Since I'm blocked from a certain poster but this is something worth responding to regardless.
I can't speak for soldiers right now, I suspect my numbers here will be short an about by as much as 200 dollars since the military has receieved a raise each year Bush has been in office (or atleast the four that I served on active duty.
Obviously it's different for each pay grade, I'm only going to mention the low end (but by far most numerous) end. E-3
An E-3 (when I was in) made roughly 1200 a month state sides (assuming they were single, the military basically pays you to get married so you see inflated marriages, particularly when going to war since you get bonuses for being separated from your wife. Enough to make it worth your while to pay a woman 200$ dollars a month to wander around with a ring and get a marriage annuled when you return)
That said 1200 base pay.
200 for hazardous duty
200 for being in theater
being tax free racks up another 200 or so
There is another one tacked on there, when I was there I was making roughly two grand a month, tax free, couldn't spend it, came home to roughly thirteen grand which I used to open my own bussiness.
Is it enough? Debate it all you want. Given the chance to do it again I'd probably do it.
