[Non-Sequitur]

Cops. Firemen. And surely our military should be paid better than first responders.

A rookie police officer for Kansas City makes about $1300 more, has to be 21 and is usually a college graduate, and pays for housing, insurance, and food. Taken into consideration an E-2 isn't that badly paid at all.

[VeniVidiVici]

A smallish city here in FL (pop ~100K) starts at $36,000 for cops.

Your KC recruit could move.

There is only one Army.

[Mr.Unique]

...is usually a college graduate...

cough BS cough