... ~50% time deployed overseas away from home and family (especially in the Navy), not being able to use that 30 days per year leave due to 'operational needs' in many cases, working in some of the most dangerous environments in the world (ie carrier flight decks, combat zones, etc), being both a representative and target whether on duty or off, etc.
Just balancing your paybenefits points with the scarifices demanded of servicemen and women.
No flames either.
V/R
FWIW, pay scales should go up, with a large bump for NCOs and Field Grade officers. Let there be turn over in the lower grades, but do a better job of attracting and keeping professional, career-minded people.
Remember that military personnel get (especially REMFs):
30 days (that is 6 weeks) of paid vacation a year
Wrong! Military personnel must take weekends as leave. For instance, I want to take off 3 consecutive weeks then I must take the days as 21 consecutive days, we don't just take the weekdays as leave.
Average a 3-4 day weekends nearly every other week
Wrong, I don't know where you worked but the military I'm in doesn't have this luxury.
Paid to work out/exercise
Correct, since we are paid based on a 24 hour duty day I don't see that this should be a problem. Also, being physically fit is a prerequisite to being in the military.
Can not be fired (ie kicked out of the army)
Wrong, haven't you ever heard of a courts martial or administrative discharge?
Can not be laid off
Wrong, haven't you heard of the RIF (reduction in force) program. In the 90's we cut our forces significantly (laid off).
Full benefits (health, dental, 401k, etc)
Correct, what's wrong with this?
Need only 20 years until full retirement
Wrong, retirement at 20 years is at the 50% of base pay rate. Housing and other allowances are not used to calculate retired pay.
It is not really comparing apples to apples. And what do you compare (in the civilian world) to a Ranger or SF?
No flames - I have lived in both worlds
I don't know what military you were in but you sure don't know what you're talking about.
Jeez. I want to work in *your* outfit. The only time I got that many days off in a row was when we were in stand-down just prior or just after a six month deployment (this is Navy). Otherwise, 3-4 day weekends were a fairly rare occurance.
Tuor
Subject to the "needs of the service."
Average a 3-4 day weekends nearly every other week
And what planet was THIS on?
Paid to work out/exercise
And not paid overtime when pulling 18-hour watches.
Can not be fired (ie kicked out of the army)
Hmm. Then I guess those guys I knew who got the Big Chicken Dinners didn't exist.
Can not be laid off
I guess you've never heard of "SERB," or "RIF."
Full benefits (health, dental, 401k, etc)
401k? Gosh, when did THAT come about? As for the medical benefits: yup, you get them, delivered by persons who couldn't survive in private practice (or even get licensed or keep their license).
Need only 20 years until full retirement
Followed by trying to get a job in the private sector at 38-42 years old.
No flames - I have lived in both worlds
Sorry, but idiocy gets flamed, no matter which world it comes from.
You're forgetting to add there is no overtime paid for working 16 hour days 7 days a week on deployments or two weeks in the field every few months with no overtime pay.
You're forgetting to add that the lower half of the pay scale is just over the poverty line.
You also forgot to add that full retirement of 50% base pay is below the poverty line for 80% of military retirees !
Further, by age 40 or so, most military, especially the ones who hump packs for a living, are physically used up. When I went into the Army back in 1970 I was one year out of high school, having played football, baseball, basketball and in great physical shape. When I retired 20 plus years later, I had two bad knees, a screwed up back and right shoulder, war wounds, hearing loss in both ears from explosions, right ankle broken twice, and other minor injuries from being exposed to war and harsh conditions in the field over 20 years. So, it is not like a 8-5 job I am working now in a nice heated and cooled office space on the 34th floor of this building. Life is much harsher in the military. But, we accept that. The costs you list are the price we pay for having people who will handle the job of protecting our freedoms. Pay it or lose it. Your choice.