Millitary Benefits

[Razor]

After looking at the www.forsakethetroops.com site, yes the guy is an absolute moron and he does deserve the outrage that people are showing him, however, i would like a discussion on the main point he is trying to get across.

What are your opinions on military benefits, do they have too many perks or aren't there enough?

I was reading up on a lot of the benefits that i would get if i was in the airforce, very similar with other British forces and i would presume American forces as well. Some of which are listed below:

Good Wages
Free Pension
Reduced cost of living
Monetary support for relocation for extended periods of time.
Free/Extremely Reduced cost of adventure holidays and sports
Free educational scholarships
Travel the world
I heard American serviceman don't pay tax when posted overseas as well.
etc, etc, etc.

There was a British serviceman in Afghanistan who got a phone call saying his mother was about to die from Cancer, the raf went to great length by diverting raf flights, sorting out personal helicopters for him, a car and spent an estimated £12,000 getting this single guy from the middle of nowhere in Afghanistan back to England and driven to the hospital just to see his mother before she dies.

Now all of this would come out of your pocket, the taxpayer. Do you agree with all of these benefits or do you see them as a waste of money and should be reduced?

Personally, i agree with them, the military way of life is the toughest life the world has to offer and you do lose a lot of freedoms by joining, so these benefits would help to support the serviceman and their families and to merely add an extra incentive to give up all those freedoms and by being part of the military.

 

[xLostx]

Chance of dying. Woooo!!!!

 

[Tr0n]

Chance of dying. Woooo!!!!

Well...you ain't gonna live forever.

 

[Razor]

*** This is the point where CptStern comes in and offers an insightful discussion that overcomes the previous two posts ***

 

[bobthecombineguy]

Also, you pay next to nothing in taxes in any case, free housing and food on base, and we aren't talking crappy, wer'e talking NICE dormitories for even the most low ranking dudes, and houses for the higher-ups. plus, most bases are nice, with anything you could want, and no crime.

If you look at the pay charts, they get good pay, a private(lowest rank) gets, I think, 1,300 a month, and when you don't have to pay for utilities, like water and electricity, housing, and practicly no taxes, it adds up. and they deserve all of it and more. most of the men in my family have been in the military, and I can tell you, It beats the crap out of sitting in a office all day.

 

[Maxi]

Well, considering what they do for a living I agree with the benefits they get, and imo they should be getting larger pay too.

 

[Razor]

Also, you pay next to nothing in taxes in any case, free housing and food on base, and we aren't talking crappy, wer'e talking NICE dormitories for even the most low ranking dudes, and houses for the higher-ups. plus, most bases are nice, with anything you could want, and no crime.

If you look at the pay charts, they get good pay, a private(lowest rank) gets, I think, 1,300 a month, and when you don't have to pay for utilities, like water and electricity, housing, and practicly no taxes, it adds up. and they deserve all of it and more. most of the men in my family have been in the military, and I can tell you, It beats the crap out of sitting in a office all day.

With the Royal Airforce, it is reduced cost of housing, i think it is £50 a week for a roof over your head, water, electricity, etc, with 3 square meals a day.

Well, considering what they do for a living I agree with the benefits they get, and imo they should be getting larger pay too.

Aircrew would get £25,000 a year in wages, plus benefits above, plus an extra frequent flier bonus which would be about £1200 a year just for flying on a regular basis. A basic soldier would get around £14,000+ and increase with rank and experience. It is great money, far better than a civilian would get for doing the same job.

 

[xLostx]

Well...you ain't gonna live forever.

Or am I.... *climbs into his Michael Jackson sleep chamber*

 

[Cons Himself]

Lostx, do you ever post anything of any note?

Anyway - I think that you need those kind of perks to attract a decent sized volunteer standing army. The risks are just too great for a David Brent kind of lifestyle

 

[bobthecombineguy]

Ah, just incase there was misunderstanding, I meant the US military. The pay and benifits are universal for each branch. I plan to join the marines when I get thro college. like I said, beats the crap outta sittin' behind a desk for 30 years.

 

[RakuraiTenjin]

They're too low if anything. Off base housing for example if guys with families. It all depends on the allotted expenses they'll pay and how it evens out. Paying for a car and such takes a good chunk out of wages- but that goes along with this--

It is essentially the same as a mid level job's benefits (healthcare covered, etc) with as far as benefits aside of wages go, with wages being lower.

If anything, there should be more benefits.