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PO1 Brian Austin
8
8
0
The new iPhones, the latest Xbox version, and those two new cars will eat into that E-3's paycheck.
I believe not "living within your means" is a big part of the problem.
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SGT Infantryman (Airborne)
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6 y
I have to agree with that. They were probably doing that before they joined.
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CPT Board Member
CPT (Join to see)
6 y
You nailed it
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SSgt Terry Staley
SSgt Terry Staley
6 y
I have known E-5’s on them because they live in town and the cost of living in many places long before cell phones is higher than what they make even with BAQ and BAH because ent is based on those increases in locals and food is not cheap when you dont live on base and cant just go shopping during duty hours. We lay blame for today and costs of cell phones. When is the last time you saw a pay phone if you break down. Service men dont make enough to pay bills and rent and buy food unless theyvlive in slums and trailer parks. Is that where you would put your family?
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Cpl Jeff N.
7
7
0
We should be asking ourselves why someone that serves in the armed forces would qualify or need food stamps and solve for that one perhaps.
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LT Charles Baird
LT Charles Baird
6 y
My thoughts exactly - when I was a young E-4 on active duty making $1,078.80 a month with a wife and two kids I did not get food stamps; I also had another E-4 I was stationed with who had a wife, 2 kids, 3 school aged siblings and an ailing mother he took care of and did not receive food stamps on $1,078.80 a month (not including the BAH and BAS we got for being married with kids); How is it that enlisted today need food stamps????
During my last 10 years in the military (I just retired last year); I would go to different bases and see young E-3's and E-4's with wives and children driving brand new Escalades, Camaro's, F-150's, Silverado's, and Charger's.

Makes me think they need more financial management skills instead of food stamps. Give up the $600 a month payment on their vehicle and the $2400 a year insurance and they might not need food stamps. They already get BAH and BAS.
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SGT Infantryman (Airborne)
SGT (Join to see)
6 y
When I got out of active duty in ‘67, I was E-5, not married, no kids, making $200.50 a month, paying for a new Camero, and never needed to borrow any money for anything. Maybe if I had been married $200.50 a month wouldn’t have cut it. I don’t know.
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SGT Infantryman (Airborne)
4
4
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56c9fb2
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