Military Pay

[USAF_Gal]

On every message board I go to the 2007 base pay chart has been posted and more often than not people are complaining about what the pay raises are. I am just curious, are DH and I the only ones that think the military gets paid pretty good?

[*Crystal*]

Yes I think you are!! lol

[Donna]

Originally Posted by USAF_Gal On every message board I go to the 2007 base pay chart has been posted and more often than not people are complaining about what the pay raises are. I am just curious, are DH and I the only ones that think the military gets paid pretty good?

It's because matched up to civilian pay.... military pay is still a lot less for what they do. plus pay raises are i think a lot lower this year than they have been in a long time.

[USAF_Gal]

Originally Posted by lilmomma0319 Yes I think you are!! lol

I knew it

Granted DH and I don't have any kids and I work part time but I work just to pay for school(I refuse to take out loans and I don't qualify for grants)

Also DH isn't really high ranking either, he is an E-5 with a line number for E-6

[Cherrish]

I think for what they do, and the amount of crap they have to take from their jobs sometimes, they get paid WAY less than they should.
When you're first starting out, it sounds and looks good...until you have to start actually living off of it. Then you realize how much it truely sucks sometimes....

[USAF_Gal]

Originally Posted by Donna It's because matched up to civilian pay.... military pay is still a lot less for what they do. plus pay raises are i think a lot lower this year than they have been in a long time.

Neither one of us compares the civilian pay for a Firefighter with the military pay because in the civilian world DH wouldn't be getting a house/housing allowance, free medical and dental and COLA.

The way we see it, any pay raise is better than nothing.

[Donna]

Originally Posted by USAF_Gal Neither one of us compares the civilian pay for a Firefighter with the military pay because in the civilian world DH wouldn't be getting a house/housing allowance, free medical and dental and COLA. The way we see it, any pay raise is better than nothing.

Where do you live? It all depends on the job that our SO does. Before DH changed jobs, he could make 3x's what the navy pays on the outside. and that includes all the perks as well. (another govt position).


plus the pay raise is only 2 point something %...... in like that past 6 or 7 years it's been over 6%.

[USAF_Gal]

Originally Posted by Donna Where do you live? It all depends on the job that our SO does. Before DH changed jobs, he could make 3x's what the navy pays on the outside. and that includes all the perks as well. (another govt position). plus the pay raise is only 2 point something %...... in like that past 6 or 7 years it's been over 6%.

We live in England.

Another questions, this isn't directed specifically towards you but your post made me think about it. If, with some jobs, the military members can make more in the civilian world then why do they stay in the military?

[Cherrish]

Originally Posted by USAF_Gal We live in England. Another questions, this isn't directed specifically towards you but your post made me think about it. If, with some jobs, the military members can make more in the civilian world then why do they stay in the military?

Some like the lifestyle, some like the benefits. It all depends.

[USAF_Gal]

Originally Posted by *Married2USAF* When you're first starting out, it sounds and looks good...until you have to start actually living off of it. Then you realize how much it truely sucks sometimes....

When DH and I were both E-2's/E-3's, 6.5-7 years ago, we were barely making $500 a paycheck and that was being stationed OCONUS and getting COLA. There is an E-3 that DH works with who makes almost $1000 a paycheck with COLA. That is a HUGE difference in just 6.5-7 years.