Why do soldiers make so little money?

Tabitha

First off I would like to say that people like sam are the reason our country is shamed and has piss poor ethics and values.. and has given a false statement. In fact most soldiers are very well educated and serve there country out of duty, honor and respect for there families, seeing as how this country was earned in blood and war. everything you enjoy as a civilian was earned at the cost of many lives over hundreds of years. And whether you like to admit it or not War is necessary.

But, the question is pay. As a soldier my self in the Infantry. pay is not as important as the reason we fight. pay is a privilege or a bonus. true we dont make as much as you might believe and times to get hard even with the incentives. And its a good carreer. and honorable carreer.

I guess to put it in simple terms, we volenteered to do this so that our children may not have to. and the pay we do recieve is enough to feed our families. if you wanna be rich. dont join the military.
if you want to serve your country and fight for your right to an opinion and have earned it, then yes serve and when you come across people like sam. you can laugh and hold your head up high because you appritiat the rights you do have.

Try making $2,000 a month straight out of high school with no college. It's not the easiest thing to do.

Service members are paid by their rank, location (if married) and their time in service. An E-2 actually makes $1,622 a month before taxes. Keep in mind that money doesn't count the fact that if you're single you also get free food, a free room, and free medical and dental. A single troop only has to pay for hygene products and they have no bills outside of a cell phone, a car, insurance, cable, and Internet. All of which are optional with the exception of the hygene products.

A married troop doesn't get the free food or room but he gets extra money to make up for it. They get Basic Allowance For Housing which is around $1,000 on average for privates. E-5 and above gets even more. Your location determines how much your BAH is, a Soldier stationed at Fort Hamilton, NY would collect over $2,500 a month in BAH alone. You also get a food allowance. That's around $330 a month. Your whole family gets medical insurance and you get dental at a discount.

All troops get extra money for college. You get the GI Bill, which is almost $50,000, and you get $4,500 a year for Tuition Assistance. You won't get rich but by no means are you poor. I make over $60,000 a year right now in an area where the average family (not individual) income is a little over $30,000 a year and my pay is only going to go up. The longer you stay in, the more your pay increases.

Ashley

First of all, think it through. Our cost of living in the military is extremely low. Civilians are forced to waste their money on things like apartments, food, entertainment and everything else. Not to say that we don't have to pay for these things either, it's just a hell of a lot cheaper. Secondly, what age bracket are we talking here? 2k/month for an 18 year old is a lot. If you play it right, and stick to your goals, it's not too bad. Granted I do believe we should and wouldn't mind making more, but if you really think about it, it's not terrible.

brucec83

Our soldiers make a lot more than most countries.' They get a low cost of living (food, clothing and housing is free or cheap and there are no medical expenses), entry requirements are low, training is provided, your job is secure, retirement benefits are good, and you get a cool uniform and bragging rights. But mostly it's determined by the supply and demand for labor. The military has a monopoly and the government just can't afford to pay so many people very much money.

William

with rank and time served comes more money and respect....so yea basically E-1 thru E-4 is gonna pay crap...but there are ways around this like getting a promotion contracted in with your enlistment for referrals or college education...and if you have a family and live off post your BAH is still the same even if it doesn't all go to RENT or BILLS so any left over is in your bank account....Im still a civilian but im enlisted in the USMC if i go to Boot as an E-1 it will take maybe 2 to 3 years to reach E-4 but i have two Referals contracted so i just made E-2 (PFC) and if i can get one Female to dep i will get Promoted to E-3 after Boot which sets me about 1 to 1.5 years ahead and only about 6months to a year from making NCO E-4 (CPL)......so money shouldnt be an issue for me after a few years in! OOOH RAH!

Wayne C

You start out making more than many civilians plus you get the roof over your head. AKA 3 hots and a cot. Grocery clerks and baggage handlers make 7 an hour and have top buy food ,pay rent etc.

A new E1 now makes $1331.60 the first 4 months and goes to 1447.20.
They get work clothes.
A place to sleep
Chow mmmmmmm gooooooooooooooodddd
Travel to exotic places free of charge!

That is a lot of pocket change for an 18 year old with no bills.

I would like to have that much left over each month after all the bills.

SSG US Army 73-82
NEVER HEARD OF:
Anyone joining for the money
Anyone joining so some knucklehead could spit on them
Anyone joining so someone could say "Thank You"

NEVER!!

cassie L

You are right they should get paid more. They are willing to risk their lives for others. Its the same with police, fire fighter and other things along those lines. They don't get paid nearly enough.

Joseph the Second

It's a "Job"- like any Other. And since all a Soldier's everyday "expenses" are PAID FOR by the Military ANYway ( stuff like Room & Board, Utilities, Travel ones & etc.), soldiers really don't have the Time or Need to have any Money- when They're Single & living on Base !!! So WHAT are they gonna Do with a big Paycheck every Week ??! Of Course- if they CHOOSE to support a Family, that's THEIR "Decision"...-but NOT the Military's "problem". It ALL boils down to Economics... And the "Services" are "Businesses"- too. ;)

Cecil Cyrus Citrus III

Ask the politicians!!!!

Amanda

we would all like to know the answer to that.

South

I went to College then joined the Army after looking into myself and feeling bad that i was relaxing, being a humble civilian i know my counrty needed me. I joined up in the ARMY HOAH! I now struggle each month from making $5,000.00 a month now to 1,779.00 A month. The system is cruel to the ones who protect it. I'm a radiologic technologist, i seen civilian osha saftey, health, and food is the worst imaginable. We go home to barracks that smell like skunks, and bath in orange rust water. We live in a 150 sq ft. mini room that share common rest rooms. We get ripped out of our pay for meals - $300.00 then there is no pay raise's. We have our equipment break down first month using it so we buy better equipment to help each other out and to get by. Guess what if you have a family like me who gets hurt? me abd them. Our housing here is lowest of standards. I used to build homes during summer to afford my college before the ARMY. I LOVE my fellow soldiers to see them starve becuase end of duty day was at Seven and defac ( chow hall ) dinner has closed. We miss out on alot of minimal essentials just to serve civilians and do our duty. I would like to see more respect not money or sorry's but respect when talking to a supiorer fellow human Soldier. Defending my soldiers is what i will put all my efforts and work foor the rest of my life untill i see there health care system rival what the congressmen get and eat then i will never rest in knowing how miss guided our system really is. LIFE of a soldier has no words,we drive on and dont complain, but i will, Its just a HOAH thing.

Phillip

Lauren, you are ignorant! I know many soldiers who joined for service to their country, including myself! I didn't join for the money, we all go in knowing that we could just sit behind a desk selling something as simple as insurance and make double if not TRIPLE then what we would make being enlisted! I'm only an E-2 in the U.S Army and I know first hand that its not about the money! Military isn't just a cheap paying job, IT'S A LIFE STYLE! They join to be apart of something better then an average day to day, black and white life! Its a Challenging, physical, pain enduring, sweat pouring, exciting, and the most BEAUTIFUL career in the world! You make the best friends of your life, people you will never forget! I Don't regret my decision not one bit along with many others! HOOAH!

the shark

Whoever says that people join the Army because they didn't pay attention in school is a moron. I enlisted in the Army with a Bachelor degree. While in the Army i completed a Masters Degree as an E5. So stop stereotyping the 21st century US soldiers. We are a force full of intellectual capacity with a heart of a Warrior. We freaking commit to this sacrifice for some stupid folks who can't research before they express themselves on the internet. I hope you're not John Kerry's nephew!

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