Is Our Military Underpaid or Overpaid?

[DanielleM]

Oh god this is a subject that really gets my blood boiling!!! Budget cuts for the men standing up and putting their lives on the line for us and they have got the Taliban fighting them from the front and the Government stabbing them in the backs!

When you look at the salaries paid to soldiers and then compare them to other salaries in the public sector it is absolutely shocking. Especially the amount the likes of MP's salaries and their 'extra' benefits are astronomical even after the MP's expenses scandal, you can bet your arse they are finding ways around it all to con taxpayers out of their money for their own benefit.

Jacob needs a bath at the min so will be back with more input!!

 

[indy and lara]

If you live off base, you get BAH (Basic allowance for housing) that is set to your rank. DH is only an E-3, so as you can probably conclude, we don't get that much, just enough to live from paycheck to paycheck. If you live on base .. all your BAH is taken away & they pay your utilities... everything else is up to you. Basically the higher rank you are, the more you get paid (obviously). However, this makes it very difficult for young military couples (such as DH & I) to make ends meet. What about the price that soldiers have to pay being away from their families for 15 months in Afghanistan? Some, most unfortunately, do not come home.

But that was their choice to make. No one forced him to sign up IYKWIM?

In some cases, no. What about the draft? & to be honest, it was his choice. It was his choice to step up as a man & a father to support his family. It was his choice to not leave my daughter & I to fend for ourselves. It is a choice, but not everyone gets deployed. My brother-in-law was infantry & had one 15 month deployment out of his three year career. His best friend, who had a different job, was in for 6 years & didn't get deployed once. It certainly is a choice, but if you were in DH's & my situation .. an unexpected pregnancy & a will to provide a decent life for a family .. then sometimes the military is the only choice. (This is to each their own, keep in mind)

It is very admirable that your OH signed up to support his family. I did just want to say that there are lots of other jobs however that mean that partners and husbands are away from home, often and short notice. These jobs do not put their lives at direct risk(there are risks but they are not the daily risk which comes from deployment.) but they are away from their families and miss a lot of family life too. I would have thought that when you sign up you must know that you may be deIployed and you make the decision to apply accordingly.

I have lived with an OH who has had to be work away from home, often at very short notice for many years, so I do understand how that is. In all jobs there is a salary scale and when you are near the bottom or starting out you always look upwards at what may be a bit down the road. It is tough for most young couples starting out, no matter what job you do. That is not unique to the military. It is a hard one to decide who should be paid more or not. I do think that lots of jobs are valuable and, especially those in the public sector, are not always paid in accordance to the value they have to society.

 

[ahcigar1]

If you live off base, you get BAH (Basic allowance for housing) that is set to your rank. DH is only an E-3, so as you can probably conclude, we don't get that much, just enough to live from paycheck to paycheck. If you live on base .. all your BAH is taken away & they pay your utilities... everything else is up to you. Basically the higher rank you are, the more you get paid (obviously). However, this makes it very difficult for young military couples (such as DH & I) to make ends meet. What about the price that soldiers have to pay being away from their families for 15 months in Afghanistan? Some, most unfortunately, do not come home.

But that was their choice to make. No one forced him to sign up IYKWIM?

In some cases, no. What about the draft? & to be honest, it was his choice. It was his choice to step up as a man & a father to support his family. It was his choice to not leave my daughter & I to fend for ourselves. It is a choice, but not everyone gets deployed. My brother-in-law was infantry & had one 15 month deployment out of his three year career. His best friend, who had a different job, was in for 6 years & didn't get deployed once. It certainly is a choice, but if you were in DH's & my situation .. an unexpected pregnancy & a will to provide a decent life for a family .. then sometimes the military is the only choice. (This is to each their own, keep in mind)

It is very admirable that your OH signed up to support his family. I did just want to say that there are lots of other jobs however that mean that partners and husbands are away from home, often and short notice. These jobs do not put their lives at direct risk(there are risks but they are not the daily risk which comes from deployment.) but they are away from their families and miss a lot of family life too. I would have thought that when you sign up you must know that you may be deIployed and you make the decision to apply accordingly.

I have lived with an OH who has had to be work away from home, often at very short notice for many years, so I do understand how that is. In all jobs there is a salary scale and when you are near the bottom or starting out you always look upwards at what may be a bit down the road. It is tough for most young couples starting out, no matter what job you do. That is not unique to the military. It is a hard one to decide who should be paid more or not. I do think that lots of jobs are valuable and, especially those in the public sector, are not always paid in accordance to the value they have to society.

I see your point, but I think the main argument is the fact of total lack of respect these men and women get. When these polititicans are continueing to give raises to themselves, make their benefits better and are paid that much money for life even after they are out of office, and complain about budget problems and needing to make cuts. One of the first places they always look is the military, when in reality they need to look at themselves. But they will never do that because they deserve it. Well what about the men and women who give thier lives to protect us on a daily basis? What do they get but a slap in the face. It is appalling. And makes me sick to think about it.

 

[ahcigar1]

Also on another note of the argument. Yes these people sign up knowing what they are getting into, but at the same time that doesn't mean they are ready for the general disrespect that they recieve from our government and general public. They sign up because they want to serve and defend their country.

 

[indy and lara]

I don't think the military are always the first target although they are currently undergoing significant cuts here. They look at education, welfare, support for elderly and vulnerable. All the easy targets as along with the military they make up a large part of budget expenditure.

Sadly many people who do worthy jobs are not respected. To be honest, I think there is a huge issue within society as a whole now regarding respect for others. Many people are so self- focussed and self-absorbed that they seem incapable of acknowledging the sacrifices made by others on their behalf, including the ultimate sacrifice made by many of the military.

 

[Blah11]

Also on another note of the argument. Yes these people sign up knowing what they are getting into, but at the same time that doesn't mean they are ready for the general disrespect that they recieve from our government and general public. They sign up because they want to serve and defend their country.

I don't really understand where you get that the general public disrespect them?

 

[Blah11]

I don't think the military are always the first target although they are currently undergoing significant cuts here. They look at education, welfare, support for elderly and vulnerable. All the easy targets as along with the military they make up a large part of budget expenditure.

Sadly many people who do worthy jobs are not respected. To be honest, I think there is a huge issue within society as a whole now regarding respect for others. Many people are so self- focussed and self-absorbed that they seem incapable of acknowledging the sacrifices made by others on their behalf, including the ultimate sacrifice made by many of the military.

I agree 100%

 

[Eternal]

No idea what our guys get paid, and for what they do they are worth a lot. But it doenst work like that, the worth of someone isnt what depicts their pay.

I mean look at some of our highest earners, bankers, finicial people higher management, football players and their worth is a lot less than nurses, doctors, milatary, etc.

I dont think anyone disrespects people in the military, i think we are all greatful for what they do for us, our country and others, but there is only a small pot of money and only so much can come from that, that is the problem with public sector.

Private sector people are paid huge sums, a mean, footballers wages! eck! but if their money was coming from public sector they would be paid LESS than minimum wage for thir part time job!

So in short, i think they should be paid more, but the reality of that isnt possible, there def should be huge cut backs to govenment officals, management, and all other sorts of high end earners.

 

[vaniilla]

cuts are being made everywhere and like previous posters said they chose the career and they accepted the wages that come with it which are no where near below average, like all jobs there is a career ladder you can't start at the top easily, nobody is disrespecting the army but its still a job and its got to be realistic, I personally think its good cuts are being made in the military too much money imo is spent on war and weapons.

 

[Ashley8806]

First off I would like to say that I completely and 100% support our troops. I have a lot of respect for what they do, and having a lot of friends and family enlisted, I do know what families have to go through.

That being said, however, I too feel that they choose what they go into. I know here we have been seeing a lot of jobs cut, unemployment, etc, from the economy. Up until recently, the military personnel hadn't really been affected by this. Other families however, have lost their jobs, their homes, their cars, etc. Some families are struggling to feed their families, and provide basic healthcare to their families because of the economy. I know personally, we have struggled. DH is in a good field - however, he has had to take cut hours, a 15% pay cut, and lay-offs whenever they find it necessary. And to find a new job right now is near impossible - there is just simploy nothing out there, especially nothing stable. I just feel that if the general public is going through this, then there's no reason to say the military should be any different, as it's the career they chose.

 

[moomin_troll]

cuts are being made everywhere and like previous posters said they chose the career and they accepted the wages that come with it which are no where near below average, like all jobs there is a career ladder you can't start at the top easily, nobody is disrespecting the army but its still a job and its got to be realistic, I personally think its good cuts are being made in the military too much money imo is spent on war and weapons.

you wouldnt be saying that if it was ur husband, brother or father out there fighting with not even a bullet proof vest because of these cuts ur so happy about

 

[indy and lara]

cuts are being made everywhere and like previous posters said they chose the career and they accepted the wages that come with it which are no where near below average, like all jobs there is a career ladder you can't start at the top easily, nobody is disrespecting the army but its still a job and its got to be realistic, I personally think its good cuts are being made in the military too much money imo is spent on war and weapons.

you wouldnt be saying that if it was ur husband, brother or father out there fighting with not even a bullet proof vest because of these cuts ur so happy about

I don't think she is saying troops should be anywhere without proper equipment. Simply that as a country we should not be spending so much money becoming involved in conflicts and dropping bombs which cost enormous sums of money. That is certainly what I think.

 

[moomin_troll]

i do not agree with this war. its a waste of money our troops and lives but what do people think these cuts do? they cut our troops short, cut euiptment which then costs more lives because they arent safe out there.

no one in the armed forces joined thinking that these cuts would happen and they would be in a war zone unprotected.

so maybe before people say these cuts are good just think would u be ok with them if it was ur husband out there without a helmet or vest

 

[indy and lara]

i do not agree with this war. its a waste of money our troops and lives but what do people think these cuts do? they cut our troops short, cut euiptment which then costs more lives because they arent safe out there.

no one in the armed forces joined thinking that these cuts would happen and they would be in a war zone unprotected.

so maybe before people say these cuts are good just think would u be ok with them if it was ur husband out there without a helmet or vest

I don't think anyone thinks that the soldiers who are fighting should be without equipment. The cuts are not just about less equipment but also a smalled number of soldiers which of course will cost less in the long run. I am not sure that any one part of the public sector can really expect to be left untouched when the others have to then shoulder the burden of cuts.

 

[moomin_troll]

im aware of what the cuts are and what effect they are having seen as ive been living in it

 

[indy and lara]

We are all living with it. I have watched children I teach who have considerable ASN lose their support in the classroom. My husband was made redundant. We will lose our CB soon. And so on.

 

[Ramen]

Can you believe they have the nerve to say they're living paycheck to paycheck of 174k a year and that they deserve a pay raise because they're being shot at?

 

[moomin_troll]

i dont no any solider on 174k a year

 

[indy and lara]

I think that must be the most very senior military only and I doubt they are claiming to live from pay to pay. There are no regular soldiers earning that kind of money.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

Nope, not enough for what they do