Just so we all understand the dimensions of what we're talking about here, the amount the government contributes to military retirement benefits has tripled since 2000. The pension contribution is now larger than the actual military payroll. The amount that the Pentagon contributes to fund military pensions is dramatically higher than similar funding by private sector employers. Pension contributions as a percentage of payroll by private companies was about 7% in 2010. In the same year, the Pentagon contributed 136% of it's actual payroll into retirement benefit funding. The contributions by the Pentagon to military retirement benefits is now about 1/7 of the entire military budget, and growing at a dramatic rate.

Do we have a problem with military pensions that needs to be addressed? You betcha'. Will the problem be politicized by the two political parties? You betcha'. Will anything actually be done to alleviate the problem? Almost certainly not.