4 ms·

How many sacrifices would you make for $30,000 a year?

SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
The current bonus for Air GUARD is $50k. Your 30k is way off not to mention GI Bill and VA coverage for life. And yes, I expect “oh gosh we might not have internet” to be something the military can handle.
- pseudo0 2y ago
  $50k on a four year contract. That extra $12.5k helps, but the total comp is still way below a civilian job that typically has better work life balance and better working conditions.
  - deleted 2y ago
    [deleted]
- purpleidea 2y ago
  > GI Bill and VA coverage for life Yeah, sounds good until you see in practice how so many veterans are forgotten, let alone the millions without any healthcare at all. Healthcare should be a human right for everyone.
  - SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
    What years did you serve?
    - stonogo 2y ago
      I served from 1998 to 2005. You only get "VA for life" if you incur a permanent service-connected disability. Everyone else who uses VA pays for it and are prioritized lower than disabled veterans. Retirees do not have access to VA care unless they too have a disability.
- NavinF 2y ago
  > VA coverage for life How much is this actually worth? If you have a full time job, you'll get insurance through the job. If not, you'll likely qualify for Medicaid. Here in California half the residents get free health insurance via Medicaid
dghlsakjg 2y ago
You think people enlist for the money? You are also overestimating the salary of a fresh enlistee. Everyone below E-3 makes less than 30k
- toomuchtodo 2y ago
  Hence the inability to source recruits. Easier to work at Home Depot or Target. ($30k/year is ~$15-16/hr) https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/3616786/dod-addresses-recruiting-shortfall-challenges/ https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/36...
  - dghlsakjg 2y ago
    The article you linked cites competitive pay as reason to join… It cites a variety of reasons why they are having issues, but pay isn’t one of them.
    - toomuchtodo 2y ago
      > The causes of the recruiting challenges "are complex and multifaceted," Vazirani said. They include: > A strong economy, which has resulted in many more options for young people. Additional citation: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/mcdonalds-or-the-army-a-california-case-study/ https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/mcdonalds-or-th... > McDonald’s or the Army? A California Case Study > On measures that often matter most to military recruits, such as cash compensation, the military is falling behind civilian wages. > The need for a large increase in junior enlisted wages becomes apparent when one considers two issues: the looming demographic cliff for America’s youth and competition from the labor market. According to the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, it is projected that between 2025 and 2029, the US will see its population of 18-year-olds drop from 9.4 million to roughly 8 million, a 15 percent decrease.
  - m463 2y ago
    and home depot stock has been going up steadily

The current bonus for Air GUARD is $50k. Your 30k is way off not to mention GI Bill and VA coverage for life. And yes, I expect “oh gosh we might not have internet” to be something the military can handle.

pseudo0 2y ago
$50k on a four year contract. That extra $12.5k helps, but the total comp is still way below a civilian job that typically has better work life balance and better working conditions.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
purpleidea 2y ago
> GI Bill and VA coverage for life Yeah, sounds good until you see in practice how so many veterans are forgotten, let alone the millions without any healthcare at all. Healthcare should be a human right for everyone.
- SV_BubbleTime 2y ago
  What years did you serve?
  - stonogo 2y ago
    I served from 1998 to 2005. You only get "VA for life" if you incur a permanent service-connected disability. Everyone else who uses VA pays for it and are prioritized lower than disabled veterans. Retirees do not have access to VA care unless they too have a disability.
NavinF 2y ago
> VA coverage for life How much is this actually worth? If you have a full time job, you'll get insurance through the job. If not, you'll likely qualify for Medicaid. Here in California half the residents get free health insurance via Medicaid

dghlsakjg 2y ago

You think people enlist for the money? You are also overestimating the salary of a fresh enlistee. Everyone below E-3 makes less than 30k

toomuchtodo 2y ago
Hence the inability to source recruits. Easier to work at Home Depot or Target. ($30k/year is ~$15-16/hr) https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/3616786/dod-addresses-recruiting-shortfall-challenges/ https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/article/36...
- dghlsakjg 2y ago
  The article you linked cites competitive pay as reason to join… It cites a variety of reasons why they are having issues, but pay isn’t one of them.
  - toomuchtodo 2y ago
    > The causes of the recruiting challenges "are complex and multifaceted," Vazirani said. They include: > A strong economy, which has resulted in many more options for young people. Additional citation: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/mcdonalds-or-the-army-a-california-case-study/ https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/mcdonalds-or-th... > McDonald’s or the Army? A California Case Study > On measures that often matter most to military recruits, such as cash compensation, the military is falling behind civilian wages. > The need for a large increase in junior enlisted wages becomes apparent when one considers two issues: the looming demographic cliff for America’s youth and competition from the labor market. According to the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, it is projected that between 2025 and 2029, the US will see its population of 18-year-olds drop from 9.4 million to roughly 8 million, a 15 percent decrease.
- m463 2y ago
  and home depot stock has been going up steadily