Wow, I just found the pay scale for E4 when I was in the service back in the late fifties, and my monthly pay was $160. The full time equivalent pay was .92c/hour.
cicerone imposter wrote:BTW, I forgot what my pay was as a E4 back in the late fifties, but it was poverty wages. Was broke all the time. It's a good thing we had shelter and three squares a day.
Hey, ci...I was an E4 back in the fifties also!!! :wink:
Don't forget to compare these figures with the starting salary at the time of someone graduating from college with a bachelor of engineering degree-$250-$350/month. Those are late 40's figures.
You have to do what you like and what motivates you in this world...whether you're a gung ho Marine or an anti war rock musician....if you can make real good money at it you're on the bonus plan but that can't be your only motivator...life is too short to comprimise yourself.... and you can't lead by example and teach your children to be money whores......
i'm a 23 year old corporal (e-4) in the marine corps. i make over 33,000 a year with housing allowance. i own a home and am about to pay off my vehicles withe the reenlistment bonus i just got. i understand your concern with our "low" pay (though i believe your intentions are to try and bad mouth the military), but it's not bad at all. without housing allowance i would be making only about $22,000 a year, but i wouldn't have to worry about housing or food. oh yeah, my wife is in the navy and makes the same thing i do. i don't know many 23 year old couples making over 65,000 a year outside of the military.
usmc, Welcome to a2k, and thank you for serving our country. As you say, everything is relative; most 23 year olds today are having a difficult time trying to find jobs that pays anything. Our son has already served in the US Air Force for over 12 years, and has a rank of Major. He's been out for a few years now to earn his masters degree, and now works for the University of Texas in Austin at the reference library. He's considering going back into the service. According to the latest pay scale chart, he would be making a bit over $76,000 which includes his housing allowance.
In defense of Phoenix, who started this thread, if you read through the entire thread you will find that her intent was to express her belief that the pay should be higher not to belittle.
usmccruz wrote:i'm a 23 year old corporal (e-4) in the marine corps.
Semper Fi, Mac. I'm an old Gunny, and my kid went to The Dark Side; he's just made Major
Cripes.I hadn't realised how ancient some of you guys are.It's amazing how young you can seem in print.
With the tax on booze and fags the wages are a dirty trick.
Military pay
Military pay isn't so bad anymore. As a 6 year SSgt E-5 I put 2900 in my pocket each month. (thats in my pockit after taxes)
fyr, I guess everything is relative. For some, especially those who live in Silicon Valley, $2,900 in your pocket every month is not nearly enough to live here.
34000 a year is not good pay
My husband has served in the military for 10 years. He is an E-6 SSG. We get paid $34,000 a year. He has been to Iraq twice and Afganistan once. We qualify for WIC and foodstamps. If anyone things $2900 a month is sufficient pay for putting your life on the line everyday and working 24 hours a day 7 days a week, you are sadly mistaken. Our soldiers deserve more, heck Senators clear over a $100,000 a year and they sit in an air conditioned building running their mouths. Pray for our soldiers and fight for pay raises so their families can eat while they are away.
Hi nicmom, welcome to A2K. Everything you say makes a lot of sense -- best wishes.
Re: 34000 a year is not good pay
nicmom3 wrote:My husband has served in the military for 10 years. He is an E-6 SSG. We get paid $34,000 a year. He has been to Iraq twice and Afganistan once. We qualify for WIC and foodstamps. If anyone things $2900 a month is sufficient pay for putting your life on the line everyday and working 24 hours a day 7 days a week, you are sadly mistaken. Our soldiers deserve more, heck Senators clear over a $100,000 a year and they sit in an air conditioned building running their mouths. Pray for our soldiers and fight for pay raises so their families can eat while they are away.
serve your country, collect welfare. Its sad they way our fighting men and women are paid. Hell, even the death benefits are lacking. That said, if my country needed me to serve again I would without question.
Not only is the pay scale too low for risking your life for our country, but this administration has reduced or taken away health benefits for our vets. People in the military must watch out between what this administration says vs what they've been doing to veteran's benefits. Veterans' in the hospital in Washington DC initiated a class action suit against Rummy for taking away their benefits. With more soldiers coming home with physical and mental injuries from their service, they've better start paying attention to what this administratiion is doing to their benefits.
Thank you, Phoenix for starting this thread way back in '03 and thank you, Stratman for reviving it today. It's funny how openings occur when you least expect them. I have been wanting to share with you all for the past three weeks about my son enlisting in the Army, but was so hesitant to do so after reading so many negative opinions about our military and all the repercussions of some very bad decisions by both individuals within the military ranks and the government itself.
First and foremost, I am incredibly proud of my son. He is one of the most gentle and tenderhearted, loving souls I have ever had the joy of knowing. As a mom, of course I am also very worried about his welfare. But I cannot let my own fears stand in the way of knowing that he is doing exactly what he wants to do. He graduated from college 3 years ago with a degree in Computer Science, just about the time the bottom was falling out of the computer market in the Bay Area around San Francisco.
For three years, he has researched and studied and spoken with numerous family members who have served, friends who have served and two recruiters who are also personal friends. He has not entered into this lightly, but with the maturity of a now 25 year old who has done his homework very well.
Because of his former college, he will be entering Basic as a Private First Class with E-3 benefits and compensation. He will be able to wear his PFC insignia while in Basic and he is very honoured to be able to do that.
Because of his test scores, he was able to choose his MOS (job) from any and all the openings they had. He knew ahead of time what he wanted and he chose to become part of Delta 19 Cavalry Scouts. Not the easiest of positions as he will be doing a lot of recognisance and intelligence gathering up close and personal and at times very covert.
When he signed on, he was given the maximum sign on bonus of 20k plus have 70k available to him for education through the G.I. Bill.
He leaves this Thursday for Fort Knox, Kentucky. When I see him off, I will hold him so close with open arms, be his biggest supporter and stand behind him 1 million percent. After he has gone, I am sure I will cry my eyes out until I jump for joy at seeing him graduate in 9 weeks time!
Please keep him in your thoughts now and then.
Lady J--
Good for you. I had very mixed emotions when my younger son joined the army at seventeen after a fight with his father, the first Mr. Noddy and this was in 1982 in the "peacetime" army.
When you want to worry, we're here.
Hold your dominion.
Lady J, Not that long ago, our older son who already served over 12 years in the US Air Force as a Weapon's Officer, but resigned to earn his graduate degree was telling us he was planning to rejoin. I did not tell him he shouldn't; he's old enough to make his own decision. That was one year ago, but he's still in Austin working at the university reference library.
He doesn't need the money, because he has saved wisely, but I told him I would help him buy a house in Austin if he's planning to liver there for five or more years.
I'll always be proud of him no matter what he decides to do.
