President Obama gave a speech March 19, 2009.
"We also owe our veterans the care they were promised and the benefits that they have earned."
"It's a commitment that begins at enlistment, and it must never end. But we know that for too long, we've fallen short of meeting that commitment."
How can the government support a reduction in military retiree benefits? We have supported and defended our country for 20 plus years. We fulfilled our end of the contract and so should the government. Higher co-pays, higher deductibles, and more out of pocket expenses are not the "benefits that we have earned". The retirees already enrolled and eligible for Tricare Prime should be grandfathered and allowed to continue with their current medical service in October 2013.