Posted on Dec 1, 2015
Did you know that Military members used to be paid in cash?
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I searched online for an article about how the military used to get paid, but could not find one.
I was having diner with my father tonight who came into town for the night. Somehow we started talking about Military history and he told me that when he first joined the Air Force way back when that he was paid in cash. He would receive a voucher and then have to stand in line for ever to get up to the table where cash was handed out. Not in an envelope, but just cash...handed to you.
My father also said that Officers were paid on the 15th and last day of the month and enlisted were paid??? Can't remember what he said, but I'm sure there are many RP members who can fill in the blank for me.
My father said that it wasn't till he was stationed in Japan that he started receiving checks and when the Military started paying by check the pay dates changed and both Officers and Enlisted were paid on the same day.
I would find it weird and inconvenient to be paid by cash.
I prefer direct deposit.
I was having diner with my father tonight who came into town for the night. Somehow we started talking about Military history and he told me that when he first joined the Air Force way back when that he was paid in cash. He would receive a voucher and then have to stand in line for ever to get up to the table where cash was handed out. Not in an envelope, but just cash...handed to you.
My father also said that Officers were paid on the 15th and last day of the month and enlisted were paid??? Can't remember what he said, but I'm sure there are many RP members who can fill in the blank for me.
My father said that it wasn't till he was stationed in Japan that he started receiving checks and when the Military started paying by check the pay dates changed and both Officers and Enlisted were paid on the same day.
I would find it weird and inconvenient to be paid by cash.
I prefer direct deposit.
Posted in these groups: 
Military History
Military Pay
Military History Military Pay
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 75
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Early '80s, if not 1980, we went to check to bank. We could get paid mid and end of month. Ft Hood had long pay lines, guards every where, and helicopters circling. Pay lines were long, I want to say 45 minutes to an hour for a little over $100. Beer was a nickel, combat boots $10, Jump boots $15, a complete set of fatigues about $15. CSR (can't remember st--). Then you got to buy what was missing from the layouts.
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Capt (Join to see)
There was an officer appointed as paymaster (additional and rotating duty) He picked up all of the cash and then distributed it to us.
Airman (name etc) reporting for pay Sir!
I was glad this was no longer the procedure when I was commissioned.
Airman (name etc) reporting for pay Sir!
I was glad this was no longer the procedure when I was commissioned.
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I was paid in cash as well, at least, at first. We would set a WHOLE day aside for "Payday activities". We would go to the post gymnasium, wait in line, report to a officer for pay, and receive cash. Afterward there was a formation, maybe a class of some sort, then we were typically released for the rest of the day.
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SSG Gerhard S.
At Ft Devens, our 1SG would take advantage of Payday activities day to conduct "NCO Call", where we would discuss Company and Personnel issues over beer at the NCO club.
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I was paid in cash early on, but the Army was moving away from that. We soon had a choice of a check or direct deposit. I do remember pay call though. Joined up in 1975.
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SSG Gerhard S.
We still had it in 1983/84... I think they phased it out in 84...at least where I was stationed.
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LTC David Brown
Yes. Pay master would dole out cash in a strong box. Soldiers would line up and get issued their pay in cash.
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Sgt Kelli Mays
I got paid by paper check when I first came in. As SN Greg Wright and PO1 William "Chip" Nagel said, I would then have to stand in line to cash it, both on the ship and at Boot Camp.
Shortly after I got on the ship, I was encouraged to enroll in Direct Deposit. I had to open up a bank account to do that!
I had problems with that bank so I closed the account and went back to paper checks for a while, until I was pretty much "ordered" to open an account. This was right before Direct Deposit became mandatory.
I got paid by paper check when I first came in. As SN Greg Wright and PO1 William "Chip" Nagel said, I would then have to stand in line to cash it, both on the ship and at Boot Camp.
Shortly after I got on the ship, I was encouraged to enroll in Direct Deposit. I had to open up a bank account to do that!
I had problems with that bank so I closed the account and went back to paper checks for a while, until I was pretty much "ordered" to open an account. This was right before Direct Deposit became mandatory.
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I recieved Cash in Boot Camp, and hard checks after. One exception was while on deployment in 1981 we were paid in cash. They would hold our pay until we hit port then we signed a roster, Reflecting back on it, it was not that great of a thing. There was a lot of lockers broken into and people had hundreds of dollars stolen.
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I think it seems weird to get paid in cash due to the reflection of societal norms as they currently stand in 2015. But in the past, I don't think anybody had an issue with it.
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I remember getting paid in cash in Basic. We would get paid and then go to another officer to by travelers checks. Since we were only allowed 50 dollars in cash. Fun times.
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