Military pay, benefits top federal civilian compensation

[lanlady]

Source: Government Executive

Military personnel receive higher salaries and better benefits than most federal civilian employees, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

In a Jan. 20 study requested by Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., CBO found the average enlisted service member receives higher cash compensation -- made up of basic pay, housing and food allowances, and tax benefits -- than 75 percent of civilian workers with comparable education.

In addition, officers with at least two years of experience are paid more than three-quarters of federal employees with four-year college degrees. The disparity between officer and civilian cash compensation increases with years of experience and is greater than the disparity for enlisted personnel, according to the report.

CBO also found benefits for service members are more generous than those available to federal employees.

Read more: http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0111/012611l1.htm

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. This should surprise no one

[msongs]

2. war profiteers on the govt payroll are making way more than the GI's who die to protect them nt

[Sonoman]

3. Quick, now, slash 'em and balance the budget. nt

[IamK]

4. and job security....

[ck4829]

5. Where are all the calls that public employees get too much now? K&R.

[JaneQPublic]

6. Consider it hazard pay. (nt)

[one-eyed fat man]

7. There's a little twist in wording

"In addition, officers with at least two years of experience are paid more than three-quarters of federal employees with four-year college degrees."

All commissioned officers in the military are either graduates of one of the service academies, i.e., West Point, Annapolis or the Air Force Academy, or the come from ROTC, when they graduate from college. They all have a MINIMUM of a 4 year college degree. The obvious ommission that military officers begin with a four year degree before then gain two years experience does not seem innocent.

Anyone who would begin to equate the even working hours of a buruacratic drone filing papers in the second sub basement of the Patent Office to those of an infantry squad leader in Afghanistan is beyond the pale.

If you include consider other comparisons of working conditions, the file clerk has OSHA diligently working to reduce the hazards of papercuts. Can't say that about IED's or the Taliban.

Is there someone you thinks there is a real comparison or an inequity?

Here's the answer to your problem...

[No Elephants]

8. There should be a difference for those assigned to dangerous areas.

[NavyDem]

10. There is.

It's called HDP or hazzardous duty pay. It amounts to somewhere around 250.00 per month. If you're married, or have children, you can also collect family seperation pay at a rate of 225.00 per month after you've been away from them for 30 or more consecutive days.

I'm going from memory on the amounts, but it is not much more or less than what I've stated. In the federal government, they may not get all the benefits, but they don't spend large amounts of time away from home (9 - 24 consecutive months), and largely are not in hazzardous regions.

My annual pay after 18 years of service (Retired as E-6) came out to about 63,000 including the food, housing and tax benefits.

Edit to add: I retired after 20 years of service. My pay was based on E-6 over 18 years. In my last 3 years on active duty, I was home for a total of 9 months.

[lepus]

9. Doubtful.

I went from an E-6 to a WG-8.

I made far more money as a civilian with far fewer headaches.

[madville]

11. Not likely nowadays

The military has gotten some big raises in the last decade. An E-6 over ten years here is grossing between $4500-5000 a month with BAH and BAS. A WG-8 is around $21 an hour, 160 hours a month is a gross income of $3360 a month and doesn't have the medical, dental, and retirement benefit packages equal to the military these days.

[lepus]

12. Overtime at time and a half.

One or two weekends a month makes a huge difference. If the military had to pay us by the hour when I was in, they could not have afforded us.

Plus advancement is better in certain civilian fields just as it is stifled in the military.

I would have never made E-7. I did make WG-11.