From the article: 2012 Military Base Pay
President Obama has proposed a 1.6% military pay raise for fiscal year 2012 despite recommendations for a 2011 pay freeze. Do you think 1.6% is a fair raise or do you think military membersa are paid too much? What's Your Opinion?
Do we make enough ???
- I believe we do make enough.... BUT.... Depends what career field tour in. I'm stationed in nondeployment base and work 14 hours a day on a panama schedule. What makes my blood boil is the fact that some jobs like the idiots in the gym who work only 8 hrs and get a lunch and get paid the same as I. More for what you work.
- —Guest Afmouse
Not even close
- There is no proper way to measure the amount owed to those who endure a deployment to a war zone. The almost endless boredome, followed by the sudden, intense blasts of adrenaline during dangerous encounters. Add to that being separated from family, friends, home, your things, and even from convinience stores and restraunts & shopping. In fact, nothing exists out there except what you have brought on board a ship. Sometimes you would almost kill for a coke, or a bag of chips. Then what about the damage that comes, for some, later. The psychological damage of dealing with the whole " I killed people" thing. Then dealing, later, with those armchair quarterbacks who say we should not have done what we did. Everyone is behind us at the time, but time changes perceptions, and the public is fickle. Let some nay sayers do what I did, go where I went, then we'll see if they still think the pay was worth it. No, the pay was not worth it, I'll be paying for the rest of my life.
- —Guest NavyMan123
Compare and contrast on pay
- I always wonder why people that proffesional sports such as golf, tennis, football, or baseball get paid millions of dollars to move a ball but soldiers get paid just enough to get by for risking our life's down range finding IEDs and taking enemy fire. Just a thought I have nothing against sports
- —Guest Sgt smith
Military pay
- There is the old 'how much I sacraficed' saw but those who ACTUALLY serve are few. One guy has had 3 tours and jumping up and down for the next one MONEY - that's what it's about. The old serving your country died with WWII vets, God Bless them - not like today's point and click 20 hrs per week for 50 grand - can't write, can't read but can lie, cheat and steal you're qualified for the army. Most couldn't hold a real job. They are overpaid and do not deserve any increase. They are well cared for and paid...180 days, get VA paperwork and voila...on the dole for the rest of your life..never earned a dime..today's army is the bottom...many convicts and that's what they like..don't work and can't be fired. Waaaay over paid.
- —Guest guestvet
no not worth it
- For example crappy barracks crappy duty stations on top of crappy pay. Id rather be a civilian and have my rights. I pulled my time got out. No more BS go to formation and wait.
- —Guest guest
Better than our counterparts
- I am yet to find a company who has offered to send me to school, then pay $45K for having 0 qualifications. None of my friends get paid as much as I do even though most have a bachelor degree. A lot of individuals do not count their BAH and BAS as income but it is. If you can find another job without any skills that give you a basic pay and pay for your housing, your uniforms and food THEN GET OUT. We knew what we were getting into before we signed up. Learn to live within your means. Stop having kids if you cant afford them or have your spouse get a job. Stop buying fancy cars and name brand clothes if you cant afford them. I'm thankful that I even have a job. --Sgt MaC
- —Guest KeishaK
Absolutely NOT
- As the spouse of an active duty member, no the pay is not enough! And when they retire, it's even worse! I believe that they should receive the same benefits as these congress people.
- —Guest Sally
Yes with qualifications
- I am active enlisted with 21 years of service. Do we get paid enough for putting our lives on the line, no, how can you put a price on that. Do we get paid fairly for skills and is that enough to get by, and when managed well get ahead, yes. Without a doubt. Unfortunately our society is so materialistic that many in our military simply does not live within their means. I have read many similar comments within this thread so it is not isolated. As a society I think we need to do better educating ourselves and our youth on money management. We are a society of wastefulness and it shows in our economy, federal and personal debt. Back to the main point, there was a time when the military was underpaid but there were large pay raises that caught us up and eventually put us ahead of civilian counterparts. With the economy down and coporate payrolls down the military pay is certainly fair at this time. Don't change the retirement though, that is what helps us put up with everything!
- —Guest James
Paid enough?
- our recruiters are continuing to push numbers of recruits in with the current payscale. If you have a bunch of kids and cannot afford them i'm sorry but there are ways to control reproduction. much like any job, the entry level pay is not great, but it gets better. lastly how many other jobs give you a pension for 20years service and healthcare for life?
- —Guest currenty Sgt
Not Enough
- Service members are not paid their worth. No overtime time and a half comp time off.... I appreciate what they do for our country in the time of war and peace
- —Guest Joe Hatcher
No we are not paid enough
- Most people who think they are paid enough usually have a crap job that doesn't pay much on the civilian side or even have a civilian equivalence. There is no reason to be shocked or complain about the pay because you can look it up before you join. I do believe if you live humbly and be smart with your money vs dependants situation, you can do very well. Its easy to compare to my pay to my civilian counterpart's and frown. There's about a $75K-120K. But for now and maybe for the next 20 years, I will continue to serve and live modestly. When I feel like taking care of a family, I will get out quadruple my money like the rest of my past co-workers. The point is, if you want to make what the private sector makes, go to the private sector. Overall, there is no real way to assign a monetary equivalence to "service" because it's supposed to be a selfless act. As far as stability, the military is anything but stable. You can get "laid off".
- —Guest Active Duty AF
are military members paid enough
- No..they struggle with families and still have to serve their country....they are underpaid considering what other people make around this country and they are not risking their lives.
- —Guest cass
Depends
- It really depends on your job and the number of deployments. Some "lucky" Soldiers are paid quite well for their education/experience level. Certain MOS deploy very frequently and are definitely not compensated adequately. I have heard the "family/kids" argument but this does not hold water; if you are an E3 with 6 kids you do not deserve additional pay to increase your lifestyle. Live within your means and rank, put in the time/effort to get promoted, get your education and quit whining. I have seen both sides in my 23 years of service; E4s driving $40,000 SUVs and E6s struggling to raise 2 kids.
- —Guest Paul
RUKM?
- I'm a 9 year veteran, still on AD. Listen to me when I say WE ARE GETTING PAID VERY WELL!!! First, every single one of us knew the risks and sacrifices that would come with our jobs when we signed-up, and then when we re-enlisted over and over again. Next, no one told you to have dependents. Its a military cliche, but if the Army wanted you to have kids they would issue them to you...it's not your workplace's responsibility to pay for all of your kids, have some control and live within in your means. Lastly, have you looked in the private sector for a job recently?? You have to be either super-technically trained or have some sort of in right now; so compared to almost 20% of the country we are doing well. Considering almost 95% of the military comes in with no experience or formal training (officers included, except for going to college but that doesn't train you for the military) then our pay system is pretty good.
- —Guest Guest John
Currently Serving
- Currently deployed as well. For a single soldier, yes, the pay is upto par IMHO, but could definately be increased when deployed significantly. Specially considering they take you in with ZERO experience. Now, family folk, is another story. BAH in many locations is out of this world. Does not add up to the local economy in some places. Such as Ft. Campbell. Have fun finding a decent rental family home for what you're paying in BAH. You'll be pretty much paying for electric/gas/trash/water/whatever services out of your base pay. Which is what BAH is supposed to cover. The only real option to make BAH add up is to BUY a house, and hope to god when you PCS, you can find someone to rent to, as soon as you leave. They should definately take families into account, I definately feel for those troopers who have young kids/babies on their pay. For the job the Military does, no, the pay is definately not adequate.
- —Guest JOhn
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