Why U.S. Troops Aren’t Paid More

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I’m sure we all have seen pictures like these flooding our social media feed:

As much as I agree that our troops do deserve more than they’re given, there’s one big thing that comes to mind.

Say we were to raise troops wages to that of an NFL football player.  Wouldn’t that make the job more desirable for the pure fact of money?  Wouldn’t that take from the fact that that job is about defending our country?

I believe more people would be enlisting simply for money, cold but true.  I also believe that it would take the pride from the job.  Earning a purple heart wouldn’t have that honor anymore.

There needs to be passion and drive behind that of a soldier.  Money corrupts people, plain and simple.  This is how we keep our soldiers honest and humble.  Yes, I know not every soldier is honest and humble, so please don’t comment about that.  There’s not a single industry in this world where every employee is honest or humble.  These soldiers aren’t out there because they decided “oh that seems fun!” (although that may be part of it).  They’re out there because they love this country, and want to keep us at home safe.  Money would mess that up.  It would corrupt our army, and that’s too big of a risk.

I was going to enlist in the National Guard, but decided not to because of my daughter.  Maybe if the pay had been that of an NFL player I would’ve enlisted.  I also knew that I didn’t have that burning passion in my heart and it wasn’t fair to my country, my family. or myself to enlist

PE

80 thoughts on “Why U.S. Troops Aren’t Paid More”

  1. Reblogged this on HarsH ReaLiTy and commented:
    I hate to say this, but MOST people enlist for money and educational opportunities. That is why there is such backlash when we go to war because often people never expected to have to fight… -OM
    Note: Comments disabled here, please comment on their post.

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  2. I would argue that football players are paid ridiculous sums in any case, so it makes a good point anyway.

    I actually did a count of minimum wage versus military pay (and then I got it wrong, and I got corrected by a group of veterans) a while back. Military pay is already less than the minimum wage. The job going out to potentially DIE should have decent pay behind it. Just saying.

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  3. Well, for starters soldiers are not defending your country. They are carrying out the whims of politicians who are told what to do by big companies and the secret services. There is zero honour in that.
    The all american hero idea is a total fabrication of recent times.
    WWII had heroes. From then on there havent been any.

    Wars are fought over money, control and resources not national security.

    Regards to salary, its the same as police nurses etc – pay them more and it can be corrupting, lead to the wrong reasons for joining etc etc resulting in poorer performance. The evidence for it? Im not sure.

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    • Zero honor in serving your country? Hmmm… can’t say I agree with that. A soldier follows orders, regardless where those orders come from. It is not their fault for doing a job and although we don’t expect praise, we certainly don’t expect condemnation for doing a job that allows others to sleep peacefully.

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    • I do agree that wars are fought over money, control, and resources. But, if we didn’t fight those wars then our national security would be in jeopardy because they might bring those fights over to our homeland. We are very lucky to not have blood shed, and war trauma over here as they do in the middle east because they keep it over here. We are fighting to protect those resources for our country.

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      • This might sound tactless, but you sound like youre talking from a FOX news report.

        How many countries with zero exploitable resources does america help in force? None.
        Never mind national interests, its all about money and power games, they dont care for citizens but pretend they do.

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      • I don’t like Fox, haha. Anyways, if we didn’t protect those resources then how would we get them? Yes we have our own resources here, but we would like to not use those unless we have to. Do you want cheap clothes? Cheap gas? Cheap electronics? Then we need to maintain those resources and relationships outside of our country. We can’t do everything on our own. They’re protecting our assets, therefore protecting what our citizens want and from creating unrest here.

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      • I didn’t say that. I’m saying that Americans want cheap things. Americans think things are overpriced as they are now, could you imagine what would happen if we dropped all of our international relationships and made everything here in america? Most americans would go ballistic about prices. Not to mention we aren’t the best at making certain things, and the mere fact that we don’t have all of the natural resources we need to only use what we have in America.

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    • Oh, and I’m not sure if I explained my comment very well. It’s night time so I’m not very good at explaining myself at the moment. I apologize if I made zero sense. I know what I was trying to say, but not exactly how to say it.

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      • That’s the thing. People don’t realize how we get what we get at the prices we have an America. Sure they hear about child labor, or paying the Chinese dirt wages, but they don’t think much about it. And Americans tend to be selfish. We want more for less. Americans love American made, but I’m not sure that they realize exactly how much more they would have to pay for things if everything was American made, or exactly how this would greatly affect the worlds economy as well.

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  4. Money isn’t what most people enlist for.

    Being on the enlisted side, I can say that people have many many reason of why they join. They had family join before them, their friends are enlisted, they lost a bet (yes, that happened in my unit). If people enlisted for money then more than 1% of Americans would serve their country because enlisting is a lot easier than what people think.

    And more of my friends have been screwed out of their education funds too.

    I do agree that we get paid like crap, but that doesn’t mean we should get paid like kings either. There does need to be some more passion behind it than greed.

    What it really boils down to is this: We do it for our brothers and sisters. We do it because of pride. We do it because of our honor.

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    • I never said money is the reason for people enlisting. That was the whole point of my post. People don’t enlist for the money because there really isn’t any monetary benefit to being a soldier. My point was that if there was a great monetary benefit, such as a football players salary, then more people would enlist in the armed forces simply because of money. Not to protect our country. Which would be detrimental to our armed forces.

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  5. I believe that every citizen should be obligated to serve the country for a period of time, whether military or in some civilian service capacity. The ideal time for this to occur would probably be between high school and college. A commitment to serve, coupled with a greater emphasis on teaching civics during the school years, would not only go a long way toward recovering our lost sense of patriotism but would also yield a more informed, more involved electorate. And yes, I put in my time. Ten years active duty, USAF.

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      • A pervasive sense of entitlement, zero knowledge of civics, unreal faith in political promises and in my opinion the biggie, no skin in the game when it comes to how the country is being run. A friend’s daughter wanted to make a trip to Israel but due to her age and dual citizenship she would have been put in uniform as soon as the plane landed. If we had programs like that here she would have merely had an option of where to serve.

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      • The alternative seems to be a laissez faire approach akin to osmosis. To me it’s sort of like chaining a circus elephant. When the animal is young they use very heavy, very tight chains. Any attempt to escape chafes and causes pain. Once the animal has grown it only takes the weight of the chain and memory of the pain to keep it confined.

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    • I agree that it might bring back more patriotism. However, our country’s whole basis is freedom of choice. Freedom to choose what we do in our life. The only reason I would foresee enforcing such a law is if they brought back the draft if we needed more soldiers immediately.

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      • This is definitely an “across the table” discussion so I will agree to disagree. Patriotism, love of country, a sense of responsibility to participate in the common good, none of these are automatically instinctual. But then I am the product of a much earlier era, a time when there were fewer freedoms and “friend” was more than a verb. Keep the faith.

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      • I can see that side as well. I love all of the discussion this post has brought about. Most of what I said isn’t necessarily an opinion or belief I have, but points that I like to put out there that bring up different aspects of the subject to feed discussion.

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  7. Excellent post!!! its amazing when i see enlisted soldiers complain about athletes making so much money and why they should not be paid on the same level. I hope they see this article. Following..

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      • Then you are not active on online forums. You see enlisted men complain why athletes get paid as much while an enlisted man barely have enough for life security

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      • Well, that is your cup of tea. I said it as it is. I have come across service men who have complained about their lives in comparison to athletes who they feel are overpaid. If it is not an issue, this article wouldn’t have surfaced.
        For the fact that you have not experienced it DOES not mean it does not exist.
        It would do you some help to see things beyond your nose

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      • I see fine beyond my nose. I also don’t take things I read online or from ” forums” to heart unless I actually know something about it. You might want to consider that in the future.

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      • Well, i said it earlier..that is your own cup of tea. For the fact you have not come across a service man complaining about athletes being over paid in comparison to the sacrifice made by men in service DOES not mean it does not exist.
        See beyond your nose.
        If you want to turn this into an argument about internet forums and co, that is fine. But THERE are disgruntled service men.

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      • Typical….hahaha ..and that’s how you want to surmise your argument. I expected better….
        Anyways, when you find time to come down from your horse and re-read the post, you will understand that it is actually an emotional issue that DOES exist.
        Till then, keep your uniform and live in denial

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      • LoL, until you actually research the issue and actually SPEAK to enlisted people, not on some stupid forum, then you have nothing to offer me. Keep believing what you want and what those “soldiers online” tell you.

        [insert the biggest eye roll]

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      • And basing your conclusion off of a handful of people who you have served with is the dumbest thing ever. Which research did you carry out to arrive at your own conclusion? You served, and i should take your personal interactions with enlisted men as law?
        As i said, (and will continue to say) FOR THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE NOT COME ACROSS SERVICE MEN WHO HAVE COMPLAINED TO YOU DOES NOT MEAN THERE ARE NO DISGRUNTLED SERVICE MEN WHO WISHED THEY WERE PAYED BETTER IN COMPARISON TO ATHLETES.

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      • Again, I served and where did you get “a handful?” You honestly think that my time in the service constituted me meeting on a handful of other military members? Sigh… Did you perhaps use that to make your argument look better? Because I should now forget you are STILL basing your views off an ONLINE FORUM. LoL… such a shame that common sense is dying.

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      • Did you conduct a research on this? If you did, show me your empirical findings? In which journals was it published?
        Till you show me a report to shut me up that states there are no disgruntled men in the military who compare their remuneration in relation to their service for the country with athletes, i will not take your “service” opinion (which you expect to to cower and accept as law) serious.
        As far as i am concerned, that is your personal interactions with enlisted men and that counts for squat in this.
        Until you understand that this is an emotional issue, you will never get down from your horse and see beyond your nose on this issue.

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      • Again, I spoke to enlisted people. Who did you speak to again? I missed that part… RIGHT people online. I feel at this point you are either being obtuse on purpose or you just like believing online chatter. Either way, best of luck with that! Maybe one day you’ll actually know what it is like in the military. 🙂

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      • Thanks, but ill pass.
        I am offering my skills to society in other ways.

        And while you are at it, show me your published reports on your “research” into this matter.

        Your frustration stems from the fact that you expect me to cower and accept your “opinion” (pun intended hahahaha) as law since you have served in the military.

        Sorry bro, i don’t roll like that

        Yes, i got my opinions off the Internet, and people poured their hearts out in anonymity on this matter. That is a thread for thought.

        This article shows you that this is something that is real. For you to summarily dismiss that based on the fact that you spoke to enlisted men (which you have not presented your sample size, sample distribution, race distribution, rank and sex distribution, period of interviews, questions asked etc) and you expect me to accept your arbitrary opinion just like that…

        hahahaha

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      • Again you are basing your opinion off something online. Hopefully one day you will recognize how silly that is. As for frustrated, I am only shocked that you still think you have an argument. Ignorance truly is bliss I suppose. 🙂 Your continual dismissal of someone that has actually done the job is very telling. I hope you don’t base your opinions on everything this way, if so that is truly sad.

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      • Which job??

        You served in the Military…..Kudos but does that mean that your opinion speaks for the all service men and women in the USA???

        And please, show me your emperical evidence to dispute my conclusion.

        Till then, your opinion is just what it is…your opinion, and it does not count for squat on this.

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      • My opinion counts to me and that is all that matters. I am not trying to change your mind, only letting you know that your own “research” is pretty pathetic. Quoting forum chatter to me? My “research” was living the military life and speaking to people every day, every afternoon, and every night. Far more than you can say. I spoke to all sexes and colors as well, since you wanted to know that. Do I have a drawn up report? Uh, no I don’t because this isn’t my article. The very fact that you keep demanding that WHEN you are basing your current views off an internet forum is telling, it tells me you don’t actually care for the truth. Only what you perceive. Best of luck with that!

        I am going to end this conversation now. Like I said, I don’t care if you change your mind. I am simply letting you know your opinion is wrong, the same way you let me know you think mine is. That is called a conversation and one I have actually enjoyed. 🙂

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      • That is your last word. This is mine..

        I am not in the business of “convincing” people to believe anything. I am in the business of enlightening people on the fact that THERE ARE OTHER POINTS OF VIEW.

        I do know there are people in the army who are proud of their service and enjoy what they do, but i GUARANTEE you that there are also people who are disgruntled with their remuneration in comparison with the sacrifice they have paid for their country and how it does not measure up to athletes.

        That is a basic human emotion. Basically the same as when an individual does all the hard work and someone else gets paid better for a lesser effort, Its a human emotion..something akin to envy/jealousy.

        To surmise (bedtime). For the fact that you do not know about something, DOES NOT MEAN IT DOES NOT EXISTS.

        🙂

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      • Great, but you still provided me with no facts or references and again your responses are simply a waste of time considering YOU keep demanding from me what you won’t provide. A personal that hasn’t served a day in their life knows shit about the military life. Ponder that.

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      • ****sigh

        Likewise did you. All you said was you were a service man. I never disputed that. All i said, was your opinion should not count as law on an emotional issue.

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      • Never claimed my view was law. I simply said I know more on the topic than you because I lived the life and daily conversed with people that also lived the life. You did not and only spoke to some “people” on a forum.

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      • But i did not dismiss your claim?? All i said was that there are disgruntled men in service (active and veterans) who compare their remuneration with athletes based on service to the homeland.

        But you dismissed my claims because i said they were off an internet forum in which there was an active discussion on the same issue as this article.
        That is my grouse. It DOES EXIST.

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      • Hahaha..Could you have some chill on this.

        I dismissed your claim that your opinion should supersede mine just because you served in the military when the issue is a purely emotional matter.

        I never disputed the fact that there are majority of service men and women who are proud of what they do and how they are paid. (You seem to think i am arguing with you on this. I don’t where you got that from)

        You dismissed my view that there are disgruntled men and women who feel their service to this country is not commensurate with their pay in comparison to athletes because i said those opinions were gotten off the internet (this is the crux of the argument)

        See the difference? I am totally pulling you off your horse to come down and argue on merits of the case and not just on the fact that you were a service man.

        Yet again, i state. IT DOES EXIST :

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  8. Pingback: What I Learned Today | Life as I Now Know It

  9. Yeah I’d have to say that in general- troops get more benefits than the average person who works a sometimes dangerous job. My mother, father, stepfather and brother were/are in the military and they’ll tell you during peace time the military is a great place to be employed. Multiple travel opportunities, promotions- if you work at it, ample vacation leave/sick time, etc.- not to mention veteran’s preference, paid tuition and other bonuses. They’ll got it pretty good. The only time it sucks is a tour of duty in a hot-zone.

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    • Very true. Those are all reasons I considered joining the guard, but then I also realized it’s not everything it’s cracked up to be. Sometimes, even though they’re promised such things, they’ll never see it.

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      • I can totally imagine the gov’t making promises they don’t keep… strange… lol.
        I remember friends being broken up and sent to opposite sides of the country even though they were told they would be stationed together.

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      • lol sounds like that goes along with the post I just made about the government being corrupt 😉

        That’s very sad. I can’t imagine going through something like that. Especially if my sibling was all I had.

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      • Sadly yes. That’s why I decided not to join the guard because I’m a single mom and honestly, is doing that job worth the time away from my child if for some reason I wouldn’t get the benefits I was looking for when I signed up? I’d rather work a bit harder and be with my daughter everyday.

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