Senators talk, officials listen -- on military compensation survey, anyway

When Senators talk, Washington officials listen -- or so some heavy hints from Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia and John Cornyn of Texas suggest. 

The two, one a Democrat, the other a Republican, teamed up last month to call on the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission to survey service men and woman about their preferences about compensation.

Now, the commission says a survey sounds like a good idea. It will ask 68,000 active duty servicemembers, 60,000 reservists, and 40,000 military retirees in the coming weeks about the relative value of compensation and benefits programs.

 “Servicemembers deserve to have their voices heard as changes to the pay and benefits packages they depend on most are considered,” Kaine said.

It matters a lot to hear from people in military service, he added, since the commission is supposed to make a comprehensive set of cost-saving recommendations next year.

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