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Originally Posted by marichiko
And, yeah, soldiers don't go into it for the money, but I think congress should raise their pay enough so that some families aren't forced to live on food stamps, at the very least.
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i absolutely agree with you. but everyone needs to understand that this is not a new event. having some soldiers on food stamps has absolutely nothing to do with Bush in office. the pay is still low, but it is higher in proportion to what the civilian counterparts are making than it has been in a very long time. pay is designed for the needs of the service member. a common problem is that many junior enlisted get married and have kids thinking they get more money. (that and they are young, dumb, and full of cum - to be crude about it.) in reality, when they get married they qualify to move off base and receive their housing allowance which is based off going rates in that specific area and their food allowance which is designed to pay for service member meals only - 2/day in the dining hall in fact. the same people who do this are the ones who get new(er) cars, stereos, tv's, etc... than they can afford. it is a common phenomenon. an 18-20 servicemember suddenly is in the world where he gets a steady paycheck and gets in too deep trying to accumulate the things it took his parents years to get. it is unfortunate - but common. there are a lot of programs through the family support center to help them, but most are too embarrassed to go for help.
and Mari - the renewal or extension of Hazardous duty pay is always an ongoing issue. they always start the discussion several years in advance so that no one can say they didn't see it coming. after the shooting ended in desert storm there were immediate discussions to eliminate the hazardous duty pay. i was still receiving it when i got to KSA in '94. it is just a political card that is played in election years. you may be running into junior enlisted who aren't aware of that, but that is just the way it is.