Are members of the military paid too much?

2019-12-23T09:15:01-05:00

Many of us have likely heard from employers that they cannot compete with military pay and benefits. We've also seen examples where people can get out of service and make a much higher salary than the military pays. However, service members face demands and work hours the majority of civilians do not and the hours worked broken down sometimes do not even equal out to minimum wage.
What say you, RallyPoint community?
Read this article before you vote/answer:
https://www.foxbusiness.com/money/military-member-pay-rand-arroyo-center

Are military members paid too much?

Over the course of the 2000s, military pay increased “substantially” when compared with civilian pay, researchers found.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Dec 23 at 2019 9:30 AM

2019-12-23T09:30:24-05:00

Issue is military pay being based primarily on rank and years of service. Civilian world has different pay rates for job based on private sector competition. Single junior enlisted personnel eat in mess hall and sleep in barracks for free which most civilian employers don't provide. Deployments usually mean long hours and dangerous conditions, but also include tax benefits and additional bonuses.

It simply varies what part of military you are serving in and specific role

Response by SPC Andrew K. made Dec 23 at 2019 9:31 AM

2019-12-23T09:31:16-05:00

Military are cash paid less but with all they have access to it is much better cost of living. The military lets the civilian population be s as blue to do everything they do because the military and local forces keep them able to have a free life and not have to scrape by and give anything extra to the people in charge

Response by MSgt Michael Smith made Dec 23 at 2019 9:35 AM

2019-12-23T09:35:13-05:00

I was in for 22 years and never felt poor or broke. I think that it is a question of money management and lifestyle. Sure your first four years or so are going to be tight --just like every other normal person in the work force. But once you start collecting BAH/BAS and make a couple of ranks, you should be doing fine. The people in the military who are struggling and most often special cases (like 6 kids) or not living within their means.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 10:19 AM

2019-12-23T10:19:36-05:00

I do not feel that SMs are paid too much. In comparison to certain amenities (barracks, chow halls, etc.), I can see where some feel we are....but I honestly do not feel we are overpaid. There is a reason why we are paid a salary instead of hourly. 18 hour TOC duty would totally eat up into the overtime pay civilians get. We have long, arduous hours. We get shot at. What I think should happen is these new/very young SMs coming in should receive an in depth financial awareness and budgeting classes to manage their monies better.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 10:24 AM

2019-12-23T10:24:50-05:00

It’s not an apples to orange comparison. As a former intel guy, while a pogue, I had to work long hours, in the field, with the normal accoutrements. As a civilian intel guys I’d probably work 8 hours and hit the bar on the way home.

Fee for service is based on a lot of elements.

Military jobs are specialized and few in comparison to the civilian job market. And if everyone wanted to be in the service, it would dilute the pay and cost.

The dichotomy is what the author mentioned; the troops are not enlisting because they heard the pay was good .... they enlist to satisfy a calling. But we can’t link the pay discussion to that.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 10:29 AM

2019-12-23T10:29:05-05:00

I also think this is coming up because the troops are running into challenges when leaving the service. Folks have to keep in mind that when you leave the service, you are changing careers and your comp typically takes a hit. They can’t expect the same pay for being a newbie.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Dec 23 at 2019 10:41 AM

2019-12-23T10:41:10-05:00

LTC Jason Strickland You can not compare apples and oranges,other than they are both fruit.The duties and requirements of SM's can not be compared to most civilians even when the job titles are similar.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 11:02 AM

2019-12-23T11:02:28-05:00

If more people want to join or stay in the military than there are positions available, then troops are paid too much. If not then we are not.

Response by LTJG Robert M. made Dec 23 at 2019 11:09 AM

2019-12-23T11:09:03-05:00

I voted no, not paid enough. My reasoning, 1989 when I was in, E-6 over 12, married and stationed in CA, I qualified for food stamps and WIC.

Response by SPC Kevin Ford made Dec 23 at 2019 1:00 PM

2019-12-23T13:00:50-05:00

The pay seems reasonable considering living expenses (medical care, lodging, food) is included. It may not be a comfortable life, or a way to get rich, but the military will take care of you and your family's basic needs.

The civilian worlds is a completely different animal where skills are rewarded financially instead of rank and there is not the same level of security for you and your family.

Response by Cpl Ben Juarez made Dec 23 at 2019 3:09 PM

2019-12-23T15:09:36-05:00

I wonder if it was a non-service member that’s started that b.s. ?

Response by SFC Christopher Taggart made Dec 23 at 2019 8:34 PM

2019-12-23T20:34:50-05:00

Re: your comment, Sir..."We've also seen examples where people can get out of service and make a much higher salary than the military pays"...that didn't happen to me, and I have a Graduate Degree. I'm glad I served as long as I did.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2019 11:25 PM

2019-12-23T23:25:36-05:00

I don’t want to say we are, because for (some of us) the hours/stress/amount of bullcrap isn’t worth the paycheck.

However, in my 2.5 stint before coming back in civilian jobs won’t have the same benefits, guaranteed housing, paycheck, 2 weeks paid vacation with a guarantee of still having your job when you get back.

So overall I’d say the actual paycheck we don’t but they can’t touch the benefits

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Dec 24 at 2019 12:51 AM

2019-12-24T00:51:14-05:00

What is missing is the historical tilt. In the late '70s, '80s, and early '90s, the post 'Nam political animus towards the military and several Democratic administrations meant the MIL pay raises were lower than COL delta and what the CS types got, which was more, but still under the COL value. In the very late '90s and on, there have been some efforts to offset the decades of zero base pay reductions. Mostly Republican administrations (when you could find them) tended to have a bit more in January, but mostly still under the COL value. When public perception of the military improved, we saw even Democratic administrations being a touch less tight ass. It's been a long time since I ran any numbers, but the military side still hasn't caught up and likely holding at about 30-50% of the historical delta. We got some, but not all. Having gone from $283-$12,000/month over my 32 years, I certainly watched the pay game. The civilian outfits that are griping are severely out of touch as the percentage of the workforce that goes military is 1.4%. That won't move any particular needle. Construction unions that gripe about Seabees practicing paving out in town apparently makes thousands of babies starve. One thing that does affect the COLA delta is the non pay stuff that has become more prevalent. BAH that actually gets closer to the market costs, etc. have helped.

Bottom line, it isn't the cost of living or what you think you're worth that determines what your pay is. It's the minimum amount of money that will deliver the minimum required body count. When unemployment is high, don't look for any bump. When unemployment is low, the military side is in more direct competition for the resources. We hope to attract something other than the bottom 25% of IQ out there, hence tend to be at about double the poverty level early on when you consider all the adds.

Response by CW4 Barbara Jones Lunon made Jan 30 at 2020 1:47 PM

2020-01-30T13:47:47-05:00

My view point to if military personnel are being paid too much is no. With all the physical, mental and sacrifice we have to make being away from your family. The injuries you acquired during training both mentally and physically you can't put a cost to it.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2020 11:47 AM

2020-03-02T11:47:21-05:00

I think pay is pretty fair, as long as it continues to keep up with inflation

Response by MSG Terry Lingle made Mar 31 at 2020 1:45 PM

2020-03-31T13:45:34-04:00

Wow. There are so many variables that come into play when deciding this question. When I enlisted in 1968, I routinely cleared less than $100 per month. When I retired as a MSG in 1989, I made less than $37,000 a year if I included pay and benefits and estimated the tax advantages. My assignments varied drastically over the years from a private E1 in an Infantry Battalion in Korea (difficult duty, but not as difficult as many others have experienced) to PSNCO at Keller Army Hospital at West Point to recruiting duty in Maryland and Delaware to NCOIC, Personnel Management Division at WRAMC in DC. I had some tough assignments and some great ones. Any time the US Army sent me somewhere, I received generally adequate compensation, even so far as taking into account cost of living in the area and the perceived difficulty of the job (hostile fire pay, COLA, BAQ, BAS, special duty pay for recruiting, even at some points “pro-pay), but I never felt that I was overpaid (who does?