Something to Think About

I try not to put a lot of personal commentary on this blog, just interesting food for thought and enlightening information on assorted topics. This one, however, is something that pushes my buttons.
The following observation was forwarded to me from a friend, and I posted it elsewhere, because I thought it was worth repeating.
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Something to Think About!

Low military pay was not mentioned in the State Of The Union speech.
However, increasing the minimum wage was for those fast food employees striking for $15 an hour. Let's do some math, shall we?
At $15 an hour Johnny Fry-Boy would make $31,200 annually.
An E1 (Private) in the military makes $18,378.
An E5 (Sergeant) with 8 years of service only makes $35,067 annually.
So you're telling me, LaTisha McBurgerflipper, that you deserve as much as those kids getting shot at, deploying for months in hostile environments, and putting their collective asses on the line every day protecting your unskilled butt!?
Here's the deal, Baconator, you are working in a job designed for a kid in high school who is learning how to work and earning enough for gas, and hanging out with their equally goofy high school pals. If you have chosen this as your life long profession, you have failed. If you don't want minimum wage, don't have minimum skills, change your thinking.
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A good friend of mine (I'll call him Steve) replied with the following comment...

The jobs are meant for exactly that. If you plan your life with that kind of job try to comprehend you will not have the other things people have like a house, a nice vehicle and the amenities associated with it and plan accordingly. The number of children you have should be planned within your means as well. You are not entitled to a way of life other than what you provide for yourself. And definitely without demanding I give you something I earned.
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In response to him and others, I added an additional opinion...

Just to put the math in perspective, that E1 soldier makes just $8.82 an hour.
What would you rather do for this wage... defend your country while some Islamic radical tries to blow you into parts, or cook chicken parts in a deep fryer? Don't you think our military deserves an increase first?
At an early point in my life I worked as a entry level technician at Motorola ($145 a week), and I seriously considered going back in the military. I chose not to. The main reason was because I decided I couldn't manage to live on the cut in pay. Yes, it was a long time ago, but the point is still the same.
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Steve's final response to me was...

This backwards crap sets me off. Our military who continues to defend your rights gets no compensation. 
Try calling some NFL player for help instead of the police. If you're in an accident or your house is on fire call a TV actor.
Try this; work at a job for four years and get health benefits for life and a pension yet our military is woefully underpaid.
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His final comment was pointed at our notorious representatives in Washington, and I can't agree more. For all we ask of our military, we treat them as a class below the ones (the fast food workers demonstrating for a $15 an hour wage) they are fighting to protect.

If you are going to demonstrate for something, start with them.