USMC

[H Richard]

A friend in our Tues coffee group was telling of his Grandson who is in the Marines. He mentioned the Grandson has to pay for use of the barracks, buy his own meals, and pay for his uniforms. He is stationed on base.

This floored me. It's been 59 years since I was in the military, and that was the USAF, but we were furnished our uniforms, never paid for barracks lodging, and never paid for chow hall meals. I can't believe relatively new (2 years) marines would pay for all this.

Anyone know?

 

[pantannojack]

What is his base pay compared to what your's was?

 

[robrossk]

I did some research and am not so sure about that. A Marine who lives in base and uses the "chow" hall does not pay anything. Some Marines fdo receive a housing allowance and/or a food allowance but the definitions and requirements are well outlined

 

[gmarshall99]

Is he an officer?

 

[Greyman50]

My Grandson in the Navy said he has to Pay to qualify with pistol($40.00) and M-4 ($70.00)! I can not see it, what is our military thinking?

 

[Absalom]

The whole thing appears to be tied to the BAS system (Basic Allowance for Subsistence). The service people get a certain amount added to their pay, and then pay for what they actually eat.

2021 Basic Allowance for Subsistence Rates (BAS) | Military Benefits

 

[vonn]

If they had made me pay I would have starved to death while on permanent field duty.

 

[AJ]

Some one is blowing smoke somewhere.......... If they are living in the barracks and eating in the chowhall then they do not "pay" for it. They do not draw Basic Allowance Quarters (BAQ) or Basic Allowance Subsistence (BAS). If they are allowed to live off base and eat at home then they get BAS and BAQ pay in their pay.

My Grandson just got out of the Corps. What did surprise me was that he had to buy the cleaning supplies for cleaning his room in the barracks and provide his own sheets.

I have never heard of sailors having to pay to qualify. I was a Cadre at Naval Station Long Beach, Ca. We taught sailors to qualify with pistols and shotguns. They did not have to pay for that. Now the Navy's idea of a weapon is a ship, not so much handheld firearms. Maybe if there is no requirement for the sailor to qualify, and they want a ribbon then they have to pay for it? Cost cutting measures?

 

[Retired W4]

Is he an officer?

I had to pay at mess halls (CONUS) but received BAS/BAQ. I would not receive BAQ if I lived on post. The idea of a weapon qualification fee is strange, to say the least.

AJ beat me to it with a much better explanation as well.

 

[Greyman50]

Grandson is I.T., " not in a rate" that " typically uses weapons" is what he was told. Still can not understand as any and every service member should qualify with basic weapons, pistol and rifle/ carbine, JMHO. Could understand not qualifying with MGs, grenade launchers, and anti tank weapons. Wonder what the Navy is thinking, no anti boarding training??????

 

[AJ]

Grandson is I.T., " not in a rate" that " typically uses weapons" is what he was told. Still can not understand as any and every service member should qualify with basic weapons, pistol and rifle/ carbine, JMHO. Could understand not qualifying with MGs, grenade launchers, and anti tank weapons. Wonder what the Navy is thinking, no anti boarding training??????

The Navy does not think that way. I was trying to teach Physical security to sailors and a lot took to it and some resisted it. Had one tell me that they could "repel boarders" with their fire hoses...........

 

[Buzzzer]

A couple of thoughts on this. My son, who is a Marine, would tell us stories of how he had to pay for meals and such (living on base) and that floored me as well. When I was in we didn't pay for squat if we lived on base/station, besides basic uniform items. Times have changed and not in a good way.

As to the Navy comments they are trained for combat, not "boarding's" or any kind of law enforcement, besides SP's, which I know of. When you see on the news that the Navy busted someone at sea for illegal drugs and such, it wasn't the Navy. They always have a Coast Guard LE group attached to them since the Navy isn't allowed any "law enforcement" at sea. Only the Coast Guard has that authority. As to the "anti-boarding", well, never really thought of that for a warship at sea. I suppose it "could" happen nowadays, and I don't know the history of it, but I don't think it's happened to our Navy in quite a long, long time...

 

[Golddollar]

As to the "anti-boarding", well, never really thought of that for a warship at sea. I suppose it "could" happen nowadays, and I don't know the history of it, but I don't think it's happened to our Navy in quite a long, long time...

You mean they don't carry cutlasses on ships anymore?

 

[AJ]

You mean they don't carry cutlasses on ships anymore?

Yes, to roast their marshmallows..........

 

[StakeOut]

Every individual thinks a bit different from others and that thinking can sound strange especially in regard to weapons training..
A some point during my 20 years in the NYPD the PD made available to every person in the NYPD a free box of 50 rds and use of the range every month in addition to the normal annual qualification range day that is on company time.
Some officers stated that if the NYPD wanted them to shoot better it should be on paid time and they would not go on their own time.
I went every month for the free ammo.

 

[AJ]

Every individual thinks a bit different from others and that thinking can sound strange especially in regard to weapons training..
A some point during my 20 years in the NYPD the PD made available to every person in the NYPD a free box of 50 rds and use of the range every month in addition to the normal annual qualification range day that is on company time.
Some officers stated that if the NYPD wanted them to shoot better it should be on paid time and they would not go on their own time.
I went every month for the free ammo.

You should know that most every Marine loves to shoot. Or at least they did when I was on active duty. That said most Marines only got to shoot once a year for qualification. If you were in an 03 MOS or MP's/Security, then you got to shoot more.

 

[StakeOut]

You should know that most every Marine loves to shoot. Or at least they did when I was on active duty. That said most Marines only got to shoot once a year for qualification. If you were in an 03 MOS or MP's/Security, then you got to shoot more.

I was on a few shooting teams but at MCB Quantico Landing Force Development Center I got to shoot weapons every day that most never heard of.
My USMC training paid big dividends during my NYPD career and competitive shooting events.
My 1924648 service number is so deeply embedded that surpasses even my SS number.

 

[AJ]

I was on a few shooting teams but at MCB Quantico Landing Force Development Center I got to shoot weapons every day that most never heard of.
My USMC training paid big dividends during my NYPD career and competitive shooting events.
My 192464x service number is so deeply embedded that surpasses even my SS number.

2540262

When I was a Guard Chief at a Marine Barracks, we had 22 different law enforcement agencies using our ranges. I shot every day. Secret Service to local PD's, handguns to full autos. Then went to the USMC Security Force Battalion, and was on a F.A.S.T. and then a Cadre. Shot a lot of toys there. Fell in with the LASO SEB and they had lots of toys and different training. Miss those days.

 

[H Richard]

Regarding the housing and food costs. When was it that this was implemented? I know it was after 1963 when I was discharged. This young Marine tells his Grandpa he is paying over $600 per month for housing and food, and if you look at the BAS Rate (see link in post 6) the 2021 (est) rate was $386.50. If you read the article, the rates are based on "costs", but it looks like the men are being charged "retail" prices. Are the service branches profiting from our enlisted men?

 

[StakeOut]

What is his rank and how large is the young Marine's family plus where is he station.
Also if he has a family with him are they authorized command sponsored?
The last time I ate in a mess hall was about 9 years ago on the Yongsan Army Base in Seoul South Korea as a civilian but with inactive reserve military ID card.I paid at the door the going rate.
Without a ration card I could not use the PX and Commissary.