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?

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

108K

2.18K

496

117

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

Posted in these groups: Double barred dollar sign.svg

Money

Military Pay

Edited 5 y ago

Posted >1 y ago

Follow this discussion

Responses: 282

Show most popular responses

SGM Gregory Hoppe

Posted >1 y ago

$68.00 a month.

(5)

Comment

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

SGM Gregory Hoppe thanks for your service, may I inquire what year was this. I know the Privates according to the pay scale in 1949 made $75 a month. I am at awe! I am very grateful for my pay compared to many on RP. -Sweet-

(7)

(0)

SGM Gregory Hoppe

>1 y

I entered the Army in 1964. That was pay after taxes & SS, all the usual. They fed me, clothed me, gave me a spot to sleep in. After a 1 year tour in Hawaii, who could complain, young single, in paradise, but at that time you were lucky to get a 48hr pass for the weekend. 4.2 mortars were my life. I volunteered to go to RVN. Didn't need much money there.

(1)

(0)

Capt Seid Waddell

Posted >1 y ago

I don't recall the exact number, but I do remember that it was less per month than I had withheld from my paycheck every week as a machinist just before I went in.

(5)

Comment

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

Capt Seid Waddell if you can give me a year(time-frame) I can give you the amount.

(4)

(0)

Capt Seid Waddell

>1 y

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, I entered OTS as an E4 under one year in Oct '67. It strikes me that I got about $78/paycheck, but I could be wrong; that was a long time ago.

(3)

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

Capt Seid Waddell Sweet!

(3)

(0)

Capt Seid Waddell

>1 y

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL, my memory is fuzzy at this point; the $78/month may have been the hazardous duty pay which we got for getting shot at (whether we were hit or not).

I especially liked the part about not having to be hit to earn the pay.

I chose not to be.

(2)

(0)

SSgt Terry P.

Posted >1 y ago

$78 a month

(5)

Comment

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

SSgt Terry P. was this during the Vietnam era!

(9)

(0)

SSgt Terry P.

>1 y

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL - Yes,it was January 1968.It went to 80 something before i left boot camp.

(3)

(0)

SGT Michael Glenn

Posted >1 y ago

Ok I did some homework!!! the minimum wage back in 84 was 3.35. the average work week was 5 days at 8 hours which would bring a persons take home pay to 562.00 a month and an annual salary of 6782.60. A Pvt with less than 4 months cleared 573.60 a month and 6883.20 annually. after 4 months we received 596.40 Monthly and 7156.80 annually. This would mean that since a soldier is paid 24/7/365 that we earned about half of what a civilian earned???

(5)

Comment

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

SGT Michael Glenn thanks for the historical research analysis. In 1984 was my real first job. I remember the minimum wage being 3.35. I always tell everybody that I started out making that. I was civilian back then, working a summer job. Appreciate the response from an analytical standpoint. -Sweet-

(9)

(0)

SSG Marciano Gonzalez

>1 y

Yes but if you got sick your paycheck still coming if the doctor put you in quarters the pay still there no maters how many days you were out because of the illness.

(2)

(0)

SGT Michael Glenn

Posted >1 y ago

I dont remember how much I was paid but looking online (the age of Google...isnt it wonderful!!) it told me something like 570 net... Now I dont know about you guys but man let me tell you !!!! Not only was my room free, but I got these awesome threads and meals fit for a king !!! got to travel alot and shoot cool new weapons and play with a bunch of new playtoys to include camping gear !! Yes...Puts hands behind head and kicks feet up on the coffee table... I think the average American citizen could not EVER say that about their lives.... Those were the days... thoughts fade off to a distant time, not so long agoooooooo.....

(5)

Comment

(0)

SGT Michael Glenn

>1 y

So do civilians anymore these days!!! should civilians receive hazardous duty pay????lol

(3)

(0)

SFC Jason Porter

Posted >1 y ago

692.00 a month back in 1991 FT Dix NJ basic training. As if 2012 as a E7 I was at about 4200.00 before retirement.

(5)

Comment

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

SFC Jason Porter thanks for sharing, we have come a long way since being a private in our hey days!

(10)

(0)

MSgt Curtis Ellis

Posted >1 y ago

Mine was about $551.40 for an E1 in 1982 before anything was deducted...

(5)

Comment

(0)

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL

>1 y

MSgt Curtis Ellis thanks for sharing, I envy the Air Force. I still was not making that in 1989-1990. What's wrong with the Army not catching up.....LOL. Air Force has always had better pay than the Army in my opinion.

(1)

(0)