Dear President-Elect McCain,

Sir:
	Do you know what the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act
(USFSPA) is?  I know your opinion of it is going to be asked in the coming
weeks.
	Where do you stand on veterans benefit programs?
Our nation's military is having a difficult time with recruiting and retention 
of trained armed forces.  I feel that a prime factor is the broken promises of 
politicians to the men and women of the Armed Services. Please read my letter 
and understand why.
	Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana has voted NO on every single issue regarding
veterans.
	Congressman STEVE BUYER (R-IN) is on the following Committees:
ARMED SERVICES (House)
VETERANS' AFFAIRS (House)
HOUSE LEADERSHIP
	Congressman STEVE BUYER (R-IN) is on the following Sub-Committees:
MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND FACILITIES.
MILITARY PERSONNEL (CHAIRMAN)
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE (Where he is a member of the Subcommittee on Crime)
    
HR. 72 USFSPA - Buyer voted..NO
HR. 355 Truth in Recruiting Act Buyer voted..NO
HR. 1067 Improved Access to Health Care for Military Retirees Buyer voted..NO
HR. 1547 TRICARE Improvement Act.Buyer voted..NO
HR. 113 Expansion of FHGBP Demonstration Buyer voted..NO
HR. 2966 Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act Buyer voted..NO
HR. 203 Authorize FEHBP for Medicare Eligible Military Retirees Buyer voted..NO
HR. llll Long Term Health Care. Buyer voted..NO
HR. 65 Amend Title 10 USC For Concurrent Receipt (Pay & Compensation) Buyer voted..NO
HR. 303 Amend Title 38 USC for Concurrent Receipt (Pay & Compensation) Buyer voted..NO
HR. 363 Eliminate Social Security Offset for SBP Recipients. Buyer voted..NO
HR. 2000 Military Survivors Benefit Improvement Act of 1999 Buyer vote..NO
	
	Rep. Steve Buyer voted NO on every single issue regarding veterans.
The issue I am concerned with is reform of the Former Spouse Protection Act, in the 
form of H.R. 72 introduced by Rep Bob Stump.  Rep Buyer refuses to allow hearings on 
the matter.  
	The following information is from the Defense Finance Accounting Services 
(DFAS) concerning the Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act, (USFSPA).
Each month their office approves about 880 requests for garnishment of a retired 
veterans military retirement pay and awards a portion, (usually up to 50%) to a 
former spouse, as community property.  This is an increase of 10,560 each year. 
This is an entirely separate issue from alimony or child support. The TAX dollars 
that are sent to former military spouses in the form of community property equals 
$32,059,500.00 per month.  This equals $384,714,000.00 just this year alone.  These 
former spouses reap this award for life regardless of whether they remarry.  Their 
portion of military retirement is increased every year with annual pay raises in the 
form of Cost of Living Allowances. There are many former spouses of veterans that are 
reaping the benefits of a military career without ever having spent one day on active 
duty. 
	The divorce rate in the military is higher than in the civilian population,
and many former spouses see the Former Spouse Protection Act as a way to divorce for 
profit.  Lets contact Rep Steve Buyer and demand that he hold hearings on reforming 
the USFSPA through H.R. 72.
	The young spouses of today's military are not supportive of the military 
members career.  Many are unhappily married, but staying with the spouse until they 
reach that magic number "10" and then a state divorce court, coupled with No Fault 
divorce and USFSPA will grant them a portion of their ex-military spouses retirement 
income for the rest of their life.  If you doubt my numbers, contact DFAS directly 
and find out how many requests are filed and approved.  There are former spouses of 
military collecting 2 different garnishments from two different military members.  
This is a national disgrace. 
	I copied and pasted the following from an ex-spouse of a military member,
from a discussion forum on the internet..."Thank all of you for the lively discussions 
on this board, it is close to home for me.  BTW, I am not a parasite on my ex's 
retirement, I earned every darn penny I plan on getting as soon as he retires."
	Did you get that?  As soon as he retires!?!  She is just one of thousands of
women that are carefully calculating their financial future off of the backs of their 
military spouses.
	State divorce court judges are dividing a FUTURE military retirement income
as community property before the military member has even reached retirement eligibility!  
A military member must serve honorably and faithfully for at least 20 years to even be 
retirement eligible, yet State divorce courts are awarding a portion of said retirement 
to ex-spouses after just 10 years of marriage to a military member. 
	We need to hold hearings on H.R. 72 introduced by Rep. Bob Stump.  We need your 
help Senator.  Don't turn your back on us.  We need you to respond.

Mark E. Colton
of Montana