Private Benjamin's

The largest single budget item for the Pentagon is not guns and bullets or 4 star generals. It isn't for black op missions. Roughly 10% of their budget is spent on health care for 10 million active duty personnel, retiree's and their families.

In 2001 they spent $19 billion on health care.

The latest request asks for $53 billion to cover the cost of health care.

Apparently the government can't control health care costs any better than the private sector, but Obamacrap is supposed to make health care affordable and balance the budget.

Someone's nose is growing.

So how much do military retiree's pay for health insurance? According to Yahoo News the amount is shocking.

After years of resisting proposed increases for the military men and women who sacrificed for a nation, budget-conscious lawmakers suddenly are poised to make them pay a bit more for their health care, though not on the president's terms.

The current fees, unchanged in 11 years, are $230 a year for an individual and $460 for a family. That's far less than what civilian federal workers pay for health care, about $5,000 a year, and what most other people in the U.S. pay.

Obama is seeking a fee increase of $2.50 per month for an individual and $5 per month for families, which approaches the current price of a gallon of gasoline.

With our all volunteer armed services, I don't begrudge our brave soldiers and their families anything. But at the same time, the premiums charged are ridiculously low.

Consider civilian retirees, after paying Medicare premiums for years while in the workforce are asked to pay $96.40 to $110.50 per month for Part B premiums.

Joe "you lied" Wilson has this to say.

"I strongly believe military retirees have made significant down payments through their dedicated service to the nation," said the subcommittee chairman, Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C. "In view of that service, it is not right for the nation to ask them to pay more for the health care for which they are entitled as all citizens are being personally challenged financially by rising gas prices."

In principal, I agree. The sacrifice of these men and women is much greater than the civilian labor force and they should be given a break, but I question how the taxpayers can continue subsidies at this level.

We have an accumulated $14 trillion national deficit and an unfunded liability that exceeds $50 trillion. This is unsustainable and every program must come under the knife. There must not be any sacred cows when it comes to getting our finances in order.