Why do soldiers end up with nothing?

Question

Soldiers practically get FREE food/clothes/accommodation. So why do they end up broke and even homeless???!!??

Especially UK & USA troops. Their pay is pretty decent.

Answer 1

i am still a soldier and have been since 19. i own two cars and motorbike. the only thing i don't own is my own home but i have enough money in the bank to be able to afford a 5 bed house with 10 acres of land and its what i am currently negotiating because I'm due to retire soon. no I'm not a general or anything like that i came from PFC and and have been in the forces for 20 years.

PS all my regiment have a similar income and the pension is quite good too.
I'm British military but the yanks i've worked with also earn very good money

Answer 2

The young airmen and soldiers who live in the dorms do fine. It's once they move out that the problems start. Also, remember, they are 18, 19, 20 years old. I remember what college was like.... using any extra money for wine (sorry, didn't drink beer even back then!), snack food, road trips to the nearest big city, etc. Save money? That was the last thing on my mind!! Put money away for a retirement account? Please... didn't even have a job to retire from!
So, if you look at it from that perspective, it's a little easier to understand.

Now, time passes and you get married at age 24. Food allowance... still the same.. it's to pay for food for you, not family! And it's a whopping $250 a month!!
Need an apartment/house, and have to pay utilities and phone/internet/cable/etc., well good luck! Housing allowance only covers approx. 80% of rent and basic utilities. The rest is out of pocket. Yes, housing allowance goes up a bit for adding a dependant, but 1 or 4, it's still the same rate! And base housing isn't always available!

Clothes... yes, you do get about $300 a year for a clothing allowance. 2 new uniforms a year... $200. And that's just eh shirt and pants. Boots... $90, about every other year. Socks, you go through socks like crazy in those boots, and you can't buy cheap ones... $10 a pair for anything that will last past 2 weeks! Then you need PT clothes... running shorts and shirts for 5 days a week, plus the right running shoes and more socks! Oh, lets not forget the blues... that's $200. And, once you make E7, you'd better have mess dress.... at least $300! Then there is laundry and dry cleaning, trust me, that $300 doesn't cover it!!

Oh, 4 years have passed and it's time to move... let's go overseas! All of those 110 appliances...yeah, they are now useless without transformers, which cost an arm and a leg. And your curtains... well, they don't use the same curtain rods and the windows are all different sizes! Now you're buying from the internet and paying shipping costs, or you're shopping in town where you are paying double for everything. And the kids won't live without the dog... so you have to pay to ship him. Oh, and you need to buy a second car, cause the military only shipped one! Hey, let's travel. Cool, get gas on base. Uh, oh, went to far... now I'm paying $8 a gallon for gas (no joking!!) just to get home! Wow, that much for a hotel room, where's the Motel 6?

Yeah... all that money!!! But, after 20+ years in the military, when are friends are just about done paying for their homes, we will be starting our 30 year mortgage! My career... yeah, right... what career. I'll be starting my career all over, making beginning wages, while my peers will be on the downward slide of their career. And hubby will be trying to get a job, in his 40's, in a career field that had nothing to do with his military career, except for the management experience.

Yes, there are trade-offs that make it all worth it. And yes, you do eventually get to the point where you are making a decent wage and can put money away. There is no way that we would trade our experiences as an AF family, including all of the time he was away from us. But, at the same time... it's not the easiest lifestyle to live in or transition out of. It's a whole other world!

EDIT: Not making excuses, just stating some facts. I've seen the ones who end up so far in debt they'll never see the end, and then others who have net worths in the $100,000s. It can go either way! Fortunately, we're in the second category, but only because we knew to plan for the future... the car is 10 years old, ugly but runs, the vcr is 5, we got broadband instead of dialup last year, etc.

Answer 3

For one thing soilders don't get free food, clothes or accommodations, it is taken out of their pay each month. And that monthly salary is not much. Some of the jobs they do in the military does not mean they will get a good paying job in the civilian world. Also many of them suffer from mental problems, depression, post traumatic stress etc... And the guy you see with the homeless vet sign may just be using this to play upon your pity to get your money. If they had stayed in 20 years they would have got retirement pay and hospital insurance along with some other perks. So don't be fooled by every homeless vet you see.

Answer 4

Good question. Why do they end up with nothing?
But, hey, when I was stationed at Ft. Ord, the rent I paid on a small apartment was $600.00 a month. My basic pay was $998 a month. Yes, they gave me housing assistance; it was less than $200.00 a month. I got clothing allowance, which was insufficient to buy the new uniforms they demanded I buy. I got an allowance in lieu of mess (that is, they added to my paycheck for the fact that I did not dine at the mess hall, but ate at home). Again, it was very short of being enough to eat with.
The only persons that fit your scenario are those who live in the barracks and eat at the mess hall; they get their uniforms (a uniform allowance) so, if they don't drink, don't smoke, don't go on leave, don't party, don't visit friends and relatives, yes, they have enough.
On the other side of the coin, every where I have been where there is a military base, there are the "pay day loan people", who are anxious for the military trade, all to happy to charge 50% or more for a short-term loan. Rent is twice, even 3 - 4 times higher than it would be without the military base.
Add to all that, most of the young people in the military are away from home for the first time in their lives and have not learned to handle their money, their affairs. They leave Mom and Dad and are taken care of by Uncle, a receipe for financial and personal relationship disaster.

Answer 5

I think that is a poor stereotype.

After all homeless people know that if the have a sign that says they were a VET they might get more money from people.

But the military takes care of you while your in--food, clothing, shelter and, purpose. Once you get out you might feel that your purpose is no longer a big deal--after all you went from fighting for the the country, traveling to exotic places around the world and working with Multi Million dollar pieces of equipment to selling used cars, or working at another job that you just don't think is comparable. You feel left out of something that basically has consumed your life for several years. To just being another shlub in the unemployment line or assembly line.

It is depressing if you have nothing to help you make that transition like strong family ties and other experiences besides the military.

Answer 6

Soldiers, Airman, Sailors, and Marines do not get free food, free clothing. We have food allowance and clothing allowance. Free accomodation is on base only-off base, we recieve extra to be able to pay off bills. And our pay is NOT decent.

Do you know how much we earn per hour? LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE!! You earn Dollars per hour, we earn CENTS per hour.

We're the ones who are sacrificing and putting our lives on the line serving and protecting our country, and you call that a decent pay?

No Sir-ee! There's something wrong with that system.

And you wonder why the majority of enlisted are living in poverty, while officers sit comfortable.

Edit-Living overseas does have pay beneftis because we recieve COLA, but being a young airman, married, and with a baby on the way-$1,000 every two weeks does not cover the cost of food shopping once a week, needed military clothing, tv, cable, phone and internet bills that have to be paid once a month. And that's not including the $3.15 per gallon we have to pay for gas just to be able to drive back and forth to work, and other places we have to go during the work day and after.

Answer 7

Most of us are not broke or homeless, I can tell you Soldiers spend money on things unwisely (most) , I dont understand if they have a bill to pay they would rather buy rims for their car .
The Military isnt a way to get rich but if your smart about your savings and spending you will be fine.
There is no excuse to not have food or cant pay bills because they go buy things they dont need... I see it daily.

All about priorities Military or not.
US Armywife and Soldier.

Answer 8

Miss management of funds.. the military has started programs to help soldiers beater manage there money... Financial Readiness Program offers a wide range of services to assist soldiers, family members and civilian employees with their financial needs. The program is designed to educate on financial matters from opening a checking account to establishing a financial plan for retirement.

TRAINING

For first-term soldiers Personal Financial Management Training courses have been developed to provide soldiers with a practical approach to financial management so as to gain control over their finances and to manage money effectively. The courses listed below would benefit all soldiers, family members and civilians, however, the primary target audience is the first-term soldier.

Answer 9

Let me tell you as a USN wife with 3 kids. The pay is not decent. Have you ever been in the military ??? Prob not!!! Please tell me where we get free food cuz thats news to me. Where is the free clothes ? We get health care that is cool if your not really sick or have a problem. If you do then its alot of bs to get it taken care of. Are you 15 still living at mommy's ? Honey unless you know personally about these things I think it might be best to not talk about it.

Answer 10

Just like other Americans, people in the military get in debt. I remember when I went in and was at permanant party, I had people tracking me down with c.c. offers and car dealers wanting me to buy a new car. The pay isn't that great in the military either. I was only making $1000 a month.