Hourly rate for Theatre Troops...?

Question

Why don't politicians pay Troops who are actually on the ground in the theatre of war an hourly rate of pay instead of a salary - which if thought about dispassionately and logically no sane person in civilian life would ever think of signing on the dotted line for.
Troops working over a Friday to 00.01hr on a Monday - a usual occurrence and carried out without complaint - receive their normal monthly salary.
Civilian working same hours would automatically receive :
Friday - normal rate
Saturday - Time & a half
Sunday - BINGO !! DOUBLE rate
Even those working on minimum wage stand a chance of earning more money working weekend shifts... but NOT troops who daily put thier lives on the line for just a very basic salary out of which they still pay for food and accomodation - even if accom might be a tent, and food some out of a ration pack..no wonder squaddies demobbing to go into constructruction!
IF this concession offered for troops in Theatre, that may help recruitment problem

Re Dave S -

R u saying that troops on the ground in a theatre of war is not worth an hourly rate?

It woudl make politicians sit up and THINK before they issue toe order to send troops into war.. particularly coming to the aid of allies who want to invade other countries on a whim !!!!

Re Nekkra F

I take it you did not read my question in its entirety otherwise you would have NOTICED I said the troops work all hours God sends WITHOUT COMPLAINT !!!! which is just as well for the politicians !!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Hourly pay? I have some news for you, partner. Soldiers are soldiers 24/7/52. We are soldiers when we're on and off-duty, when we're on leave or sleeping in our own warm beds. As such, we're on call at any given time. I'm currently on leave, but if my unit sounds the recall, I'm in my uniform and at work within an hour, that's just the way it goes.

And as for those non-combat troops, do you realize that they too might go outside the wire at some point? Canadian Forces Logistics personnel, medics and technicians leave Kandahar Airfield on a regular basis to resupply and support the Forward Operating Bases, with an escort that's probably too lean for their taste. If the convoy gets hit, these non-combat troops instantly become combat troops having to fight for their lives and those of their mates.

So really, there isn't such a thing as non-combat troops in a theatre of operations. Even those who don't leave camp are exposed to enemy fire in the form of 107 or 122mm rockets and mortar fire.

As for who would sign on the dotted line, are you calling me insane? I joined of my own free will because I wanted to serve. I am mentally stable, or I wouldn't have made it past Basic Training. Please refrain from insulting service members everywhere.

Answer 2

Thank you for this questions, I know many military families ask it themselves. For some reason civilians seem to think that military personal get paid an enormous amount of money, but really we can hardly get by. Even when they're not deployed the miltiary is not a 9-5 job...often they work 12, 13, 14, even 18 hour days, and there are no "extras".

Answer 3

Because the soldiers that are working those hours in far away lands are not doing it for the money or complaining about it.

Not only that, but it would be a logistical nightmare trying to bean count hours and would cause unnecessary stress in an already stressfull enviornment.

Answer 4

how unworkable would that solution be?

'What was that Bob? You worked 6 hours on a Saturday, but oh yeah, you did have half an hour off in between. Oh but you also changed shifts with John on Sunday, so we'll reduce that double time here .......'

Get real.