Isnt it crazy that Soldiers only get paid enough to live paycheck to paycheck?
By baybieface21
@baybieface21 (20)
United States
September 14, 2008 11:32am CST
I am in the army but not for long, i am deployed right now and It sucks that we have one of the most important jobs in the world but get paid like what we do doesnt really matter, while celebrities get paid like crazy just to sing or shoot a basket. I am getting my mom out of a situation and moved her to where i will be when i come back home and so she has to start her new life from scratch and it is costing me alot of money to get her where she needs to be to take care of herself, but it sucks that i have to put my future plans on hold just so i can help her. Why cant i afford to do both, dont we deserve it?
2 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
14 Sep 08
Well, I know the feeling my exhusband was in the army and we lived close to paycheck to paycheck, thankfully I was good at managing what we had. My husband wants to go into the marine corps but since he has to go through boot camp and they don't let you put money in your own bank account, what they allow you to sent him is next to nothing and wouldn't be enough to even cover our rent let alone help pay the bills.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
15 Sep 08
They do it so the spouses can't get to the money. Apparently some people are allowed to put money into their current accounts, but some drill Sgts can't be bothered and force you to open a new account with Navy Federal. The corps is the only branch that does it. You can transfer money once a week when they are suppose to take you to the bank, but that probably costs money to do.
They also don't tell you how much you can send home either. For example, if you are married you get housing, separation pay (at 31 days), the low salary, and one other thing. So technically you should be able to send home AT LEAST your housing, separating pay, plus a portion of you salary. However, they can't - and won't - guarantee that. In fact, when a married person lists in the corp they make yo sign a waiver stating that you know that your family won't get ANY money while you are at boot camp.
@coffeegurl (1467)
• United States
15 Sep 08
i served in the army 1989-91. I think i made like $600-680/mo. It was so long ago. Usually I was saving money up to go back home. Plane fare during Christmas to go cross country was a month's pay. So, if I wanted to have enough to go back home for the holidays, I had to save a month's pay.Usually I didn't have much left for presents. My present was pretty much ME. There is a local county official here who lives in a small town and just got a pay increase of $70,000 more a year-so taking it to a grande total of $250,000 per year, in 4 years he will be a millionaire. That small town is paying taxes into his salary. He was talking to interviewers all calm and collected stating matter of factly that when he started the job, if he delivered what he promised in a year's time he was promised a raise. I'm sorry, but I'm not sure if the President gets paid that much. My advise,while you're young and pretty,marry a military guy. Get that BAQ. Don't deal with civilian men. They are spoiled metrosexuals who use hair spray. And when you get out, get a DOD job. They pay pretty well. Probably much better than the army. FIDO
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
15 Sep 08
Don't you mean IF you can get a DoD job? LOL A lot of people who are prior service don't even qualify for DoD jobs. They do pay really well. In the field my husband was looking into they pay $50K+ reenlistment bonuses (currently of course) because so many people get wooed by the FBI and CIA which pay 4 to 5 times the amount they would make in the military.
