Stimson’s new report on defense budget is featured in Military.com

Veteran service organizations pushed back against a recent defense panel’s recommendation that the Defense Department make the military retirement system look more like private sector plans.

“The American Legion’s position is that we oppose any changes to the current military retirement system because we believe if there are changes, such as those [that have been] proposed, it would negatively impact incentives for enlistees,” said Joe Grassi, deputy director for the Legion’s National Security Division.

The Legion is aware that times are tight, Grassi said, but “the Legion believes the budget shouldn’t be balanced on the backs of people who make sacrifices for this country.”

The Defense Business Board made a similar pitch two years ago that military retirement should be more like a 401(K), with contributions by the servicemember. It was refloated by the Defense Advisory Committee of The Stimson Center, a bipartisan Washington think tank.

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