Con_Alma;973861 wrote:The pay federal and ss/medicare tax on their income.

In addition, only some States do not tax military income. Then again some States don't tax anyone's income.

sleeper;973851 wrote:LOL

If I'm not afraid of bullets, I'm definitely not afraid of 2 disabled war vets.

My uncle got in a car crash and has no legs. He was an accountant. Maybe he should have joined the military so he wasn't a casualty of doing his other job.

Belly35;973980 wrote:My rank in Nam provide me with a grand total of $350.00 including combat pay per mo.
Can you provide the FMV for having your face 6 inch from a boob trap that the FNG ( ****ing new guy) stepped on
How about those three short mortar rounds in the middle of a night log site that some had to disarm what the FMV for that task
Let not forget the 240 day a year in a hostil combat situation (potentially shot at) I'm sure what the a public pay scale for that is.

We are not special we just do the job that others only dream about..

sleeper;973996 wrote:FMV would be $350 per month.

sleeper;973858 wrote:People try to skew everything like I'm being disrespectful to vets. I appreciate the job they do, just like I appreciate the guy who makes my coffee in the morning, or the firefighter down the street saving cats. I'm just speaking about reality, instead of being hoodwinked into pretending they are special.

ts1227;974057 wrote:I hate to say it, but this isn't that bad of a point to argue. By and large, the people entering the service TODAY in my generation aren't doing it as a patriotic, brave move... they generally have just run out of options. I understand that's definitely not the case for older vets, and there are some exceptions today.

Of course everyone appreciates what they do. But you aren't unpatriotic if you refuse to worship them.

Belly35;973980 wrote:My rank in Nam provide me with a grand total of $350.00 including combat pay per mo.
Can you provide the FMV for having your face 6 inch from a boob trap that the FNG ( fucking new guy) stepped on
How about those three short mortar rounds in the middle of a night log site that some had to disarm what the FMV for that task
Let not forget the 240 day a year in a hostil combat situation (potentially shot at) I'm sure what the a public pay scale for that is.

We are not special we just do the job that others only dream about..

ts1227;974057 wrote:I hate to say it, but this isn't that bad of a point to argue. By and large, the people entering the service TODAY in my generation aren't doing it as a patriotic, brave move... they generally have just run out of options. I understand that's definitely not the case for older vets, and there are some exceptions today.

Of course everyone appreciates what they do. But you aren't unpatriotic if you refuse to worship them.

thavoice;974091 wrote:Hard to really guage how many people join out of pure patriotism, or because they have just run out of options. I know in the case of people that I know well that have enlisted that just wasnt the case, but I imagine you could find just as many people who do so because they are out of options.

Exhibit A: Full time job for quite awhile, doing well for himself, but had a desire to serve. Kept pushing it off because he thought he was too old and such but finally did so.

B: Electrical engineer. Working in his field for a year. Had a desire to enlist since he was a FROSH in HS. After that didnt subside he did so after getting a degree and working in his field.

C: Had a long desire to enlist. Really good football player and was going to the University of Dayton to play football. Joined the NG because he wanted to be a part of the Army. Very smart kid.

D: Same as C, but was going to play baseball at a smaller college. Got into a very good tech school he wanted so he had options other than just enlisting.

E: Kid out of HS. Has a good job but had wanted to join the military since he could remember. Got a good paying job, that he likes, out of HS. Kid just swore in last week and will leave in June.


I appreciate what you are saying, no doubt about that. Are there guys who do so because they had no other options? Of course, but of the 50+ people in my platoon and about 25-30 that I knew well at AIT I have to say that a vast majority of them did so out of a patriotic duty. There were a few that I would say that were complete turds and probably couldnt do anything else and this was their only option, but man those seemed few and far between.

NYFan54;974080 wrote:Hazardous duty pay these days is an extra $250 a month, for inquiring minds information

sleeper;974096 wrote:Cool. I can make stuff up too.

hoops23;974107 wrote:There is a Presidents Day, Labor Day, MLK Day, etc... I think it's ok to have a holiday recognizing the Vets.

hoops23;974107 wrote:There is no stat on how many people join out of patriotism or because they ran out of options.

I know the 3 cousins I have in the Marines/Air Force didn't join because they were out of options. They joined because they wanted to serve their country and do something bigger.

I get your argument that it's their job, but to say it's the same as somebody who makes coffee is kind of ridiculous and asinine. It's not.

There is a sacrifice being made when you joint he military, for whatever reason it may be. Working at a coffee shop, you still go home that day to your family. You don't have to worry about being blown to bits, etc..

There is a Presidents Day, Labor Day, MLK Day, etc... I think it's ok to have a holiday recognizing the Vets.

sleeper;974120 wrote:There's no sacrifice being made either when you join the military. Their "sacrifice" is built right into their salary. Just like I sacrifice time to go to work in return for appropriate pay.

And yes, everyone you know is going to say they joined for a purpose. They can say whatever they want to justify it, but the reality is completely different. It's like "Oh crap, I can't do anything with my life and I don't want to admit it, so I'll just pretend I want to do something bigger(whatever "bigger" means) so my friends don't think I'm a loser". That's the reality, anyway you spin it.

NYFan54;974148 wrote:This salary business you keep mentioning, must be something you don't quite comprehend. In the service, you get a salary, yes, and you get paid on the 1st and 15th of every month. You get promoted by fulfilling monthly/yearly requirements in your current rank, and the pay increase is nominal at best. BUT, do you get paid extra for working 72 hours straight in Afghanistan? No. Do you get paid more because you worked a 24 hour guard shift? No. I'd say the last 2 months I was in, I worked about 19 hours a day, EVERY single day of those 2 months. "And that's all I've got to say about that."

Belly35;973579 wrote:When you're a part of something that is bigger that what people can image from the outside, putting the time, dedication, intensity, tradition, pride and living the experiences with that branch and the others soldiers you have an inherited honor of that Military Branch. It’s to be expected and revered by the other branches. The standards are set high because the cost of one soldier greater </SPAN>

Iliketurtles;974156 wrote:I semi-agree with sleeper. It seems like a lot of people I know these days aren't joining to be patriotic they are joining because there really isn't anything better out their for them. Many of these people are also those who give others a bad rep because they are the ones who expect praise for just being in the military and expect special treatment and such and I think that is when a lot of non-military people get upset. I know not everyone in the military does this but to me it seems like more and more people are. I also don't like when someone for the miltary thinks they are better than me just for serving in the military.


But thavoice and hoops are also correct many still do go into the service even when there are better things out their for them. I have wanted to go into the service ever since I was in high school but my mom didn't want me to because I was her only son, was scared and all that other stuff so I respected her wishes and didn't join. But now 8 years later I've decided that I'm going to join and I know that I will be making less than my current accounting job I have now but I want to serve my country.

I have no problem with Veteran's Day and feel its a nice holiday to honor those who have served for this country.

ts1227;974162 wrote:That's how salaried payments work. If you work for a salary in the private sector you can work a shitload of hours for no extra pay too. What exactly are you trying to explain to sleeper with this example?

NYFan54;974148 wrote:This salary business you keep mentioning, must be something you don't quite comprehend. In the service, you get a salary, yes, and you get paid on the 1st and 15th of every month. You get promoted by fulfilling monthly/yearly requirements in your current rank, and the pay increase is nominal at best. BUT, do you get paid extra for working 72 hours straight in Afghanistan? No. Do you get paid more because you worked a 24 hour guard shift? No. I'd say the last 2 months I was in, I worked about 19 hours a day, EVERY single day of those 2 months. "And that's all I've got to say about that."