Posted on Dec 1, 2015
Did you know that Military members used to be paid in cash?
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I searched online for an article about how the military used to get paid, but could not find one.
I was having diner with my father tonight who came into town for the night. Somehow we started talking about Military history and he told me that when he first joined the Air Force way back when that he was paid in cash. He would receive a voucher and then have to stand in line for ever to get up to the table where cash was handed out. Not in an envelope, but just cash...handed to you.
My father also said that Officers were paid on the 15th and last day of the month and enlisted were paid??? Can't remember what he said, but I'm sure there are many RP members who can fill in the blank for me.
My father said that it wasn't till he was stationed in Japan that he started receiving checks and when the Military started paying by check the pay dates changed and both Officers and Enlisted were paid on the same day.
I would find it weird and inconvenient to be paid by cash.
I prefer direct deposit.
I was having diner with my father tonight who came into town for the night. Somehow we started talking about Military history and he told me that when he first joined the Air Force way back when that he was paid in cash. He would receive a voucher and then have to stand in line for ever to get up to the table where cash was handed out. Not in an envelope, but just cash...handed to you.
My father also said that Officers were paid on the 15th and last day of the month and enlisted were paid??? Can't remember what he said, but I'm sure there are many RP members who can fill in the blank for me.
My father said that it wasn't till he was stationed in Japan that he started receiving checks and when the Military started paying by check the pay dates changed and both Officers and Enlisted were paid on the same day.
I would find it weird and inconvenient to be paid by cash.
I prefer direct deposit.
Posted in these groups: 
Military History
Military Pay
Military History Military Pay
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 75
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Sgt Kelli Mays I remember very well reporting for pay and signing a pay roster,then getting paid in cash,not much cash, but cash.
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SSgt Terry P.
Felicity Runge - Must have owed a lot. lol As a pvt-1--i think the pay in hand was $87 in '68. records say about $110,but i do not remember getting even $100 in training.
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PO2 John Morris
in Jan. 1965 in boot camp we were paid a whopping 62.50 a month. when my enlistment was up i was E-5 over three years and got a whopping $275.00 a month in Jan. 1969
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SGT (Join to see)
Remember those days. On one payday the CG was trying to make the point to the city on its boundaries just how important soldiers were to its economy so everyone got paid in $2 bills. He made his point.
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SPC Margaret Higgins PVT Hayden reporting for pay Sir!
In Korea, 1954/55 we were paid in Military Payment Currency, a version of the Korean 'Won' (sp).
To deter black marketing, absolutely unannounced, every year or so MPC was changed to a different color, version and general appearance.
If any one had prior knowledge of the changeover date, they could have bought the old currency and cashed it in before the changeover date which instantly rendered yesterday's MPC worthless.
Possesion of yesterday's currency, by GIs or indiginous personnel was like having a losing poker hand, useless!
In Korea, 1954/55 we were paid in Military Payment Currency, a version of the Korean 'Won' (sp).
To deter black marketing, absolutely unannounced, every year or so MPC was changed to a different color, version and general appearance.
If any one had prior knowledge of the changeover date, they could have bought the old currency and cashed it in before the changeover date which instantly rendered yesterday's MPC worthless.
Possesion of yesterday's currency, by GIs or indiginous personnel was like having a losing poker hand, useless!
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Capt Seid Waddell
SSgt Terry P., my Mama-san was a very hard-working widow with children to support; I traded in her scrip for her. When I DEROSed I traded in the scrip I had for Piasters and gave them to her; I hope it helped her - it wasn't much to me but it was several month's pay for her.
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SSgt Terry P.
Capt Seid Waddell - It would probably change some attitudes today if people here could see how those people lived during that period.
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PO2 Mark Saffell
when I was on the ship they paid us in cash. Brand new 20's. Wasn't a big deal then. Our pay sucked back in the late 70's.
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1SG John Highfill
Same for Viet Nam paid in MPC - Military Pay Certificate , I wished I’d kept a sample
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I was paid in cash a few times, Sgt Kelli Mays, in the early seventies! In the Army, it was the only instance in which you would salute, but the pay officer was not required to return the salute. All those to be paid would form a line and remain at parade rest. The pay officer would call your name, you would walk up to the pay officer's table, and say, for instance, "Private Curlee reports for pay." You would salute and then drop your hand. You would then be paid in bills and coins.
On the other side of the coin (so to speak) being the pay officer (Class A Agent) was an awful detail. It was an additional duty and much responsibility went with it. Usually, a junior officer and a senior NCO would first go to the armorer and each would draw a handgun with ammunition. The weapons were loaded. You then went and signed for a huge amount of money (bills and coins). It was the pay officer's responsibility to apportion the money out correctly to each soldier. If the pay officer came up short at the end, he made up the difference out of his own pocket!
One pay officer that I reported to took his job quite seriously. When we went in to report for pay, he had his M1911A1, locked and loaded, and placed on the table by his right hand! SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Terry P. LTC Bink Romanick Capt Seid Waddell CSM Charles Hayden SGT Jerrold Pesz SGT Mark Anderson
LTC (Join to see), our stories tally!
PO3 Bob McCord, here’s the earlier thread I mentioned. It was started by Sgt Kelli Mays.
On the other side of the coin (so to speak) being the pay officer (Class A Agent) was an awful detail. It was an additional duty and much responsibility went with it. Usually, a junior officer and a senior NCO would first go to the armorer and each would draw a handgun with ammunition. The weapons were loaded. You then went and signed for a huge amount of money (bills and coins). It was the pay officer's responsibility to apportion the money out correctly to each soldier. If the pay officer came up short at the end, he made up the difference out of his own pocket!
One pay officer that I reported to took his job quite seriously. When we went in to report for pay, he had his M1911A1, locked and loaded, and placed on the table by his right hand! SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt Terry P. LTC Bink Romanick Capt Seid Waddell CSM Charles Hayden SGT Jerrold Pesz SGT Mark Anderson
LTC (Join to see), our stories tally!
PO3 Bob McCord, here’s the earlier thread I mentioned. It was started by Sgt Kelli Mays.
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LtCol Robert Quinter
SSG (Join to see) - One of those mysteries. You're right, but there had to be a reason that somehow made it easier for the disbursing officer, but I never figured it out. Of course, you were instructed that since you had enough cash to pay all, if you ended up short it was your fault and you had to pay any shortage out of your pocket. Never got to test that.
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SSG (Join to see)
LtCol Robert Quinter - It would've been funny to see the faces of both sides as the impending math was clearly going to indicate unsatisfying results. Lol.
I...THINK it would've been funny. :-)
I...THINK it would've been funny. :-)
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LtCol Robert Quinter
SSG (Join to see) - Don't know about the pay officer's side. I believe the last time I did it, I was making about $600 a month including my flight pay. Was very careful handing out the money
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PO2 Jeffrey Belcher
We got paid in cash in the late 70s. $99 a week for an E2 on the USCG Chinook. Worked at least 60 hours a week minimum.
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