MILITARY PAY INCREASES ARE WAY PAST DUE

President Bush's proposal for a significant boost in military pay is long overdue. The president is proposing pay increases of $1.4 billion and another $1 billion of incentives to retain skilled military personnel.

Considering the importance of having well-trained military personnel in the various service branches, the Bush plan sounds like an idea that could go a long way at improving the lot of our men and women in uniform at a modest cost.

In his visits to military bases this week, Bush has been enthusiastically received by both officers and enlisted personnel. The president made military upgrades a high-profile item on his list of campaign promises. There is little doubt that the military is pleased to see that he is following through on that pledge.