100 Billion dollars divided by 150,000 troops is $800,000 per each soldier for a year??!!?

Question

These troops probably make 30,000 per year so..where does the rest of the money goes? Bush says he needs 100B to support the troops..who is he really supporting with this money?? Any millitary experts out there?

Answer 1

Salary is a very minute portion of the budget. Those $30000 a year soldiers are driving 2 million dollar tanks and flying 20 million dollar jets firing million dollar missiles.

Don't forget most of them have gotten into the habit of eating and wearing clothes too.

I'd much rather be spending 100 billion over there supporting our troops than dying under Islamic rule here.

Answer 2

Do you really think that is all the troops the Armed Forces has?

As of the end of 2005
Approximately 1,426,713 personnel are currently on active duty in the military with an additional 1,259,000 personnel in the seven reserve components.

They have to provide a way to Iraq, they have to provide all the gear.

Flak-$515
Kevlar-$216
Pack (all parts)-$639
Gortex-$294
Sapi Plates-$1034
Sleeping system-$285

That is just the basic things that you get. It comes to $2983 per person and if you multiply that by the number of troops we really have it comes to $8,011,481,879 this is just the cost for the basic gear, that everyone gets there is still more gear and it cost money too.

There is also the cost of getting them to and from Iraq. They also pay separations pay if the MM has dependents and they are away from them. So lets say that 60% of your 150000 have dependents that's 90000 each of them gets $250 a month that comes to $270,000,000 each of that 150000 also gets Danger pay which is $225 a month that comes to $405,000,000

The Total that is spent on troops is $86,886,481,879 this total is still not including the cost to get the troops over there or the rest of the gear, or food or the cost of equipment or weapons or ammo. All that is missing is $13,113,518,121 so for the rest of the gear and getting the troops back and forth, food, equipment, weapons and ammo the remaining money sounds really low.

Answer 3

I am going to have to mess up that figure for you just a little more. A private makes less then 800 every 2 weeks. My husband just made SFC e-7 and he earns 1500 every 2.

I feel that the majority of the money is used to transport troops and equipment and for the purchase of new/better equipment for the troops. Sometimes it is used to build new housing that is desperately needed at the military bases.

During times of war it is easier to get money to pay for things such as better housing then it is when there isn't a war.

Answer 4

There actually are legitimate support expenses, it doesn't all to to salaries for the troops. They have to be supplied, the supplies cost money and so does getting the supplies there. There are also associated costs like the expected medical costs and even recruiting and training costs count. Understand that I am against the war, and I am sure there is a lot of "fat" in the military budget but some of the costs are legitimate.

Answer 5

There has to be people on call at any given time for medical treatment. They have to have structures built and maintained. There is high tech weaponry being made (missles and such) and even more being researched. In some cases, they have to pay for information and help from 3rd parties. There's veterans benefits. There's education. There's incentive programs for new recruits. There has to be access to potable water and a steady supply of food.

Then there's the wiggle room to cover additional problems that might arise like biological/chemical weapons being detonated that could effect many military personnel and civilians.

Answer 6

What kind of logic are you using. The money goes for weapons, equipment. Do you even know how much a tank or a helicopter costs? Do have even a clue what costs logistics are? How about the cost of fuel for all of the equipment being used ? How about food and clothing and first aid ? Just getting the troops back and forth across the world costs hundreds of millions of dollars.

Answer 7

Other than paying the men and women in the military just about everything costs money. Every time a vehicle needs repairs or fuel. Buying jets and helicopters, R&D for new jets and helos. Body armor, food and water, ammo, weapons, bombs, transportation costs, base maintence, DARPA, UAV's, individual gear, training, medical care, the list goes on and on.

Answer 8

Everyone already answered this question so I thought you should know that 80% of the military makes less than 20,000 a year. I've been serving for 4 years now and I took in just over 15000 last year.

Answer 9

A lot of it goes to help rebuild Iraq, we will give an Iraqi contractor a couple of hundred thousand to build a school and then when its about three quarters of the way done terrorist well blow it up. You also have CIA, MERCS, and others, you also have bureaucrats who get paid a lot but reely don't do ****.

Answer 10

Lets see brainiac..........


Equipment ----
Guns, Armor, Bullets, Gear, Boots, Etc

Heavy Equipment ---
Trucks, Planes, Ships, Tanks, Jeeps, Mortars, Cannons, etc

Artillery & Shells

Fuel!!!!!

Transportations fees

Nothing is free -- ESPECIALLY NOT FREEDOM

10 years USMC Recon
I fought to defend and protect the freedom you take for granted
I have shed blood for my country

Stop complaining -- unless you want to learn Arhabic