It goes to a person’s spending habits in sorting out needs and wants.
An E3 Private First Class in the U.S. Army with dependents receives a base pay of $2,260 per month, plus allowances for housing (BAH) and food (BAS). The higher ranks get considerably more.
Add to that the commissary does have good deals on food, I know because we buy there once in a while.
The article is BS. We live off much, much less than an E3’s pay.
For what it’s worth, I recall my first paycheck was $65 per month as an E1. It was in cash and we had to stand in line, salute the pay officer and make it past a drill sergeant to get it. If our uniforms or conduct were not up to par it meant pushups, lots of them. By the time you got paid you might wind up doing 50 pushups or more. This wouldn’t work out in today’s whiney baby military.
### 📜 Historical Context
- During WWII, **base pay for a Private (E-1)** in the U.S. Army was **$50 to $75 per month**, depending on the year and whether they received additional allowances.
- In **1942**, the base pay was **$50/month**, but by **1944–1945**, it had increased to **$65/month** for many enlisted personnel.
- This amount was before deductions and didn’t include bonuses for overseas service, combat zones, or technical specialties.
### 🪖 What $65 Meant Then
- Equivalent to about **$1,100–$1,200/month today**, adjusted for inflation.
- Enough for basic living, but many soldiers relied on **free housing, food, and uniforms** provided by the military.
Somewhat true, but not nearly as much of a deal as it was decades ago. We also go to the commissary about every three or four weeks, for certain items. Other things we get better prices at Walmart and Costco, and both of those are much shorter drives.