Even then, it is important to emphasize that in many cases today, private sector benefit plans exceed those available to our military. . . Retired members also retain military status and are subject to involuntary recall to active duty. No private sector plan has such restrictive features. . . . As a result, changes too numerous to mention were enacted. Pressures to further modify the system are now intensifying.
Several studies are currently under way. . .
The military retiree population will level off soon after the turn of the century. The post-Vietnam military is about one million smaller than that of the 1960's. It is inequitable for today's military people to be penalized by costs associated with previous national decisions. Unlike private-sector employees, whose retired pay is based on their salary, military retired pay is formulated as a percentage of basic pay. Many military members perceive military retirement as providing delayed compensation in realization of salary inequities.