PATRIOTS ABROAD

 

A popular trend for veterans is to relocate to somewhere other than the US.  No one knows exactly how many veterans live abroad, but the estimate is in the thousands.  The most popular countries for we veterans to live are in the Far East.  Thailand, Viet Nam, Singapore, and Indonesia each have large contingents of former US service men and women living full time in these countries. However, The Philippines is by far the most popular place for retirement.  It is estimated that there are about two thousand ex-Air Force members there alone.  The biggest reason for this trend is the availability of medical care services and a large PX system there. With Clark Air Force Base still in operation, all of the necessary services are still in place. Add to that a beautiful climate, extraordinary cultures, and a very low cost of living, and The Philippines becomes a veritable paradise for those on a fixed income who qualify for VA and retirement benefits.

 

THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR LIVING ABROAD

 

The beautiful surroundings, the climate, the friendly people, and the contrasting and intriguing cultures are all listed as reasons why veterans choose to live abroad. But far and away the most common and compelling reason is economic.  The truth is, as unpopular as it is to say out loud, the United States is no place to live on a low, fixed income.  And it has become more so in the last few decades.  For this reason, more and more veterans are living the ex-patriot life in countries where their pensions are sufficient to allow for a comfortable lifestyle. Examples of this are found on the web sites of these men and women, but my own experiences tell one story that is echoed by many.

 

An ever increasing choice for veterans who have a limited, fixed income, such as retirement or VA disability pensions is Mexico.  This writer moved to Mexico last year.  For me it was strictly a financial decision.  My wife and I were always planning to relocate in Mexico when we retired. But we were forced to re-evaluate our situation after my wife suffered a stroke which left her completely paralyzed on the right side and unable to continue working.  After about 18 months of trying different home and supportive care services, we decided that in the current economy it was costing me money to continue working.  It’s a sad commentary, but the truth is that we are living quite comfortably in Mexico on what we were paying for adult day care for my wife while I worked. 

 

THE LIFE

 

For those of you who wonder how anyone could leave the country they love, have served in it’s military, maybe shed blood or lost body parts, and take good old American dollars to a foreign country, let me tell you it’s quite easy and not as unpatriotic as it sounds.  Those of us who have decided to live abroad are not traitors. We are not unpatriotic and we certainly are no less American for doing so.  For me, the choice was easy, continue to work after my wife’s medical emergency and earn just enough money to be short each month and continue to go slowly into bankruptcy, or, move to where our disability pensions permit me to stay at home and care for my wife and still live a quiet middle income lifestyle.

 

With high speed Internet communications, cable TV, Internet banking, ATMs, and available, albeit expensive, commercial air travel, those of us who live abroad are no less “in touch” than anyone else.  We vote, pay income tax, (and for those who maintain a US presence, property taxes, school taxes, etc.) and continue to be United States citizens in all aspects.  We continue to bank in the US mostly because direct deposit is not available abroad, but also because our money is protected by the government we served and support.  Many of us actually live in large communities of ex-pats.  These alcoves of America in a foreign land provide a ready-made support system for it’s members.  The bottom line is that taking your pension to another country where it goes much farther makes sense for some.  For others, it doesn’t. The next time you fill your gas tank for $50 or $60, or slip and slide on icy roads, or have to choose between food or medicine, re-read this article.