Do you think the military gets paid too much?

Question

In the military would like too know if cilivans think we get paid too much for what we do?

Answer 1

No way.

No way on either side.

Answer 2

I have been in the Army for 11 years. I have recieved a raise every year. I have a house provided to me by the government. I still feel that members of the military are very underpaid. Members of the government are overpaid. They take the entire month of August off while troops are out fighting and dying every day, and they still make 6 figures. Sometimes in the army, despite the benefits we do have, it's hard to make ends meet. I live in Germany right now and the exchange rate is horrible for us. I think if you look at the hours spent working, if you look at the sacrifices that both the soldier and their families make, if you look at what troops go through on deployments (and you really don't know unless you've been there) we should be making a lot more. How can a senator making $300,000 a year live with him or herself when they are sending young men and women with families, only making $30,000 a year, to Iraq for 15 months and then have the nerve to go on vacation for a month, to play political games with soldiers lives, and all the other things they do? They should be ashamed. No, the people in the military do not get paid too much.

Answer 3

Now that I'm out of the Military I realize we got paid way too little. Sometimes I had to work literally 7 days a week. My first 5 years I lived on less than $125 a week.

Yeah, join the military and see the world--maybe on your feet or on a ship for one day in port every 30 days at sea. Sometimes the work is 20 hours or longer a day. Even in a shore station in a light job I had to put in 36 hour shifts with 16 hours off, for months on end.

So no the pay is horrible from a civilains poin of view.

Oh, and by the way--God Bless all the Men and Women who serve our Nation. You make our world and better place and thank you for your sacrifice.

And thanks for asking the question you reminded me that I need to write my Senators and get a reasonable pay raise for the troops this year!!!

Answer 4

No, we don't. My husband is enlisted in the AF for 17 years. He is an E&7, with myself and our 2 kids as dependents. We live in the metro DC area, one of the most exspensive housing markets in the country. Last year, his pay (including the money we get for housing and his food allowance..that has nothing to do with the family and we loose that if he deploys) was just at $58,000. I added another $6000 for my part time job for a end of year total of $64,000.

Now, to live in a good school district we are currently paying $1900 a month to rent a town home. Our electric bill is $400 a month. My husband drive an hour each way, through some of the worst traffic in the nation, so we pay nearly $300 a month in gas. Our daughter has braces...they cost over $5000 of which the military only pays $1500..we are paying the rest off monthly. Our son, who has autism, needs to be surgically sedated for some dental work..our cost share of that will be about $800. Last year our daughter was in a serious accident...broke a leg, dislocated a knee and broke both arms. When she was discharged from the hospital (which was covered completely by our insurance) we needed an ambulance to get her home and in the house....$1000. We also needed one to get her to and from her first Dr. appointment...another $1000 . Neither trip was covered by the military insurance.

Our life really isn't that different from most military families. Spouses usually can't work in jobs beyond part time or, if they can do full time, we don't seem to get beyond certain points as we move too often to make any true advancement in our careers. Even then, many wives don't work...child care would often eat up most of the second check, we often live in areas with limited job options and military schedules can change and make it tough for the kids. It is estimated military wives have less then 25% of the earning abilitiy of women of similar education backgrounds and economic grouping in the civilian world. Families of lower enlisted ranks qualify for WIC and food stamps..which tells me the government isn't paying us enough as they then send us to the states to make ends meet.

No one goes into the military to get rick. But I do think that it is time for a pay raise that takes into consideration not only the cost of living issues, but the cost of being a military family. We aren't looking to break the 100,000 mark as a staff sargent..

Answer 5

No Way. The Price Of Our Freedom In The US Is Priceless, Yous Guys Deserve More I'D Say. Be Careful Out There. Thank You And Best Wishes.

Answer 6

I know for a fact that you do not get paid ENOUGH. My dad served in the Air Force for 21 years. He was always promised that, since the government didn't pay well, Uncle Sam would always take care of every medical need he had for life. Then, in the early 90's, the government took that medical care away.

I have a friend who is a Vietnam vet and she gets ATROCIOUS care from the V.A. here. But it's all she can afford.

I am a civilian, myself. I KNOW that those in the military deserve much, much MUCH more than they get... they deserve MUCH better treatment from V.A. hospitals, and MUCH more respect from everyone as a whole.

Answer 7

No, I think they get paid too little. While they and their families do get their medical and dental paid for along with their housing, there are some military families that qualify for and use WIC and food stamps. I personally think that our military men and women deserve the salaries that professional athletes receive. It is disgusting to see real heroes get pennies for putting their lives on the line while others get millions for scoring touchdowns and hitting home runs.

Answer 8

well, i happen to be a e4 in the army. the military in my thoughts pay you just enough to get by.

however its a really messed up thing for alot of soldiers. for instance, im a single soldier stationed in hawaii. i am provided a place to live that has mold, pest , and insect problems. i live in the same barracks as 50 other males and we have to share bathrooms toilets , laundry rooms . it is a ALL male barracks; so that being said, me as a 24 year old male when i have a female friend over or girlfriend i have to guard the bathroom so that she can use the bathroom free of males being in there. it really hits home on your personal life only because im not married.

on the other hand if your married here you get an extra $1600 for rent for your family aswell as and extra $300 for cost of living for your family (considering you DONT have kids). so alot of people that want to bank money just get a $900 apartment and pretty much bank the extra $700 a month. thats not considering if they are over the rank of E-5 and there original base pay of around $2100 a month. so they make roughly $3000 a month and i make around $1400 a month and have to eat at the same dinning facility every meal of everyday unless you want to come off of your 1400 a month that barely pays the bills you need.

but ya. i guess its enough to get by. but i probably get payed about the same as a manager at your local Mcdonalds for defending the constitution of the United States and doing whatever george bush LOL wants us to do.

sorry for any grammar problems.. my spell check was stalling.

Answer 9

Considering someone who is 6'7" tall right out of high school can be drafted and sign a multi-million contract. Has a nice warm bed. Doesn't have to worry about being deployed or re-deployed and putting his life on the line when called on. There is not enough money to compensate our men and women in the Armed Forces, National Guard or the Reserves.

Answer 10

NO,
I think they should get paid megga bucks for what they do.
They are keeping us and our children safe..doing all kinds of things everyday we are clueless of...total acts of shear bravery..nope..how can you put a price tag on a percious life?
They are keeping terriorists away from our soil as best they can. We all should do our part even if its in a small way...as for what they do...big big bucks they should recieve and so should their families waiting at home..and the families of flight 93 and 911 should be taken care of for life. Just my american opinion. My love is in Iraq right now. He's exhausted. But guess what, that's where he believes he belongs right now. To protect our country.

Answer 11

I don't think they get paid enough. Instead of medals they should get raises. A medal doesn't put food on the table or helps to support the lives of those in the military and their families.