Anonymous wrote:We should absolutely give them the full pay increase. It is shameful that we don’t support them better. They’re willing to sacrifice their very lives, the families make innumerable sacrifices, and we expect them to sacrifice financially for the opportunity? Of course we’re having problems recruiting, the bigger question is why we’ve been able to recruit anyone under those conditions.

On a political front, Biden couldn’t do worse if he wanted to lose. The only other thing I remember bipartisan Congress support for recently was investigating (extra-terrestrial) aliens. This is important enough to bring the 2 sides together AND supported by his own White House budget office and Biden wants to oppose them all to deny support to our troops.

I want Biden to win, but he’s not helping.

Anonymous wrote:We don’t need a large standing army. This is a great place to save money. We give them food and shelter to do their jobs. If we need more people due to a war we can start a draft.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

How many DC folks could live on $71,328 a year in DC? With 3 kids?

Here is an E-3, with 3 years in, with a wife and 3 kids, in Fayetteville, NC:



Also, depending on the base/post, living on base/post isn’t always cheaper. Some bases/posts are making Military families pay for utilities oop. The reasoning is they want families to have “energy awareness.”

There are waiting lists for on post child care.

When your spouse is deployed and on field problems, the children will need increased child care thus child care costs rise.

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.

Anonymous wrote: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 wrote:This is a terrible idea. We have no need for a large standing army.

Most of the fighting is done with military aircraft and drones now. There is no imminent threat to our country so long as we have Democratic leadership in office.

I support those who serve but we have more pressing needs for that federal money.

Anonymous wrote:

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

Wtf is wrong with you?

Anonymous wrote:

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 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.

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

Anonymous wrote:

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!