Military families, and those who know them, please comment

The lowest grade military really don't make much, so if they marry it can be a problem. At our base we have a food pantry and airmens closet to help out our young military with families.

E-1 - E-3 make between $1500 and a bit over $1900 per month. With dependents, the starting BAH is $681/mo. If they can live on base, they don't receive their BAH, BUT their utilities (except phone and cable) are covered.

The problem really comes in if they are stationed in a high cost of living area.

My husband and I were in the military during the 70's to 2000. We knew many enlisted families on food stamps and other programs. If you are single the pay is good. Add a family, even with mom working and free food pantries look good.

Some enlist in the service because they do not have decent jobs. They had difficulty putting food on the table before they enlisted.

Some serving overseas are in the reserves so are no longer working their full time jobs. Where once their reserve pay was a supplemental income, in many cases it is now their major source of income.

It is a crime that we do not take better care of the brave men and women serving our country. If we raise their pay, the taxpayers foot the bill. You know how most feel about higher taxes.

On 8/19/2014 lulu2 said:

Some enlist in the service because they do not have decent jobs. They had difficulty putting food on the table before they enlisted.

Some serving overseas are in the reserves so are no longer working their full time jobs. Where once their reserve pay was a supplemental income, in many cases it is now their major source of income.

It is a crime that we do not take better care of the brave men and women serving our country. If we raise their pay, the taxpayers foot the bill. You know how most feel about higher taxes.

Yes it is.

They should exchange pay rates for the military with the very bloated, paper pushing, bureaucrats in what is Washington DC . . . for starters . . . far too many of them and far too many of them make in excess of six figures. Crying shame it is so UPSIDE DOWN!!!!

I'm really surprised to hear that. And sorry may I add. My neice is in the Air Force and I was shocked at how much she made. A LOT. She's an officer, but in her 20s, been in around 6-8 years, something like that. I thought all the salaries were great now, compared to the very small one my DH and I had when he was in the Air Force during Vietnam.

These people put their lives on the line for us, they should be paid well. Shame on the government officials who are making extravagant salaries and our military people need food stamps.

There used to be a saying for young military enlistees: If they wanted you to have a wife (spouse) they would have issued you one.

That doesn't work. Young enlistees with families have bills to pay. Yes, if they live on base/post the housing is free as are the utilities except for phone and cable. Someone making under $2000 a month putting food on the table, car payment, insurance payment, phone (usually a cell phone and they must have a phone), clothing....It adds up if you have small children and the money doesn't last long. Plus they are paid twice a month. If one enters the military and they are already married with children? Low pay and bills eat it up.

(Please remember that the pay shown is before taxes, not after.)

Try this and yes, we still pay taxes.

http://www.dfas.mil/militarymembers/payentitlements/militarypaytables.html

On 8/19/2014 Qwackertoo said:

On 8/19/2014 lulu2 said:

Some enlist in the service because they do not have decent jobs. They had difficulty putting food on the table before they enlisted.

Some serving overseas are in the reserves so are no longer working their full time jobs. Where once their reserve pay was a supplemental income, in many cases it is now their major source of income.

It is a crime that we do not take better care of the brave men and women serving our country. If we raise their pay, the taxpayers foot the bill. You know how most feel about higher taxes.

Yes it is.

They should exchange pay rates for the military with the very bloated, paper pushing, bureaucrats in what is Washington DC . . . for starters . . . far too many of them and far too many of them make in excess of six figures. Crying shame it is so UPSIDE DOWN!!!!

ITA!

Those who serve in the military should be taken care of by US, those who they SERVE. That is what is RIGHT!

It's a crime that so many military and ex-military are suffering. It's obscene is what it is.

On 8/19/2014 kdgn said:

There used to be a saying for young military enlistees: If they wanted you to have a wife (spouse) they would have issued you one.

That doesn't work. Young enlistees with families have bills to pay. Yes, if they live on base/post the housing is free as are the utilities except for phone and cable. Someone making under $2000 a month putting food on the table, car payment, insurance payment, phone (usually a cell phone and they must have a phone), clothing....It adds up if you have small children and the money doesn't last long. Plus they are paid twice a month. If one enters the military and they are already married with children? Low pay and bills eat it up.

(Please remember that the pay shown is before taxes, not after.)

Yes, it is before tax, as are all pay charts! A low grade enlisted military person with dependents isn't going to owe much tax if any.

As for all the other expenses, it requires budgeting and choices and taking advantage of whatever assistance is available. Depending on the post, some of them have excellent BXs and commisaries that provide good prices for the lower grade enlisted. Other bases seem to cater more to the higher grade enlisted and officers and while the prices were great, they weren't items that were affordable to the entry level enlisted and I always found that to be very frustrating.

Promotions in the entry levels at least come fairly quickly and once you get to E-5 it's really not a bad situation at all.