White House 'Strongly Opposes' Proposed 19.5% Pay Hike for Junior Enlisted Troops

[Anonymous]

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/06/11/white-house-strongly-opposes-proposed-195-pay-hike-junior-enlisted-troops.html?amp

The White House is opposing a congressional proposal to give junior enlisted service members their biggest pay raise in a generation.

In a statement Tuesday about its position on the House's version of the annual must-pass defense policy bill, the White House budget office suggested a plan to give low-ranking troops a 19.5% boost in basic pay next year is too costly and premature amid the Biden administration's ongoing review of military compensation.


The House's version of this year's NDAA, which the full chamber is expected to approve later this week, would give all service members a 4.5% pay raise next year, as requested by the administration. But it would also give E-1s through E-4s a 15% raise on top of that, for a total 19.5% pay hike next year for those junior troops.

The House Armed Services Committee decided to give junior enlisted members a major pay increase after months of study of military quality-of-life issues by a bipartisan panel of lawmakers found that military pay has not kept pace with inflation or the private sector.


Despite the White House opposition, Armed Services Committee leaders in both parties still strongly backed the pay boost Tuesday.

"One of the big aspects of this is a 19.5% pay increase for junior enlisted," Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the ranking member of the committee, said at a House Rules Committee meeting about the NDAA. "That's where we really have the problem. Many of our junior enlisteds are struggling to afford housing as housing costs have gone up. Their pay has not kept pace. This is a bold step to try to make sure that we support them, which incidentally will also help with recruitment and retention."


https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/06/11/white-house-strongly-opposes-proposed-195-pay-hike-junior-enlisted-troops.html?amp

We are having a catastrophic crisis in recruitment for the Armed Forces. E1-E-4 should receive the larger raise.

The average enlisted family pays between $150-$200 oop for housing, BAH is not covering their rental costs for housing their families. That’s wrong. Support our Troops, Biden Administration.

[Anonymous]

I am not a big proponent of increased minimum wage or large pay raises for the most part, but this is one pay raise I can get behind.

Our enlisted service members are not paid nearly enough. I used to teach the children of some of these people and many of them were on free and reduced lunches because of the low pay. Add to this that they move so frequently that it is difficult for their spouses to stay employed.....

I am for this increase 100%!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a big proponent of increased minimum wage or large pay raises for the most part, but this is one pay raise I can get behind.

Our enlisted service members are not paid nearly enough. I used to teach the children of some of these people and many of them were on free and reduced lunches because of the low pay. Add to this that they move so frequently that it is difficult for their spouses to stay employed.....

I am for this increase 100%!

+1 Absolutely.

I am so mortified that BAH doesn’t cover the rent for lower enlisted Military; that is so wrong. We aren’t properly compensating our military, their housing allowance should cover their housing costs.

[Anonymous]

So gross. Most of them are maga. Ick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So gross. Most of them are maga. Ick.

Nice to see a democrat supporting our troops.

Would you also say they are losers and suckers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So gross. Most of them are maga. Ick.

Wtf is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So gross. Most of them are maga. Ick.

Nice to see a democrat supporting our troops.

Would you also say they are losers and suckers?

President Biden supports the troops. Both of his sons served

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So gross. Most of them are maga. Ick.

Nice to see a democrat supporting our troops.

Would you also say they are losers and suckers?

President Biden supports the troops. Both of his sons served

Hunter got two near impossible waivers and was discharged because he peed hot on a drug test.

If Biden supports the troops, he should not oppose giving lower enlisted enough money to pay to shelter their families adequately.

[Anonymous]

This is a pay raise that I can get behind.

[Anonymous]

This bill would make it harder for democrats to give money to their welfare state.

There's only so much to go around.

[Anonymous]

As the military is facing a "once in a generation recruitment crisis," the White House said it "strongly opposes" a proposed nearly 20% pay raise for junior enlisted troops.

"The number one priority for our military is getting that recruitment crisis under control and increasing pay is a good way to do that," said Veterans on Duty chairman Jeremy Hunt on "Fox & Friends" Thursday.

"The administration is strongly committed to taking care of our service members and their families, and appreciates the [House Armed Services Committee's] concern for the needs of the most junior enlisted members, but strongly opposes making a significant, permanent change to the basic pay schedule before the completion of the Fourteenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation," the White House said in a statement.


Hunt slammed this opposition, saying, "It's truly remarkable to me. … President Biden has approved over $100 billion in student loan forgiveness. But when it comes to our troops, America's most precious resource, he's complaining about an increase in military pay?"

https://www.foxnews.com/media/embarrassment-white-house-blasted-opposing-pay-hike-troops.amp

That’s actually a great point. Millions for student loan forgiveness; Military families paying oop for their housing costs.

No wonder recruitment is in the toilet.

[Anonymous]

Like any issue, IMO people need to do more research.

Using the calculator on military.com, an E3 with 3 years of service in the DC area with dependents is getting $71,328 annually, including their housing allowance.

If they live on base then the housing allowance goes away but they are essentially living for free in base housing. They (and their dependents) get practically free health/dental/vision care, spouse gets hiring priority for U.S. government jobs, and childcare is ridiculously low.

That's a pretty good deal for someone who (traditionally) is in their early 20s, married and may have a kid or two.

[Anonymous]

Under plans unveiled Monday, House Armed Services Committee members next week will consider language in their annual defense authorization bill draft that includes highly revised military pay tables designed to bring all junior enlisted pay to at least $30,000 a year.

I hope they don't go crazy with all that cash!

[Anonymous]

^ FWIW, the pay for firefighters, EMT and police are much lower than this in most US communities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like any issue, IMO people need to do more research.

Using the calculator on military.com, an E3 with 3 years of service in the DC area with dependents is getting $71,328 annually, including their housing allowance.

If they live on base then the housing allowance goes away but they are essentially living for free in base housing. They (and their dependents) get practically free health/dental/vision care, spouse gets hiring priority for U.S. government jobs, and childcare is ridiculously low.

That's a pretty good deal for someone who (traditionally) is in their early 20s, married and may have a kid or two.

You should enlist, it’s a good deal, right?