Proposed 2008 Military Base Pay for Officers

Trauma Columnist · Apr 30, 2007

Yes, but 3% doesn't even keep up with the price of gasoline, let alone the cost of living. Having been active duty USN and then being an Air Force wife for 27 years now, the last decent raise COngress bestowed on us was in 1980 which was 11%.

allnurses Guide · Apr 30, 2007

I am very happy with my pay. I would have a very hard time getting as much as I do on the civilian side unless I mover to a very large city. My base pay is about 4300 a month right now and I will go over 6 yrs in Nov. My November raise + the Jan raise will give me about a 400 month pay increase. I never got anywhere close to this on the civilian side.

Gennaver, MSN · Apr 30, 2007

I thought some of you might find this interesting.
http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/pay/2008pay/bloffbasepay.htm

Since I'm brand new to both Military and nursing my pay before the raise would be about 29,~~~.00 a year with the proposed raise my base salary goes to 30,516. My monthly BAS, (basic allowance subsistence) will be about 150.+ a month and my BAH, (basic allowance for housing) is just under 1,000.

My spanking new starting out total will be about 40K. Yet, within a few years it really ought to make a difference. It is a bonus that our BAS and BAH are not taxable as income, (right?)

Gen-more than half my monthly salary to start will go to my student loans, oh joy. :) (tongue in cheek though because it was all worth it).

p.s. I think I am probably the only one in my MS cohort that will be starting out at less than 30K a year though, (yet, calculating the BAS and BAH helps a bit).

allnurses Guide · Apr 30, 2007

Gen,

The pay raise when you make Captain makes it all worth while. The pay does kinda of suck up to that point..

Cherish · Apr 30, 2007

Since I'm brand new to both Military and nursing my pay before the raise would be about 29,~~~.00 a year with the proposed raise my base salary goes to 30,516. My monthly BAS, (basic allowance subsistence) will be about 150.+ a month and my BAH, (basic allowance for housing) is just under 1,000.
My spanking new starting out total will be about 40K. Yet, within a few years it really ought to make a difference. It is a bonus that our BAS and BAH are not taxable as income, (right?)
Gen-more than half my monthly salary to start will go to my student loans, oh joy. :) (tongue in cheek though because it was all worth it).
p.s. I think I am probably the only one in my MS cohort that will be starting out at less than 30K a year though, (yet, calculating the BAS and BAH helps a bit).

The best way to compare it to civilian pay is to calculate what you would make in the city you live in now (daytime rate). With all the diffs and all that and then tax it. Take out any money for SS (you can get that at salary.com), and money for benefits.

Now compare that to your military. JUST tax your base pay, because seperate rats (BAS), and BAH is non-taxable money. Benefits are free too, so add that money (estimate how much that would cost). Now go to Salary.com (they have a salary convertor and COL converter too) and compare your civilian and military pay.

I would also take into account pay raises for 5 years for both civilian and military (since your going Army usually you get promoted faster compared to other branches).

Gennaver, MSN · May 1, 2007

The best way to compare it to civilian pay is to calculate what you would make in the city you live in now (daytime rate). With all the diffs and all that and then tax it. Take out any money for SS (you can get that at salary.com), and money for benefits.
Now compare that to your military. JUST tax your base pay, because seperate rats (BAS), and BAH is non-taxable money. Benefits are free too, so add that money (estimate how much that would cost). Now go to Salary.com (they have a salary convertor and COL converter too) and compare your civilian and military pay.
I would also take into account pay raises for 5 years for both civilian and military (since your going Army usually you get promoted faster compared to other branches).

Hi,

Base pay for new nurse graduates in Chicago is 23.65 an hour, (I personally do not count shift differential because it isn't worth it to me).

So at 23.65 an hour at full time, (36 hrs week) my yearly salary would be 44,272. Minus my 1K a month rent it comes down to 32,272. Right there alone my first year in Army already has me coming out ahead of my first year civilian. This is also pre-tax amounts too.

Whereas the Military pay starts at 29,~~~. but then the housing pay is added on top, rather than deducted away.

My second and third year civilian will not have the jumps in pay advances that military should either.

:) Works for me.

Gen

LZRN · May 1, 2007

01e Over 14, I Can Live With That!

prmenrs, RN · May 1, 2007

My mother told me the other day that she's "getting a raise", too. She's 83, on Survivor Benefits. Anything that makes her happy, makes me happy, too.

Gennaver, MSN · May 1, 2007

01e Over 14, I Can Live With That!

0-1E +14 years? I'll bet you DO! Congrats

Gen

Gennaver, MSN · May 1, 2007

My mother told me the other day that she's "getting a raise", too. She's 83, on Survivor Benefits. Anything that makes her happy, makes me happy, too.

Oh my gosh, that just sounds sweet. :0) My grandmother is 84.

Gen-kind of a reality check to think that she was about my age now when I was born!!! New perspective to realize how youthful she still is now, (I'd better prepare for the long haul because i'd like to be getting raises at 83 too).

DanznRN, RN · May 1, 2007

I have never and will never complain about my pay. My base this time next year will be $5,770.00, plus all my benefits. There is no way, short of working every day that I could match that in the Civy world. When I think of all the money I've saved going through the Navy. I flew from Italy to the states and back and it cost me all of $147 for 5 people, gotta love AMC stand-by. Just the money I save in the medical care is enough for me. If they want to give me a 1% riase in January, fine, that's 1% I didn't have and probably wouldn't get in a civy job. To me it's a matter of perspective, having been in for 10+ now, my perspective is good.

LCDR(s) Dan