Holy Mackeral Andy, I knew I was broke all the time when I went in back in '66, but now I think I was really poor compared to today's pay. Look for yourself.
Historical Military Pay Rates - Military Benefits - Military.com
OFC [really getting old]
Printable View
Holy Mackeral Andy, I knew I was broke all the time when I went in back in '66, but now I think I was really poor compared to today's pay. Look for yourself.
Historical Military Pay Rates - Military Benefits - Military.com
OFC [really getting old]
I do remember the $78.
Stepping up to the pay table, saluting, Pvt. so and so, reporting for pay SIR!
And that was once a month.;)
And the pay was in $20 bills when possible. And the payroll officer was escorted by an armed guard when he picked up the pay and while he paid it out. Officers got paid by check, mailed to them.
I thought at that time that if I were going to counterfeit money, I would pass fake $20's in an army camp town on payday.
Jim
And to think $190 a month was a lot of money to spend at that time for personal items and or entertainment. If you were not a drinker or a card player, it went pretty far in 1963. I see the same pay grade and time in grade would be $1,900 a month. Consider room, board, medical already taken care of, $1,900 used wisely could also go far. Sending home a couple of Garands a month for instance and still have money left over.
well since most of us went to Viet Nam as PFCs, back then they could send a whole rifle company for what a PFC now makes: eek: Semper Fi al
I lived like a king in So. Korea in 65/6 on my 93 to 140 a month (PFC E-3 to Sp/4 E-4).
We got "overseas pay" which was something like 11 a month.
We also got NO clothing allowance as everything was DX (Direct Exchange).
I remember standing for an inspection and the "old man" would say "where is your class A hat soldier?"
my answer "it's in DX sir" :rofl:
Kind of like "yosarian" in "catch 22". "it's in the laundry sir"
Bob
Wow! I was making $392.40 a month as an E-5 while in Vietnam. I forget what "combat" pay was. That's the equivalent of $2,061 a month today. Carl
I had to pay in the field once at Graf in Germany late 70s. Had a field desk, stool, my .45 and PFC Snuffy with his M16A1. Drew the money from the finance section, counted it, and then set up for business. Each soldier stepped forward, saluted, stated his name and presented his ID card. I doled out the money, he counted it (no women soldiers in this group back then!) and then the next guy in line. I was worried that I would give someone too much but in the end it all came out correctly. Usually the troops got a check or direct deposit, only in the field were they paid in cash at that time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim K
I got $773/month plus extras (married) as a 2LT in 1978 and I thought we were rich!
I believe combat pay was $55 a month in 69 or was that jump pay? Feeling older every day.
I remember pay call and what came after. Upon leaving you had to run the gaunlet (so to say) of every military association, charity, do-gooder activity, or debt collector known to man. My First Sergeant was old school and a strong supporter of AUS, NCOA, and especially the NCO Club. If you were an NCO and did not wish to "participate" in his pet projects you soon discovered the many ways a good First Sergeant could stimulate you to change your mind. I saved quite a bit of money when the Army began to pay enlisted soldiers by check.
Come to think of it, I also remember those folks at the end of the line AFTER you got the money.;)
Anybody run into the "Loan Sharks"? Near the end of the month, you could borrow $5 for $10 the next payday. Fortunately I never had to.
I remember standing in line in 1954 and a few years later being the pay officer. It was easier standing in line than making it come right at the end of the day.
I just printed the 85 pay chart and let some troops look at it. I am retiring this summer with 24 years of service in the Air Force. I highlighted my base pay when I enlisted. I told them to take a look and stop bitching.
Im jealous. never got that extra stripe, only made tech.
Air Force 1954 basic training was $46.00. Discharged in 1958, $117.00. Broke all the time.
Yeah , but the air force paid you twice a month! so that's 96 bucks. Thats more than I got in the army.;)
When I made 3rd Class (E4) in Dec 1954 I was under 2 yrs and got $120. I thought I was rich. By 57 I was getting flight pay - $55 and was sure I was rich. I almost never had a problem having $$ till the next pay day - 2x a month - even after I bought a car.
In Nam as an SSG, I was getting jump pay, combat pay and seperate rations,
course almost all of it went home to the wife & kids cause I didn't need it.
Sarge
$ 68.00 per month was the pay rate when my career started in 1958, and they kept $4.00 of that pay for laundry. Pay was in cash at pay call.
Shipped over to Germany that same year and began recieving Military Script (Funny Money) at pay call. But its all realitive because you could buy a carton of cigs at the EES for 80 cents, 90 cents for king size.
Lindy