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Each general is the CEO of a multi-thousand person organization. Whether CEO pay is reasonable is a different discussion, but it would be surprising if generals

Each general is the CEO of a multi-thousand person organization. Whether CEO pay is reasonable is a different discussion, but it would be surprising if generals were not paid well.

isoskeles 7y ago
Generals are not paid that well, at least not compared to a Silicon Valley software engineer's salary. I think they make ~$200k (https://militarypay.defense.gov/Portals/3/Documents/ActiveDutyTables/2019%20Military%20Basic%20Pay%20Table.pdf https://militarypay.defense.gov/Portals/3/Documents/ActiveDu...), so if any of them are obscenely wealthy, best guess is they make a lot of money off of "speaking events" like any other person with political connections.
- sidlls 7y ago
  They also have many other benefits, including housing subsidies, commissary access, essentially free health care, etc. Officers especially are compensated very well.
  - sigstoat 7y ago
    combat zone pay, as well, perhaps? seems like a general with a 40 year career who could (and did) save all of his money could have accumulated a few million dollars in cars without very many shenanigans, if that was their sole financial goal in life.
whafro 7y ago
According to [0], a major general (O-8) makes something like $160k, depending on years of experience. I'm sure there's additional hazard pay and such, but you wouldn't expect a general to be making millions through their core pay. [0]: https://www.navycs.com/charts/2019-military-pay-chart.html https://www.navycs.com/charts/2019-military-pay-chart.html
- 01100011 7y ago
  Yeah but that doesn't include their kickbacks, consulting fees, etc. Can active duty generals sit on the board of directors of companies? I seem to remember a startup I worked at had one either on the board or heavily involved as a consultant but I can't remember if he was active duty at the time.
  - whafro 7y ago
    Active duty personnel aren't allowed to take on a second job, side hustle, etc. without written permission, and I understand that that permission is relatively uncommon. That doesn't completely answer your question (maybe generals get that permission more often), but it may point directionally. The other thing that can confuse this issue is that Generals and Admirals generally (sorry) keep their titles after retirement. So if you have "Gen. James McClinton" on your board, that doesn't speak to whether or not they're active. From looking around, it looks like board recruitment efforts toward Admirals and Generals are targeted at those who are retired or nearing retirement: http://blogs.reuters.com/financial-regulatory-forum/2012/01/12/corporate-boards-looking-for-a-few-good-generals-directors-group-says-in-seeking-military-members/ http://blogs.reuters.com/financial-regulatory-forum/2012/01/...
  - bumby 7y ago
    I believe some positions get a stipend (particularly if they are expected to entertain dignitaries) but are generally (ha) not allowed to serve outside positions that might be a conflict of interest. I couldn't find details yet of a specific article in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), but there are some memos out: https://ogc.osd.mil/defense_ethics/resource_library/deskbook/outside_activity_handout.pdf https://ogc.osd.mil/defense_ethics/resource_library/deskbook...
zip1234 7y ago
I know a marine general (just retired) and he drives a ten year old Ford Escape. Generals are paid well relative to the rest of the military but definitely are not paid obscene amounts.

Each general is the CEO of a multi-thousand person organization. Whether CEO pay is reasonable is a different discussion, but it would be surprising if generals were not paid well.

isoskeles 7y ago

Generals are not paid that well, at least not compared to a Silicon Valley software engineer's salary. I think they make ~$200k (https://militarypay.defense.gov/Portals/3/Documents/ActiveDutyTables/2019%20Military%20Basic%20Pay%20Table.pdf https://militarypay.defense.gov/Portals/3/Documents/ActiveDu...), so if any of them are obscenely wealthy, best guess is they make a lot of money off of "speaking events" like any other person with political connections.

sidlls 7y ago
They also have many other benefits, including housing subsidies, commissary access, essentially free health care, etc. Officers especially are compensated very well.
- sigstoat 7y ago
  combat zone pay, as well, perhaps? seems like a general with a 40 year career who could (and did) save all of his money could have accumulated a few million dollars in cars without very many shenanigans, if that was their sole financial goal in life.

whafro 7y ago

According to [0], a major general (O-8) makes something like $160k, depending on years of experience. I'm sure there's additional hazard pay and such, but you wouldn't expect a general to be making millions through their core pay. [0]: https://www.navycs.com/charts/2019-military-pay-chart.html https://www.navycs.com/charts/2019-military-pay-chart.html

01100011 7y ago
Yeah but that doesn't include their kickbacks, consulting fees, etc. Can active duty generals sit on the board of directors of companies? I seem to remember a startup I worked at had one either on the board or heavily involved as a consultant but I can't remember if he was active duty at the time.
- whafro 7y ago
  Active duty personnel aren't allowed to take on a second job, side hustle, etc. without written permission, and I understand that that permission is relatively uncommon. That doesn't completely answer your question (maybe generals get that permission more often), but it may point directionally. The other thing that can confuse this issue is that Generals and Admirals generally (sorry) keep their titles after retirement. So if you have "Gen. James McClinton" on your board, that doesn't speak to whether or not they're active. From looking around, it looks like board recruitment efforts toward Admirals and Generals are targeted at those who are retired or nearing retirement: http://blogs.reuters.com/financial-regulatory-forum/2012/01/12/corporate-boards-looking-for-a-few-good-generals-directors-group-says-in-seeking-military-members/ http://blogs.reuters.com/financial-regulatory-forum/2012/01/...
- bumby 7y ago
  I believe some positions get a stipend (particularly if they are expected to entertain dignitaries) but are generally (ha) not allowed to serve outside positions that might be a conflict of interest. I couldn't find details yet of a specific article in the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), but there are some memos out: https://ogc.osd.mil/defense_ethics/resource_library/deskbook/outside_activity_handout.pdf https://ogc.osd.mil/defense_ethics/resource_library/deskbook...

zip1234 7y ago

I know a marine general (just retired) and he drives a ten year old Ford Escape. Generals are paid well relative to the rest of the military but definitely are not paid obscene amounts.