Posted on 04/10/2014 12:22:17 PM PDT by YoungAmericanConservative1989
Fortunately for me, my NCO's didn't eff around with "complicated." They got the job done, and looked out for their soldiers.
A 2nd Lieutenant now makes $42K a year? Damn, I made about $8K a year during my first two years, from '76-'78.
The list, Ping
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“His point being - we don’t do it for the money.”
No, we don’t do it to get rich. But we do expect to be properly compensated so our families are safe while we’re deployed. Cutting my pay when everything else increases is not good for my morale.
They’re cutting the budget, forcing people out. What this really is is a little something to help people make that decision on their own.
So does the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps understand what this would do to these Marines' families? His comments indicate his unfitness for service.
No doubt "dimwit" Hagel approved of his comments, but they were made at the expense of the men and women he was supposed to support.
If we had a real Commandant - not a Rahm Emanuel appointee - he'd fire this dimwit.
I didn’t enlist in the Corps in 1969 for the money. Hell, I made about $90 a month and shortly after $124.50 a month BEFORE taxes. That was as much as I made part time while going to school. When I was commissioned into the AF I made 1/3 less than my graduating counterparts in their first post-college jobs; again, not for the pay or to get rich.
I served during periods when the pay was not even close to comparable to civilian jobs. It was service to country and the Constitution that I loved about my service time and in my current civilian position I make much less than most at my age but I love what I do.
That said, most serving today and many back then had families and responsibilities and a desire to at least be comfortable. Taking away pay will do nothing to raise discipline or make them feel “less entitled”, whatever that is supposed to mean. The guys today would not be sticking around with close rotations into combat and to remote assignments if they felt entitled. Just pay and provide the medical, etc that was promised when they signed on or re-upped.
They got the job done, and looked out for their soldiers.
And for most, that’s the largest part of the job satisfaction.
He supports a military that I have supported all my life, I even preferred the old wooden barracks and didn’t approve of the concrete, two man rooms and luxurious living.
I think the military should be like the Legion, barebones and low pay, like it used to be when a first term GI could barely afford to buy smokes and drink at the EM club, and live in the barracks.
Once a man reenlists, or attains Corporal rank, THEN the money and the treats and the rewards starts kicking in, THEN they can start appealing for permission to marry, etc.
On the 2LT pay, I was just sitting here having the same thought on my time, ‘78-’80. While 42K is not the lap of luxury by any means, it certainly seems pretty good for someone with a new BS degree, unless that degree was in STEM, anyway.
Yes - any Marine with a wife, and especially with kids, will be hurt, for sure. I know what its like to have a wife trying to meet basic household expenses, and have her thinking how much better things would be if I had a different job....
8,000 1966 dollars are worth 57,454 2013 dollars.
I opposed the pay hikes and changes to living quarters that came about in the late eighties. This made me unpopular with many of my peers, but my thinking was and is that:
1. The nation is better off with more people within the populace knowledgeable in war fighting.
2. People serve best who do not go on to draw a pension. The nation was already heading for default on pensions due to the pyramid nature of unfunded civil service pensions. More military pensions add to that.
3. Low pay and harsh working conditions keep slackers out. Certainly they only serve one tour.
4. Military life is crap on your spouse and children. A man needs to leave after the tour he is serving and go be a good parent. Low pay may make him do the right thing even if he wants to stay in. (Feel free to flame me on this one, I am up to taking your kid's part against your part.)
5. Harsh living conditions are unappealing to hedonists, and eighty percent of liberals are hedonists.
Over the past few decades, some of the guys who thought I was an anal orifice have come to my side of the debate. Things have changed in the direction I predicted that they would.
I am not going to throw the Commandant overboard on this one.
The Marine Corps is not there to give anyone a comfortable life.
If you want that, they don't need you.
Semper Fidelis.
He’s a YES Man, remember the former guy didn’t want to implement gays into the marines so Obama got rid of him.
I will always honor the marines (and their history), but the leadership of this military under Obama boarders on treacherous.
Says the 30 year lifer E-9 that has a hefty life-long pension wrapped up.
I was in Fat City when I moved off post, thanks to HOLA and COLA. I was able to go to a wine fest during the summer and have a great time for about $5.
“What is the actual amount of money and benefits collected for a military family of a PFC with over 2 years in service and in a combat zone?”
I don’t know. After you get back from the recruiting office why don’t you research it and let me know? :-)
I volunteered for the Air Force in 1968 after being drafted. Does that still count? :o)
As for pay back then, as an E1 my first ‘pay’ was $26 CASH!
They paid us out of a honest to goodness strong box. And then they marched us over to a building with some colored candy canes outside. I then stepped in when it came my turn and had to give that bastard my dollar bill and he cut all my frigging hair off!
If they have less money, they’ll drink less beer, stay more sober and get meaner?
I’m familiar with the recruiting offices.
Why don’t you do your research and clarify whatever point you were trying to make about pay?
Oops. Must of been projecting since I served in 66. 8K from 76 would be about 33K today.
It's hard to understand how the pay relates to civilian jobs where housing, etc are out of pocket.
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