Coronavirus

Support The Troops? More Like Screw The Troops

Written by SK Ashby

National Guard service members have been assisting states since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic by carrying out dangerous jobs like in New York City, for example, where members of the Guard were deployed to collect the bodies of people who died at home.

Now, members of the Guard who are deployed for a certain length of time (90 days) qualify for benefits from their service and the Trump regime is apparently keenly aware that the time is approaching.

Politico obtained audio of Trump regime officials discussing their plans to cut off funding for National Guard deployments literally one day before (89 days) the service members would qualify for benefits. And we know they understand the implications of this as they can be heard on a conference call discussing their need for a unified political message.

The official outlined the Trump administration’s plans on an interagency call on May 12, an audio version of which was obtained by POLITICO. The official also acknowledged during the call that the June 24 deadline means that thousands of members who first deployed in late March will find themselves with only 89 days of duty credit, one short of the 90-day threshold for qualifying for early retirement and education benefits under the Post-9/11 GI bill.

The looming loss of crucial frontline workers, along with questions about whether the administration is shortchanging first responders, would require a delicate messaging strategy, the official — representing FEMA’s New England region — told dozens of colleagues on the interagency call.

“We would greatly benefit from unified messaging regarding the conclusion of their services prior to hitting the 90-day mark and the retirement benefit implications associated with it,” the official said.

Yes, they would "greatly benefit" from shamelessly preparing for this. And you know who literally won't benefit? Members of the Guard who've been picking up bodies and shoving cotton swabs up the noses of strangers.

We are spending literally trillions on our response to the coronavirus and yet penny-pinching benefits away from service members is still at the top of the minds of the Trump regime. It truly beggars belief.

Sometimes I wonder if a significant number of Americans' brains have been virtually if not physically rewired for petty cruelty. You know, much the same way that animals who are abused may be aggressive as a result of it.