
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Pentagon officials this week issued a memo with guidelines ;to troops on how to cope with inflation, including speaking with a financial adviser and enrolling in SNAP (food stamps).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ;decision comes after months of complaining ;from soldiers who are finding it difficult to make ends meet on government pay.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Inflation in the US is currently at about 8.3%, but is as high as 13.6% for government defense purchases. <strong>Unfortunately, Defense Department officials based their budgeting decisions for 2022 on a rate of 3.9%. ;</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In May, Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord issued a memo to Congress warning lawmakers of the Defense Department&#8217;s failure to adequately track inflation and make adjustments to budgets. Pentagon leaders even declined assistance when concerned lawmakers offered to help the department with inflation numbers. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This problem could be even worse next year, warns retired US Army Major General John Ferrari. Based on the latest information released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Pentagon&#8217;s budget request of $773 billion for next year is short by as much as ; $70 billion. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;[This is] hardly a rounding error,&#8221; notes Ferrari. &#8220;Although the House and Senate have added money in their defense bills, $7.1 billion and $21.2 billion respectively, raging inflation means troops and their families will lose $8.7 billion in buying power this year.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Taking into account inflation and pay increases, soldiers today are currently facing what feels like a 12.5% pay cut. </strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">&#8220;Having already added more money to the defense budget than President Biden requested, Congress will have to appropriate even more to save America&#8217;s troops from the Defense Department&#8217;s negligence,&#8221; warns Ferrari. &#8220;It&#8217;s the only way to get troops and their families the financial lifeline they need.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Author&#8217;s Note: ;</strong>The potential impact here is staggering. If word gets out that soldiers are turning to food stamps because they aren&#8217;t earning enough money, we won&#8217;t be able to recruit new men and women during a time of unprecedented ;global risk &#8211; not to mention how weak it makes the United States look if we can&#8217;t even pay our own military. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Source:</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/inflation-catches-the-pentagon-flat-footed-army-paychecks-food-stamps-defense-department-budget-ppi-troops-11662405897">Inflation Catches the Pentagon Flat-Footed ;</a></p>

Biden to US Soldiers: Consider Food Stamps to Help with Inflation
