Here is the 2010 military pay chart. Mind you, this is for people whose job is to potential *DIE* for you.
http://militarypay.defense.gov/pay/bp/paytables/Paytable_2010.pdf
(the table shows monthly salary, not yearly)
First off: You need to add in a *lot* of other benefits beyond basic pay rates to get an accurate picture of real compensation. Second: It’s a voluntary force. Nobody out there now lacked the opportunity to consider the risks and do their own cost benefit analysis. Where can you get a better deal right out of high school? And third: Nobody’s dying for me in the Middle East—I’d call them all back tomorrow rather than waste any more blood and treasure on that cesspool. When we pull out, as we eventually will have to, they’re going to run right back into despotism.