US troops not worth additional 3.2% pay increases? Anyone surprised?

Question

The Army Times
White House: 3.5 percent pay hike unnecessary

Posted : Wednesday May 16, 2007 17:34:13 EDT

Troops don’t need bigger pay raises, White House budget officials said Wednesday in a statement of administration policy laying out objections to the House version of the 2008 defense authorization bill.

The Bush administration had asked for a 3 percent military raise for Jan. 1, 2008, enough to match last year’s average pay increase in the private sector. The House Armed Services Committee recommends a 3.5 percent pay increase for 2008, and increases in 2009 through 2012 that also are 0.5 percentage point greater than private-sector pay raises.

The slightly bigger military raises are intended to reduce the gap between military and civilian pay that stands at about 3.9 percent today. Under the bill, HR 1585, the pay gap would be reduced to 1.4 percent after the Jan. 1, 2012, pay increase.

.
Bush budget officials said the administration “strongly opposes” both the 3.5 percent raise for 2008 and the follow-on increases, calling extra pay increases “unnecessary.”

“When combined with the overall military benefit package, the president’s proposal provides a good quality of life for service members and their families,” the policy statement says. “While we agree military pay must be kept competitive, the 3 percent raise, equal to the increase in the Employment Cost Index, will do that.”
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and we actually the US government really cares about its troops while many of them are constrained to the use of food stamps.
Unbelievable!

The POINT Cuckieboy is that our government places so little value on our troops! They don't seem to have much trouble paying Halliburton exhibitant fees!!!
I would have absolutely NO PROBLEM with a reaise in MY taxes if I were assured the money was going to our fighting forces (and I pay very high taxes you silly! ) I totally resent my tax dollars going into the coffers of greedy a'hs who spend more money on protecting their OWN a's in one day than the average combat troop is paid in One month.

Re-read the article. It is a direct quote.
Bush should have pushed for 10% raise!!
You're silly.

Chuckieboy-Omg you HAVE read the article! I said to RE-read it. geez. and as for pay raises, the top end of the military receives the "8% raises! NOT COMBAT TROOPS. GEEZ

Answer 1

Yep. It's called empty rhetoric and lip service to the military. Bush uses the military for his own personal PR , but he and the rest of his group don't really give a d*mn about them. Not surprising since he and most of his ilk didn't even serve in combat.

Too bad so many people are blinded by Bush's lies and think he's a great defender and a strong military leader who's on the side of the troops. Bush and company are happy to let the grunts die so corporations make billions in Iraq off of taxpayer money.

Attention to anyone in the military or who respects the military: Bush is not your friend. I repeat, Bush and his cronies are not on your side.

Answer 2

"You know it's funny if Bush wants a 3% pay raise for the military instead of a 3.5% people yell that he don't care for the military. Yet during the Clinton they didn't get one pay raise; and Clinton cared about about them them so much after all he felt every ones pain . Ha ha ha."

Not TRUE!!

WASHINGTON President Clinton went to the Pentagon on Tuesday to bestow a pay raise and new fringe benefits on American troops.

The across-the-board 4.8 percent raise - the largest pay increase in 18 years - was raised by Congress from the 4.4 percent advocated by the Clinton administration.

The benefits were included in the $288.8 billion defense authorization bill Clinton signed.

Clinton hailed the measure as a meaningful way to better the lot of the 1.4 million Americans in uniform, especially in the face of growing complaints about low pay, long hours and old weapons.

"We owe you the tools you need to do the job and the quality of life you and your families deserve," Clinton said.

The Pentagon credits the promise of the pay raise and benefits expansion for helping the services keep personnel, and it believes their enactment will give more ammunition to recruiters seeking to sign up more young people.

The Air Force alone among the military services failed to recruit and retain enough members this year to keep its active-duty ranks filled to the level required by Congress, the Pentagon said today.

Answer 3

Considering what soldiers are doing these days, it's not enough. A soldier just getting in can make less than 20,000 a year, as they advance the pay increase slightly, but add the bills, and there normal needs, they should be paid more.

Answer 4

You know it's funny if Bush wants a 3% pay raise for the military instead of a 3.5% people yell that he don't care for the military. Yet during the Clinton they didn't get one pay raise; and Clinton cared about about them them so much after all he felt every ones pain . Ha ha ha.

Answer 5

I've not seen that article but yes being in an army family I know of several army families that are struggling financially and yes I think they deserve a raise i mean come on the lowest enlisted gets paid $1300 a month

Answer 6

Well lets look at pay raises starting in 1994 to 2008 and look at the pay gap between military and civilans.

Year/Pay Raise.......Pay Gap

1994 2.2%............... -12.0%
1995 2.6%............... -12.5%
1996 2.4%............... -13.0%
1997 3.0%............... -12.8%
1998 2.8%............... -13.3%
1999 3.6%............... -13.3%
2000 6.2%............... -11.4%
2001 4.1%............... -10.5%

2002 6.9%............... -7.7%
2003 4.8%............... -6.5%
2004 4.1%............... -6.0%
2005 3.5%............... -5.1%
2006 3.1%............... -4.6%
2007 2.2%............... -4.0%
2008 3.0%............... -3.4%


Seems to me, its obivious which party gives better pay raises.

Just look at the pay raises and the pay gap the last 7 years, compared to the previous administration.

And whats not mentioned, is most of the last 7 pay raises also had targeted pay increases above the basic pay raise.

So some ranks have been getting 6% or 8% pay increases.


EDIT:

Why do people lie in here.

A sgt making 21,000, thats only $1750 a month.

A spec 4 with 2 years makes more than that.

A sgt with 4 years makes $26052,

not counting BAS of $3358

and BAH of $9,000 to $12,000

Total, thats $38,500 a month.

Not bad for a 22 year old without a college education.

Answer 7

This should not surprise anyone who has been paying attention. Mr. bush has been sending troops to war without the proper equipment they need to keep them as safe as possible. He's also demanding they stay for longer than they were originally told.
Let's hope the new congress makes sure they will be taken care of when they get home. As long as bush is in office, I doubt they'll get they care or services they were promised.

Answer 8

It's not just Bush but I have written our Congressmen and Fienstein and Boxer and I get the usual answer back, we just gave them 4%! My son is an Army Sgt. and has a family of three and makes $21,000 a year, even at that salary 4% a year is an additional $70 a month! Big F**KING deal. And what do our Congressmen make? We are spending $480 BILLION a year in foreign aide and we can't pay our military???? Someone explain this to me please! How embarrassing this is!

Answer 9

It is appalling that those who defend this country do not get the respect they deserve. Perhaps the politicians should spend a few days in Iraq's heat and worry about being attacked. Bush is starting to lose his mind as the move to let illegals stay proves. Perhaps Pelosi, Kennedy and the gang drugged Bush's drink. This country is going down faster than I thought it would.

Answer 10

what are they making like 10$ an hour 24 hours a day for 8 months straight, putting thier lives on the line. Obviously if they didn'y hype up the position no one would 'work' there.