triage). > > When in AIT at Ft. Gordon, I was on the swing shift, and there simply didn’t exist afternoon sick call. It was fantastic the one time I needed medical attention: go the hospital. My active duty time was from 89-93 so it is dated but I didn’t have an option either. That was in Germany and Fort Hood. To complicate things further, I was on flight status. I had to go to a Flight Surgeon for everything. I couldn’t even take any OTC meds without permission. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/67 "2009-05-07T12:09:16Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > My active duty time was from 89-93 so it is dated but I didn’t have an option either. That was in Germany and Fort Hood. To complicate things further, I was on flight status. I had to go to a Flight Surgeon for everything. I couldn’t even take any OTC meds without permission. Germany wasn’t too bad (1991 to 1993). We were on a tiny little airfield Kaserne just outside of Hanau away from the majority of the military population, and the sick call there wasn’t very busy. It probably _was_ the flight surgeon. After Germany, I went to Ft. Hood, too (through 96). Our designated clinic was, again, on the airfield (the one on the east side of the base), but it was utilized by everyone assigned to it, including a lot of junior enlisted that just didn’t want to PT for whatever reason. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![busterpickle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@busterpickle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/busterpickle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916/68 "2009-05-08T22:15:22Z")
Well, SSG, if you had pointed out that you were or had been a recruiter --or maybe I missed it-- I would have used specific language to indicate that my experience was my experience only. But, I do believe that I did include that in a post with YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) meaning that everyone’s experience is different. And, being not 18 and being 27 when I enlisted I know what I knew and what I had experienced. Your current command may have much higher standards but once again, that is your current command. I work with someone who was a recruiter and he has quite a few personal stories of his past, personal, experience as a recruiter. And, as a lot of what he says coincides with what _I_ _PERSONALLY_ experienced --and not what you have experienced personally or currently, personally, practice in your method of recruiting-- it’s hard for me to not relay my personal experiences which I did in fact experience. So, for me, it is not a myth and is fact a reality that I did personally experience. But, as I have said before: YMMV. eb [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-often-hear-how-military-families-are-barely-scraping-by-why-is-this-so/494916.md?page=3)