Found an early paycheck from the Army

Cleaning my basement.

One of the first paychecks I received in the army, 2 weeks pay- gave years of my life as a medic & emt.

This wasn’t 1940, not 1960- this was recent in comparison.

So $20 a DAY for basic training.

People taking handouts- robbing from people working hard- what have you done to earn it?

To others- value your freedom at others expense.

Josh ✉
Sep '22

How is that strange to show people that have no awareness of what their day to day comfort costs?

Do you not realize our country only enjoys its comfortable ignorance because of our everyready superior military force?

Numerous other countries would happily and READILY overrun us and take our land, resources, country. At a moments chance.

The only reason at ANY given moment of ANY hour, ANY day- is our military- most of which are kids being paid pennies.


Every second you are awake, sleep, breathe- you owe them. No joke- no argument. Every moment.

In 1996, we were paid $18.xx for a DAY, not an hour- and not 8 hours-a day. A long, long painful day.

Lucky to sleep 4-5 hours, then a day of suffering most people will never endure in their entire lives- myself, and countless others- thousands across the country like me at that very moment- did it, and then REPEATED IT, again- day after day, week after week, month after month.

Years later we came home.

The military survives and runs on the public not knowing,.what it involves, what it takes- which is how they get away with what they do to kids… and most of the public don’t care and won’t pay more because ‘not their kid’.

What did you do?

Strange.

Josh ✉
Sep '22

I'm in no way trying to negate or refute what you're saying, nor disrespect you by any means. Remember, my Dad was a Lifer of over 30 years in the USMC, who worked his way up through the ranks as a Non-Com before being recommended for OCS, then working his way up from there.

You have to include in with that pay, room, utilities, meals, free medical care, life insurance, security, free wakeup service and a number of father-figures who make sure to guide you on the correct path, whatever it takes. You also get free physical training to get you into better shape, with a number of free personal trainers, and get lessons in coordination, teamwork, and self-defense training. You needn't be worried about decision-making, since it's all taken care of for you, lol.

That all said, remember this isn't paid training in your specific MOS yet, but an entry-level job where you were attempting to qualify for more advanced training, which would later give you both the qualifications and discipline for civilian jobs later, that is, if you survive should there be a conflict. For my Dad, it was Korea, Vietnam, and floating off the coast of Cuba along with a lot of others in the early 60's prepared for action if need be.

I'm sure that after Basic, and then after your Medic training, your paycheck went up. Of course I wonder what years those were. I'm pretty sure it wasn't contemporaneous to when I entered to work force, when I was making $2.35/hour as housing construction laborer during a year off from college. No benefits, at all, not even vacation, (you got leave right after Basic, right?) or sick days. No medical or Dental, unless I was injured on the job. Thankfully, I had that covered since I lived with my Parents, and was still considered a Military dependent.

I took part of my earnings and took an Adult ed. Bricklaying course at the local community college while waiting to get back to college. Not that it helped me as a laborer in the time I had left, though I carried a large amount of bricks, blocks, cement, sand and dirt. Driving the dump truck didn't get me any extra either.

I can agree however, that many people don't realize that their freedoms have been built on the sacrifices made by others, their blood, limbs, sanity/mental welfare, and/or lives. More should actually appreciate that.

Phil D. ✉
Sep '22

Thank you for your service. The military life is not something that many can handle and I am in awe and eternally grateful for those that serve.

Could you please share with us how much your weekly housing, food and insurance costs were as well during basic training? Childcare costs?

(And yes, having offspring is a choice... unless you live in certain states. Then it is a forced cost that needs to be calculated as well).

Seenit
Sep '22

Oh brother.

Please, spare us the Fox News political diatribe, wake up and smell the actual coffee.

While I have nothing but respect for those serving in the armed forces, there is a tendency for many former and current enlisted people to drink a certain flavor of political Kool-Aid while under that indoctrination.

First off, you clearly don't recognize that the military budget and spending in this country is outrageous, especially when compared to the budgets of other leading nations around the world. This is by design, and it has very little to do with ensuring the safety of American citizens. Yes, we need a powerful military, but it can be had for far fewer taxpayer dollars than we are currently being told.

You have totally bought into the lie (and fear) that hostile nations around the globe are just waiting to pounce on this mythical lower budgeted "defenseless America", that mostly deeply entrenched Republicans are happy to perpetuate. The fact is that the taxpayer dollars that are fed to an already inflated military budget, should be more than enough to furnish decent wages and benefits to service people like yourself, but are allocated elsewhere...care to guess where?

I can go on for a long time, but there's no point trying to reason with someone who is as dug in as you clearly are. I'll just say this...instead of blaming people who are utilizing the government's system to provide economical relief, which is infinitesimal when compared to defense spending and other blatant corruptions, at least try to take a deeper dive into where the REAL inequities are.

Those "handouts' as you call them, are being used by people who are already working at least 1 job, and in many cases more than one, just to get by. I suggest that you reload and aim your gripes at the people who are really the ones taking money out of your pocket.

Oh, and thank you for your service.

only one truth ✉
Sep '22

I understand how our society is set up and we have no choice but to accept it but I find it strange that a professional athlete can make millions a year and someone who gets wounded or killed protecting our freedom gets only thousands per year.

danny zucko ✉
Sep '22

Back in the 90s I drove 6 hours to a drill weekend, paid $42 for a motel room. And got paid about $65 for the two days...It was all worthy.

BrownEyesGuy ✉
Sep '22