I was an air traffic control supervisor, in from 67 to 87. For several years, we got pro pay ($75 a month) There were VERY FEW career fields that got anything extra. In 1975, they took it away from us, so we got paid the same as the guy passing out basketballs at the gym, and more people knew him, than knew me. In exchange for that, they gave us ATC badges to wear. We were less than impressed. In actuality, it was a coincidence, but the troops perceived it differently, and the perception is more important than the reality. We never got it back.
I didn’t even know other people were getting extra cash, so this has happened before. It’s not new. This was why I told my son, not to go in as an enlisted man. There are too many inequities. He took my advice and is a commissioned officer, and a USAF pilot.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone being enlisted today, but it’s mostly due to wokeness.
I was smart enough to make staff as a first termer. WAPS testing program. 5% of every AFSC got promoted. Unfortunately the Security Police didn’t have enough ‘leaders’ so they promoted 50% of them. Totally unfair. Morale was so low amongst them that they gave them berets and made them blouse their pants. Talk about stupid. Then they broke the job up into 3 specialties. One was law enforcement. The other had to do with dogs. One guy(2nd termer) wined “I’ve been chasing a dogs ass for 5 years”.