I wonder, too, if all the "support the troops" PR hasn't actually had a negative effect with kids. "Why should I enlist and give up so many years of my life and then at the end still need help to buy a house?"

I'm not sure that's true anymore. Every branch has experienced recruiting shortfalls in the past several years. Some have lowered their standards. I wonder if the lies no longer resonate with today's younger generations that grew up watching us flail through the Forever Wars.

Just like everyone else, health care costs have steadily risen for active duty families and retirees.

Health care and any other "people" program eats into the defense budget and the politicians want that money to buy hardware, not take care of people.

--30--

We have Tricare and it's got its problems but generally hasn't been terrible -- for us at least. And it is cheaper than comparable on the outside. But it isn't free.

And every year since I've retired there have been concerted efforts by Republicans to jack up the price.

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The "retail theft crime wave" disappeared as soon as companies had to actually file their annual shareholder reports. Same thing with AI: hype for the consumer, extreme skepticism from the analysts.

Papers that report on this stuff rather than on "CEO said a thing" are going to be more reliable.

Just the dumbest take.