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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Plenty! I had so much fun in basic training back in 1984! I believe 668.70 for being an E2. After that, it was 89 and change for a Drill weekend plus a tuition waiver for college. I learned how to throw hand grenades, shoot m-60 machine guns, learned to be a Mortarman, even was tested on how to salute. Was tear gassed, it was fun, really was.
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Wow! I used the pay chart provided here. How in the hell did we survive back then? I guess the dollar was still worth a dollar and gas was like 25 cents a gallon in 74 so we got by some how. I do remember I made a little more than the guys in the Barracks. I was married when I went to Basic so I got paid "Separate Rats" because I lived off base all 4 years. Hell you can't even make a truck payment today on the 400+ a month I made as an E-4 when I separated. And yet here I am, a retired old fart livin the dream. Somebody give the Troops a raise! God Bless our troops.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL LTC Stephen F. . you young whippersnappers you, I think that was my whole years pay in 1969. Never though of saving pay stubs! Actually I seem to remember my first paycheck being about $74.00!
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$267.68, that was my first Army pay day..
I just recently shredded all my LES hard copies, I had every one Oct 1985 until they did away with the printed and distro'ed LES every month.
I saved just one, my first which was a payday of $267.68 for the month of October 1985 (I was only in 15 days that 1st month)
I just recently shredded all my LES hard copies, I had every one Oct 1985 until they did away with the printed and distro'ed LES every month.
I saved just one, my first which was a payday of $267.68 for the month of October 1985 (I was only in 15 days that 1st month)
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$138.30/month as a PFC in 1970. I was single, living on base, eating at the mess hall--thought I was making good money.
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Pretty Sure I Still Have My LES but not going to dig it our but I'm pretty sure it was Significantly Less than that in 76 when I Joined.
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