Army pay in 1970...

[ancient-one]

When I enlisted in late November 1942 the pay was $50 per month. We got married in August of 1943 and I don't remember how much the extra allowance was but I do remember that food was pretty scarce toward the end of each month.
You see these food packages being handed out now and it makes me think of the ones that we got. My Mom, Dad, Grandmother and Aunts would usually scrape together some food and get it to us about the third week of the month. I just wish that I had another chance to better express my thanks.

 

[grover99]

While I was an ROTC cadet I received $34 a month. In 1971 I became an O1 and received $435 a month of which I sent $300 home to my wife. If not for the fact I could charge meals at the O club I would have been starving toward the end of the month.

 

[REM 3200]

I entered the Army in 1963 as an E-1 making $78.00 per month.
Not married, lived in the barracks, ate in the mess hall.
We payed $5.00 per month to stay off of KP.
Used QM laundry for around $2.50/month, I think. I was stationed in Italy
and thing were cheap off post. Anyway, ended up being promoted around the
proper time for the most part. Went to a bunch of schools and stuff, was stationed in a lot of different places.

Suddenly, it was almost 27 years later and I was reviewing the troops
at my retirement parade in 1990. I was an E-9 and the money sure was better!

I would not change a bit of it and would go back in if they would take a old worn out 78 year old.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I often wonder how my parents did it. I remember my dad was stationed in Taiwan from 1964-67. He made about $50 a month. We had a maid. She was paid 25 cents a day!

In contrast, today's military men and women are extremely spoiled. Most drive new cars and have RV's too.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Yea, E2, $78 a month in cash in 1960.
E9 in 1991 was so much I can't even remember...

 

[Aggie1906]

Turkey sure reminds me of Germany! We drank the water, against Army advice, but did get to build a coal fire under the water heater.
E5 under two, separate rats and allotment included brought me $300 in 1968. We lived large! Car pool or drove from our farm village, just a couple of clics. Plenty of money for going out.
Best year of my life, as I think of it now. Being a newlywed may be the involved?.

 

[REM 3200]

In contrast, today's military men and women are extremely spoiled. Most drive new cars and have RV's too.

I don't think they are spoiled at all. I would go with well paid.

We have many troopers that do a year combat tour, then get six to eight months back in CONUS then back in country for another year. And so goes the cycle, in the longest war we have ever fought.

They deserve the money they receive.

 

[JJEH]

I don't think they are spoiled at all. I would go with well paid.

We have many troopers that do a year combat tour, then get six to eight months back in CONUS then back in country for another year. And so goes the cycle, in the longest war we have ever fought.

They deserve the money they receive.

This ^^^^^

In fact, I think they are underpaid. Not just because I'm an Army wife (now retired Army wife), but because we did the math. It's not much math, but if my wife puts her degree to work she'll make way more than she got as an E6. But w/o PT, babysitting soldiers, deployments, late nights, weekends and relocating on a a regular schedule.

Granted, the Tricare Prime deal after retirement is probably the biggest benefit.

 

[Jeff423]

I can't remember the exact $ amounts but in 1970 as an non-married E5 on an aircraft carrier off the coast of N. Vietnam I thought I was doing fairly well. I seem to recall that in addition to my basic pay I got hostile fire pay and hazardous duty pay (for working on the flight deck). I also remember we didn't have to pay for postage. Most of us spent our money at the Navy Exchange in Subic.
I got out over there, got a free ride home on a C5 and C141 and the USN shipped all my stuff home to me for free because I'd been on the boat for more than a certain amount of time.

 

[STCM(SW)]

My daughter(CWO3,USAR) is being activated for Operation Spartan Shield. One month in Fort Hood, then gone till next September......
I told her at her age put in your papers & retire. And do you really need the money? 53 years old with 34 years active & reserve in so far.....

 

[JJEH]

My daughter(CWO3,USAR) is being activated for Operation Spartan Shield. One month in Fort Hood, then gone till next September......
I told her at her age put in your papers & retire. And do you really need the money? 53 years old with 34 years active & reserve in so far.....

She's the SME in her field and I applaud her for her dedication. It's not just the money, it's for a good cause, for America. We need people who are willing to fight the good fight!

 

[hoosierone]

In 1963 I was an E-4 on Okinawa. All in I drew $160 across the board. Properly managed it got me through the month and I had enough to buy a Honda 305 and ship it home. I did my best to behave and not get busted lest I lose some income.

 

[Turn4811]

When I enlisted in 83 I got E-3 because I signed for 6 years. I also had to sign for 6 years to get the carrier field. A months pay was $668 before anything was taken out. If memory serves I got about $250 per payday the first two years.

 

[Sistema1927]

Any one who thinks that our military is overpaid ought to compute the price of their freedom.

 

[peyton]

I take care of army computers and spent 22 years in the army. STCM(SW mentioned that his daughter was going to support Task Force Spartan. I spent a lot of time in the Southwest Asia area of operations and this caught me by surprise so I googled it and found this information.

Task Force Spartan | U.S. Army Central

 

[Kinman]

I enlisted in August of 1969, I had a job on the Defense Depot Ogden, Utah. It was an entry level job referred to as "Student Aid" and was the lowest rung on the Civil Service pay-grade, below W-1. I remember it because I had that job all the way through my Junior and Senior year of high school, during the school year I worked Saturday and Sunday, in the summer I worked Monday-Friday, minimum wage which at that time was $1.35 hour. It was the same pay I made as an E-1 when I joined the Army, I made E-2 out of basic, E-3 out of Boat School and E-4 within a year of service. I remember always having jingle money in my pocket even though while in Germany I lived off base. I do remember the last year I was in Germany which was early '73 the dollar had fell against the Mark and they were classifying Germany as a hardship duty for anyone below the rank of E-5, they did not encourage anyone below that rank from bringing their family over, I don't believe they banned it, just discouraged it. I left my apartment to a guy with E-3 rank who was planning on bringing his wife and kid over anyway, it would have been a struggle for them, especially off base. We had no base housing in the small town we were stationed in.

 

[Ziggy2525]

Early '73 - $300/mo as an E1 starting basic. Made E-4 four months latter (finishing AIT) and the pay was just under $400/mo.

One of the good things Nixon did was get pay raises for the military.

 

[22shtur]

Reagan gave the military the best pay raises ever.

 

[22shtur]

During WWII, in those 4 years, if a general could not produce a victory in a couple of months they were removed of duty and replaced without prejudice or bias.
The US has been in Afghanistan almost 20 years and no US general has produced a major victory. They are certainly getting good pay.

 

[joe44va]

Am I the only one who finds this interference in a citizen's life offensive?

Citizen my butt. Your *** belongs to ME!