why are the armed forces so badly underpaid that most of them are considering to chuck?

Question

threat to life, separation from family, tough living conditions,unlimited working hours and no guarantee of promotions and peanuts for salary?

Answer 1

they really do not get enough for what they do. the military tries to make up by combat pay and separation pay, but it is still never enough for what they do for our country. they are the true heroes.
my husband is currently on his 3rd combat deployment in 4 years, and he was told he was only going on 2, so now we must go through another long separation.
they are offering $1000-$150,000 dollars for guys to re-enlist...why dont they offer some of it to the guys already serving?
AND the govt just took 8 million out of the Air Force...
i guess we will never know.

Answer 2

I served 25 years in the Navy, and retired as a Commander -- 20 years back.
Yes, I agree with all that you say.
Whatever money the country pays, it is too little for someone who is willing to risk his life for his country.
But the real problem is :
Whereas most govt organizations as well as most companies--especially the multi-nationals-- increase the pay regularly to compensate for inflation, the Armed forces do not do the same, quickly enough!
Increase of pay due to promotion is hardly enough. What is required is a Mandate or a Legislation by which people in uniform automatically get a pay raise , say every year, (independent of promotions,) based on the inflation index in the country's economy.
Having a pay review once in 5 years is JUST NO good! By the time the new pay scale is implemented, inflation has already eaten the increases, and we are just as badly off as ever!!
If politicians can pass legislation and give themselves a raise [Recently the members of Lok Sabha, and the Supreme Court Judges gave thenselves a whopping raise!
Hey, why not the Army-man?]
That is the answer!

Answer 3

Save 1 newspaper every month. 50 years from now compare the old ones to the current. I bet they are damn close in content.
Nobody ever makes enough.
Taxes are always to high.
Taxes are too low
There is never enough Teachers.
Welfare is a problem
Social Security is a problem
We are so screwed.
The War (WWII) The War (Korea) The War(Viet Nam) The War (Gulf 1) The War (Somalia) The War (Bosnia). There was a first there. We bombed the Chinese Embassy. This was the same CIA we complain about now. Between all those wars Arab countries kept invading Israel, giving up territory and then screaming you must give it back. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan, Viet Nam fell to the communists, China turned toward capitalism, the Soviet Union collapsed. My favorite "Idi Amin". Yet we are still here and will be!!!

It's the same crap year after year. Each generation thinks it is new. IT IS NOT.

Today you can look all this up online long before you ever ask a question.

It is not a crime to not know. It is a crime to stop learning!!!

Answer 4

The military gets paid a specific amount that Congress has come up with. However, for the past few years the military has been getting some pay raises which helps quite a bit. I'm not sure how it is in the other branches, but, the Air Force gets allowances for certain criteria, such as Family Separation, Hazardous Duty, Hostile Fire, Per Diem (Per day), BAH (Base allotment for Housing), BAS (Base allotment for supplies), etc. Military also gets free Medical and Dental services, and cheap life insurance.

No we do not get paid that well, but, for most people, they're not doing it just for the money.

Answer 5

Anyone that says enlisted military members are not underpaid is smoking crack. Almost all enlisted servicemembers qualify for WIC, food stamps, etc. I work also and we still qualify.

It is true that living on base with no rent payment and free prescriptions etc. are nice but really if it wasn't free we couldn't afford to pay rent.

I'm not saying that soldiers should be paid six figures a year or anything, but it seems like they should be paid more for being expected to be the world's police.

Answer 6

I don't know, I have been hearing that a lot lately- pretty much ever since the war in Iraq... my dad served 20 years and never considered himself underpaid- he had free housing, free Medical, if he wasn't stationed in the US he didn't have to pay Federal Taxes, and many other things.. he got one month in the summer for vacation and always had plenty of money to take us somewhere, places I would never be able to take my son. I don't think his retirement was very much- but as far as active service he never considered himself underpaid- in todays terms maybe they are, as the cost of living goes up.. but I'm not sure what they make now.. I just know my dad never considered himself underpaid.. active service..but his retirement yes

Answer 7

Yes! Haha if I wasn't overweight lol I would have enlisted in the Marines. Oh well, so much for that :p. I think serving your country is one of the greatest things you can do. Plus, the Armed Forces build good character and great discipline.

Answer 8

during peacetime the army is pretty much on a regular work work with the exception of military exercises etc. during deployment the workschedule becomes almost a continous one coupled with the risk of being killed or wounded. since the pay is basically the same the hourly rate drops considerably since you are doinga lot more hours a week or month for the same money. continuus deployements cause fatigue and starins home relationships.

Answer 9

after 30 years there i can say been there done that so what if the pay sucks and the living conditions suck (i mean not the best)but was the best years of my life no matter what you say.

Answer 10

They are not underpaid. All want more. None can pay unlimited.