> Even solider pay has far exceeded inflation: Bottom-rung pay for an enlisted solider was about $50/month back then, or $700/month in today's dollars. The bott

> Even solider pay has far exceeded inflation: Bottom-rung pay for an enlisted solider was about $50/month back then, or $700/month in today's dollars. The bottom-rung pay today is about $1,700/month. Would that not be explained by the fact that 50 years ago we had a mostly conscripted military, and today it is entirely volunteer-based? Gotta pay more when people aren't being forced into it. I'm not even sure if I'm disagreeing with anything you've said, but I just wanted to put that fact out there as well.