My view on this is that we are educated higher-level professionals.

It is the nature of our particular profession that we often work in uncomfortable, dangerous conditions, and may live for extended periods under those conditions. All well and good... if there is an operational necessity. That's just part of the program.

But when we are in CONUS or other civilized locals, I do not feel a duty to subsidize DoD funding by eating or living in marginal conditions. We are not draftees, we are all professionals, must of us in for 20+ years.

It would be one thing if the idea was to suck it up for 2-3 years, win the war, and lets all go home. But that aint' happenin...well over half of my career is going to be during a hot war. The rest of america is not sucking it up to support the war(s) on a daily basis, so my view is that I should be reasonably compensated for doing so.

I have heard of white-collar professionals at some companies having to double-bunk on travel , but in my corporate experience I never actually saw it happen. It's just not the norm.

Think of all the money we could save the DoD if we all sold our nice cars and took a 50% cut in base pay. My gardener drives a 1975 pickup...why should I expect any better, right?

Rant off.