Proposed 1.4% pay raise for military draws fire

[unhappycamper]

This is absolute garbage," says Marines Corps Sgt. John Ellis of President Obama's proposed 1.4% pay hike, the lowest in 48 years.


Proposed 1.4% pay raise for military draws fire
By Gregg Zoroya, USA TODAY

Military servicemembers are fighting what would be their lowest pay raise in decades as the nation wages two wars, including a 10th year of combat in Afghanistan.

The Obama administration has proposed a 1.4% raise for the military in 2011, which would be the lowest since 1962, when no raise was given.

The administration, which wants to freeze non-military pay for federal workers to tackle the deficit, says a 1.4% raise for the military would match average private-sector-wage growth and is in addition to earlier increases in housing and food subsidies.

The raise proposal comes as the White House seeks ways to reduce a deficit fueled in part by stimulus spending for the private sector. Servicemembers say the cost-cutting should not include the pay for men and women in uniform.

"This is absolute garbage," says Marine Corps Sgt. John Ellis, 26, a squad commander who recently returned from Afghanistan, his fourth deployment. "The U.S. government can bail out GM and other major corporations, but for us little guys who make beans for money (and) risk getting killed these people think we don't need a raise."



unhappycamper comment: The deficit is also fueled by a one trillion dollar a year military budget.

[Solly Mack]

1. K&R

[WCGreen]

2. And my SSI is frozen for the third year in a row....

[doc03]

3. +1

[sinkingfeeling]

4. So the military and Wall Street players are the only people in the country deserving a yearly raise?

[somone]

5. The Pentagon keeps us safe from cave terrorists, and Wall Street keeps us wealthy

The health insurance executives too - we're all in good health thanks to them

[social_critic]

6. LOL

I bet some readers will think you're serious.

[WCGreen]

10. No kidding....

[Gaedel]

7. At least they get a pay raise.

We retired military are frozen just like social security.

Congress at least adjusts military pay every year. They only used to do a military pay bill every four to six years.

Congress passed a military pay law to take effect in 1958. The military didn't get another pay increase until late 1963. The 1958 pay law superceded a 1954 pay law.

[CRK7376]

8. As an Active Duty

Soldier I have no problem with freezing our pay hike. Cut the budget some maybe. Start the cuts at home, yes a pay increase is always nice, but not necessary. At least I have a job and I'm making way more money soldiering than I was teaching in a rural high school....

[tinymontgomery]

9. If he is a E4 /SGT over 4

his base pay will be $5286.00 base with 1.4% raise. That doesn't include housing allowance, combat pay, family seperation pay and possible a few other pays. Plus in a combat zone it is all tax free. Anything labeled as an allowance is also tax free all the time. Not saying they don't deserve it but there are a lot more people in this country right now in a lot worse shape. As a retired mil I won't be seeing a raise. He should ask the top 2% to pay them for keeping them safe.:sarcasm:

[WCGreen]

11. They are the ones, the folks at the top, that have the most to lose if

worse comes to worse...

[PavePusher]

13. Wrong. See basic pay chart here:

http://www.dfas.mil/militarypay/militarypaytables.html

Were you looking at the Officer pay table?

[tinymontgomery]

17. Your right I was wrong

Was using the Navy times and read the top portion, my mistake and thanks for catching.

[PavePusher]

19. No problem, easy to do.

I'm a SNCO and was suprised a junior enlisted made that much more than me, until I got my coffee and Google on... :toast:

[tinymontgomery]

20. Good luck to you

And you all do deserve a decent raise. I think everyone but CEO's etc deserve one.

[PavePusher]

22. I'd be happy to take a pay cut to help pay down the deficit...

as long as the budget was balanced, with some extra to pay the debt, and all our Federal elected officials took a pay cut as well. Of course, a balanced budget means spending cuts and, likely, tax increases, so I'm not holding my breath.

[tinymontgomery]

23. Well, leaders are supposed to lead

so let the congress start with their pay cut and cutting back on the other bull they give themselves then maybe I would be willing to do my part. An old CO of mine said if your going to lead then lead but that will never happen with this group. Words I remember well. I agree with you 100%.

[tinymontgomery]

24. Dupe

[Kaleva]

15. Base pay for an E4 over 4 is 2199.90. A 1.4% increase gives him an extra $30.00 a month

[guitar man]

12. I agree Sgt

But it's probably the best we can do while retaining tax cuts for the rich. :grr:

[dana_b]

14. exactly what I was going to say

I think they deserve more than 1.4% but we must protect those at the top. I mean, think if they couldn't vacation this winter in some warm tropical destination - oh my!!

[guitar man]

16. "Troops suffer substandard pay raise due to tax cuts for the wealthiest"

That's how the headline should read. ;)

[TwilightGardener]

18. This directly affects me. And I am grateful for any raise in this economy.

Especially since so many have so little.

[CreekDog]

21. I think soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan (and otherwise in harm's way) should get more than this

and better benefits when they get out.

but just once, i'd like to hear that people making less than 100k or even 500k were going to get a nice raise, better health care, have their children educated better than they were...

if i could see any evidence of that happening, i wouldn't get as angry when i hear about the CEO's and other multimillion dollar executives making a killing.

for some reason it's verboten to say we can't afford to give the super wealthy tax breaks, giant bonuses and golden parachutes (even when they not only risked tanking their companies but the US economy along with it) but will earn you plaudits if you say the same about all these forms of compensation as applied to middle and working class people.

:crazy:

hopefully the general public will wake up before the middle and working classes hit bottom (and are a fragment of what they once were).