Posted on Jun 4, 2016
SFC Plumber
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Answers, I always get is that they are officers, and they have a 4 year degree.
Posted in these groups: 38326e5d Military Pay
Edited >1 y ago
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LCDR Naval Aviator
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Different job, different level of responsibility and requirements, different paycheck.
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SFC Plumber
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I am not referring to making enlisted pay the same as an officer's pay. I want to make the argument to increase the enlisted pay and make it a little better. I understand different job, different level of responsibility. (I would make a case for myself and others in my MOS. If you are comparing job, responsibility, and requirements) I am just making a case to increase the enlisted pay.

I can also make that argument to say different MOS should get pay differently reflecting their level of specialty and responsibility. For example Infantry should get paid more than a quartermaster, This would open up to a new level of argument.

In my opinion, you are a pilot. I say you should be paid more than others in your branch of service, given the nature of your job. You can agree with that?
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LCDR Naval Aviator
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I would have to disagree. A SWO might be driving a billion-dollar warship through dangerous waters, and submariners might stay beneath the waves for 3-4 months at a time, while conducting nuclear deterrence missions; who am I to say my work is worth more?
Enlisted pay isn't bad at all, especially if you consider that an 18-year-old with no qualifications or experience can walk into the job, receive training (and a full paycheck during that training), free housing or a stipend for them to spend as they please for their own housing, free meals, a subsistence allowance, often times a signing bonus, tax exemptions (some pay no state tax, and only basic pay is taxed, which is roughly half their real income), free medical and dental care, opportunities for very inexpensive entertainment through MWR - the list goes on. No, the junior enlisted are not underpaid, not in the slightest.
Considering as well that we're in the midst of a drawdown and pay is intended to be similar to civilian incomes in order to attract talent, I wouldn't be surprised if we all receive a pay freeze - they simply don't need more of us.
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GySgt Moses Lozano
GySgt Moses Lozano
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There is a reason why Marine Officer Cadets are trained by Marine SNCOs. That is so they understand who the true knowledgeable members in their unit are and that they should be trusted. However, the officer corps has also made it pretty much a requirement to brain wash new officers to look down on the enlisted. Over all, the dichotomy of this issue is too vast to try to remedy in any post.
All I know is that I have a Master's Degree with a 4.0 GPA which is far higher than most any officer I knew. This does not make me better than officers in general; but I think I have the equivalent amount of intelligence of any General Officer or boot Lieutenant!
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
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SFC (Join to see) its getting better. Generals have a lot of responsibility and IMO they hold their weight. The DOD needs to up the pay for the Enlisted members dramatically, they give their all every day.
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SFC Plumber
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I agree with you, they should increase the pay for enlisted personnel, I just want pay gap equality for what each enlisted rank holds.

I would be happy with a 10-15% increase for all enlisted rank. Give incentives for soldiers with a degree, AA and a BA. If there were an argument that officers have a four year degree.

For example, Law enforcements officers with a 2 year degree earn 8-10% extra and LEO with 4 year degree 10-15% extra.
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PV2 (Other / Not listed)
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A lot of enlisted have four year degrees? Define "a lot". Also, please define what their degrees are in and how they pertain to their current military profession and how they prepare a standard college E-4 to assume command at the platoon level. Sure, enlisted are generally higher educated today than their WWII or Vietnam predecessors, but so what? ROTC and the academies have specified degree programs and extracurricular activities that prepare people to assume command at the basic level. A college E-4, or even an E-7 with an online degree, doesn't merit the same pay as a commissioned officer who attended college classes that are specific to assuming military command.
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Cadet Maj (Pre-Commission)
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Not all officers get/have degree in their field though. I know a cyber officer who has an eco engineering degree.
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SSG Title 10 Mission Manager
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I disagree. A degree is a degree. Many officers get majors in nothing to do with what branch they end up in. As for the "online" argument, often times online degrees are harder. They make you display more discipline because you don't have a professor breathing down your neck. I have degrees from both "traditional" and "Online" and because I couldn't develop a personal relationship with my professor the second time around, it was based totally on my work.
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