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
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Edited 5 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 282
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According to the Pay Charts for 1988 I made $630.70 per month as a Private E-1. I guess I did, but I mostly remember being broke, sitting around and reading second hand Reader's Digests or some other book that was left on the shelf by some other bored Soldier. I kept track of the time of day by waiting on the Mess Hall to open. Tbh, there are times when I wish that I could go back and revisit those days. I don't miss the boredom or the inevitable details that always popped up, but I do miss the simplicity of those times.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC Oscar Estep thank you for sharing. I have experienced boredom, being broke and lonely. Yea the mess-hall was your friend during those times. It's nothing like a full stomach, but reality kicks in and your broke!!
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When I started Basic Training on October 18, 1972 the pay for E-1's was $288.00 a month.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
MSG Floyd Williams thanks for sharing, I bet that was a lot of money in those days, I suppose?
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MSG Floyd Williams
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL - During that era our pay was once a month, and I learn how to manage my money to last to the next payday. It was a lot for me as a young soldier with no dependents, I sent money home to help family members. "Nice piece of change" - Richard Pryor
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As private in basic training at Fort Dix NJ in 1984 I made $527.00 a month. That's $3.29 hour or $26.32 a day for eight hours and five days a week and we all know basic is more 12 hours a day six to seven days a week depending which phase your in.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SGT Robert Hawks thanks for your memories of Basic Training and pay. Wow I have nothing to complain about as much Veterans here on this thread as made way less than me.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL see, now you are going to make me have to go and dig through boxes....LOL.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
CMSgt James Nolan Roger that, I know you got your old pay stub, take a look at it. Mines gives me a humble perspective how much I have gained since 1989.
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CMSgt James Nolan
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Oh yes. I seem to recall that first one being under a hundred bucks.
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In 1964, an E-1 received 78.00/month. I'm pretty sure that as a SGT in Vietnam, with no taxes, I might have made somewhere around 190-200 month. Like many I didn't have any place to spend money. A pallet of Bud (80 cases) was 240. Whores were 2.00 a throw. 200 joints of good Canbodian Red was 3.00. jack Daniels was about a 1.25/btl.
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Yup! Looks about right.. Funny, I almost forgot about the JUMPS statement.. Mine are buried in storage somewhere..
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SSgt Ed Lewandowski wow, what era was this? Nonetheless thanks for your Service.
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SSgt Ed Lewandowski
1981 we got 501 a month pus i had a year delayed enlistment. and we did our own wash
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