Army pay

[Arkie Jim]

I was looking at the "Aircraft carrier" thread in the Photo section, some neat pics there. I got to remembering and my dad was in the army in '42 and '43 and as a kid, I remember finding some of his Army stuff in a closet under the stairs. His army boots had two buckle on the side and there was a pair of canvas lace up leggins that he used sometime in the snow and he used his Gilette razor that you had to take apart to put in a new blade. I also remember his dress hat and the regular cover, whatever you call it. Wish I'd kept all that stuff now. I seem to remember that he said his pay was $26.00 a month. Was wondering what the pay was from some of the older Vets, I think it's half way decent now, though not nearly enough.

I retired in 1985 as a Master Sgt.--Salary was around $1800.00 after 22.5 yrs. Right now if I was in the service my pay would probably be 3-4 times that amount or more. A private makes as much as I did when I retired.
My pay was never $26 dollars but it was $68 dollars when I joined in 1963.
The salary in the military never rose to any meanful level until Nixon got in office. Military pay charts are available on line---you can not log on to military data bases unless you have an account and password. These sites are monitored so be very careful about messing around with them.

 

[jinjimbob]

Right if I was in the service my pay would probably be 3-4 times that amount or more. A private makes as much as I did when I retired.

Don't forget to include your retiree health insurance and VA benefits that most people in the private industry do not get.

I spoke with someone once about what he pays for air force retiree medical for him, his wife and a son, around $400. He thought it was crazy expensive.

I had to explain to him that $400 PER YEAR is very cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Leejohn]

I was making around $50.00 aweek as E5 when I got out. I only had to buy soap and toothpaste. Now they gave them more money, but you have to pay for everything. So the way I look at it, there still at 1st base.

 

[irvingj]

herd, those numbers sure sound familiar! I went in on 1 May, 1969. Ft Dix for Basic, then DLIWC in Monterey, radio school at Goodbuddy Airplane Patch, then on to Japan.

I was luckier than most, getting to E-5 after 1-1/2 years TIS. Right place at the right time for sure, but I did try for every early promo I could, and got 'em all. Pay wasn't great, but enough.

I was surprised when my Swedish girfriend at the time told me all Swedish citizens have a mandatory minimum 6 months' military service (at least back then; don't know what their policy is now). The more I thought about it, the more it sounded --and still does-- like a good idea. Probably opening myself up to some criticism here, but that's the way I feel....

 

[check 6]

Don't forget to include your retiree health insurance and VA benefits that most people in the private industry do not get.

I spoke with someone once about what he pays for air force retiree medical for him, his wife and a son, around $400. He thought it was crazy expensive.

I had to explain to him that $400 PER YEAR is very cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In 1966 as a Lt. on flying status $221.95 Retired in 1987 pay was still nothing like it is today.

As for medical. When I came in we were told that if you served a career you would get medical for life.... Well Clinton took that away and it is getting worse as there is even talk about taking away retirement. By the way the way not only did social Security not get a cost of living increase last year or this but neither did military retirees Sorry for the rant.

 

[Arkie Jim]

In 1966 as a Lt. on flying status $221.95 Retired in 1987 pay was still nothing like it is today.

As for medical. When I came in we were told that if you served a career you would get medical for life.... Well Clinton took that away and it is getting worse as there is even talk about taking away retirement. By the way the way not only did social Security not get a cost of living increase last year or this but neither did military retirees Sorry for the rant.

The thing that hurt military guys was when they stopped the dental for dependents--that is a budget buster by itself.

 

[Arkie Jim]

herd, those numbers sure sound familiar! I went in on 1 May, 1969. Ft Dix for Basic, then DLIWC in Monterey, radio school at Goodbuddy Airplane Patch, then on to Japan.

I was luckier than most, getting to E-5 after 1-1/2 years TIS. Right place at the right time for sure, but I did try for every early promo I could, and got 'em all. Pay wasn't great, but enough.

I was surprised when my Swedish girfriend at the time told me all Swedish citizens have a mandatory minimum 6 months' military service (at least back then; don't know what their policy is now). The more I thought about it, the more it sounded --and still does-- like a good idea. Probably opening myself up to some criticism here, but that's the way I feel....

Not from me---I believe all should serve if need be by the draft. We use to have a 6 yr. military obligation, active and reserve. What was not served on active duty was served in the reserves.---Not sure about now.--When I retired I went into the inactive reserves, but I believe all citizens should take military training and be in the active reserves.
Read about our military prior to WWII--we were about one of the last rated militarys in the world--our equipment was WWI type and we were no match for the advanced German military--we moved pretty quickly after Pearl Harbor.

Note**--Many have said stop the wars and bring our military home.--I hope we learned a valueable lesson at Pearl harbor about placing all of your eggs in one basket.--I do not think our military will ever be all at home if so, ever whom makes that decision is very very stupid.

 

[Arkie Jim]

Don't forget to include your retiree health insurance and VA benefits that most people in the private industry do not get.

I spoke with someone once about what he pays for air force retiree medical for him, his wife and a son, around $400. He thought it was crazy expensive.

I had to explain to him that $400 PER YEAR is very cheap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tricare is the old Champus that has been uprated for military retirees. My cost was about $480.00 a yr. after 65 it is free--called Tricare for Life if you have been enrolled in it for 4 yrs. prior to retirement.
VA benefits is not for all military people--just those hurt or disabled during military service or combat. VA hospitals can be visited by veterans. Those that are not entitled to free medical, must provide insurance.
Tricare for life is not for my children, just my wife and that remains as long as she does not remarry. After my demise she keeps her medical insurance but gets no portion of my military retirement--that stops--unless you have SBP and that is not any good--most drop out after a while--Too expensive.
My life insurance goes down until it gets to about $2000 bucks--I am under the older system--not sure how it works right now.
Military retirement for me is not enough to live on--$21000 is not much money in todays world. Of course I did manage to invest and save. I am comfortable but in no way rich or never will be.

 

[EddieWalker]

One of the things that I've been thinking is that we should change the pay scale and benifits for member of congress to that of the military. Give a senator the rank of a general and a member of the house a rank of a colonel and pay them accordingly. They would also get the same amount of staff as those ranks receive, and the same benifits and perks. Best of all, put them on the military medical plan. After 20 years, they get half their pay in retirment and if they serve 30 years, give them 75% of their pay just like the military does it.

That alone would save the country a bunch of money, and make the govenrment more likely to take care of the military becasue it would be helping them out too.

Eddie

 

[brin]

Arkie Jim - You posted "Note**--Many have said stop the wars and bring our military home.--I hope we learned a valueable lesson at Pearl harbor about placing all of your eggs in one basket.--I do not think our military will ever be all at home if so, ever whom makes that decision is very very stupid."

I have to strongly disagree with your position. You used Peal Harbor as an example of us placing all of our eggs in one basket which augments my point about bringing all of our troops and equipment home and closing all overseas bases. Look at So. Korea right now ..we have up to 50,000 troops there and No. Korea is threatening to use Nukes..If we were not there they may not even have the same incentive but certainly we would be spared the loss of our troops and not be drawn into a possible nuclear showdown with China. Why should we still have troops in the UK, Japan, Germany etc. ? That is all on our dime..

I say we should bring all troops and equipment home and spend the money on our own people and tell the world we will be happy to help them in a time of need , we will be good neighbors but if they harm us or any of our interests we will destroy them unmercifully. Having our assets and men and women of the military scattered all over the world trying to impose our will on other countries and be the worlds policeman as well as imposing our form of govenment on others should be stopped and is not wise or affordable . Our constant intervention in the internal affairs and occupation of other countries inspires terrorists to attack us .

That is my opinion but what do I know ?