From: "Steve Ewing" 

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 10:07:00 -0400, Geo  wrote:

> Are you saying that the marines are well paid? What do you figure the
> average soldier makes per year?
> Geo.

I guess I was making two contrary points.  At a certain level, you don't do
badly-- you do get regular (bi-annual) raises, there is incentive pay:
re-enlistment bonuses (variable), hazardous duty (submarine) pay, sea pay. 
Not to mention housing or compensatory pay for living off-base (BAQ and
VHA).

At the low end of the scale, low rank and short time, you don't get squat:
I was single and living in the barracks and pay was tight (and I spent like
a sailor, of course).  A family man would be in a bind.

Marines, BTW, are at the bottom of the advancement scale: they don't get
promoted very quickly.  I think it went USAF, USN, USA, USMC in promotion
rapidity (I advanced at the earliest time possible right up the ladder,
E1-E6, until I hit the CPO wall, but then, I am very good at the
advancement exams).

--
Steve 
http://www.qmss.com/~sewing

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