Posted on Sep 5, 2015
How Much Did You Get Paid When You Joined The Military? My Take Home Pay Was $457 a Month as a (Army) Private in 1990?
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How much did you make when you joined the military? Back then I got paid on FRIDAY AND BROKE ON MONDAY!! (was not making too much-no family but me, myself and I). Times have changed since the days of your era. Who remembers the Green JUMPs Statement?(DA 3681-6) and getting once a month pay out the finance cage. Yes you had to salute the payroll officer. I remember in Basic Training getting American Travels checks and the Senior Drill Sergeant/1SG keeping it in a safe. Getting once a month pay(cold hard cash), this was before surepay, it was known as casual pay before direct deposit kicked in before the internet. I am referring to 1989-1990. Much respect to all the Army Veterans (Private Pay) who got $75 dollars a month in 1949. The Private in 2015 makes about $1430 a month(under 4 months). Use the link below if you served in the DOD since 1949.
http://www.militarypay.com/MilitaryPayCharts.php
http://www.militarypay.com/MilitaryPayCharts.php
Posted in these groups: 
Money
Military Pay
Money Military Pay
Edited 5 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 282
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I remember on payday you would line up outside the 1SGs door. If you got paid by direct deposit, which was new, he gave you a pay statement. If you didn't have direct deposit he gave you a voucher. You would take the voucher to the pay cage and get paid in cash. I was in Germany so you could go to the bank and change it for marks. In 1984 the mark rate was around 3.50 to a dollar. You could take a hundred dollars and get 350 marks. A beer was around 1.50 marks so you can see how much beer you could buy. Food was cheap too especially pizza and pasta. I would have marks left over every month. Great times and great memories.
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Ya'll got paid money? We got food in a chow hall (sometimes), camping experiences (no tents) and a fitness instructor (sometimes it was personal instruction).
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E4 in 1980, another sailor who was. O-4, same last name made O-5. By way of error his promotion paperwork was placed in my service jacket. For a few days I was accidentally a USN Commander. Pay went to the bank, so when I got back to shore and was able to check my mail, I took this to my Division officer (an O-4) he agreed it was a goof. Yes I had to give the money back. At least on paper I was an O-5 for a short time
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In 1968 I was receiving $89 am month. Single and living on base. Back then the dollar went a lot further. If you think about how can you live with that amount in one month.
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Military.com is not accurate. I went in in August 68 at 113. E5 over 2 was 341, E5 over 3 was 363. Of course there was that bonus of 55 a month for getting shot at.
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I know my take home in 1965 was $76.00. Enough for laundry, shaving gear, maybe something for my self and a pitcher of 3.2 beer.
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I recall $60 paydays. Then $340 @ E-4, approximately $400 @ E-5. E-6 in 1977 was under $800 per month.
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