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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My basic pay as Pvt E1 in late 79 was $448.00 per month I think take home was a bit more than $300.00. By time I graduated Jumps School and made E2, basic pay was at 500 a month with $55.00 Jump Pay. Sometime in 81 "I Think" it came up to be paid 2 times a month, I remember thinking that my once a month take home pay was around $375 so I wrote down I would like to get $150.00 mid month pay (I should have wrote 50%) I made Sgt in 83 with Basic Pay of around $900.00 per month plus BAQ and Sep rations, was married with 2 children and still received $150.00 Mid month pay. My Stereo was in the pawnshop a lot in them days!
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Well, I don't think I have my first 'Green' Statement but my 'Base Pay' was $646.20. Serious cash!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
As an E-1 in 1992 I was making $726.60 a month gross. Minus $100 off the top for SGLI along with taxes it was probably closer to $500.
As an E-1 in 1992 I was making $726.60 a month gross. Minus $100 off the top for SGLI along with taxes it was probably closer to $500.
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Yup, thats about right. I came in the Army in 1989 and take home was approximately $450. I am impressed that you were able to find the old LES. I've got one somewhere but not all the way back to E-1.
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
1SG (Join to see) thanks for the response. Back then we were told to save our LES and that's what I did. Sweet times to say the least.
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I know that at my first permanent duty station I got into trouble with check cashing places near post - made little enough that it didn't pay the bills and it cost me - I was 19 and made a lot of 19 year old decisions - like dropping out of college and joining the army to support some girl I didn't know and married anyway because of a previous 19 year old decision...long story short, I didn't make enough!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
PFC Kevin Chadwick Sweet, well said and profoundly expressed. I hope somebody heads to this, it could help them out. Thanks!
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PFC Kevin Chadwick
Had I not been too proud (or too stupid) to let others in on my problems in order to help - I could have saved myself a lot of headaches! Those places thrive near posts and prey on young soldiers that don't know any better - so if you fit that description, LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MONEY and if you do get into a bind TALK TO SOMEONE in your unit - CO or somebody - let them know that you need some help! Read this and learn from my mistakes...even better, though not too many 19 year old kids can learn form anybody's mistakes but their own....
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1SG (Join to see)
1989 pay chart shows an E1 with less than 4 months time in grade making $646.20 per month, making yours a little over double what it was in 73.
1989 US military basic pay charts reflect a 4.1% raise that became effective on January 1, 1989 and continued to be in effect until December 31, 1989.
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