Posted on Sep 5, 2015
How Much Did You Get Paid When You Joined The Military? My Take Home Pay Was $457 a Month as a (Army) Private in 1990?
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How much did you make when you joined the military? Back then I got paid on FRIDAY AND BROKE ON MONDAY!! (was not making too much-no family but me, myself and I). Times have changed since the days of your era. Who remembers the Green JUMPs Statement?(DA 3681-6) and getting once a month pay out the finance cage. Yes you had to salute the payroll officer. I remember in Basic Training getting American Travels checks and the Senior Drill Sergeant/1SG keeping it in a safe. Getting once a month pay(cold hard cash), this was before surepay, it was known as casual pay before direct deposit kicked in before the internet. I am referring to 1989-1990. Much respect to all the Army Veterans (Private Pay) who got $75 dollars a month in 1949. The Private in 2015 makes about $1430 a month(under 4 months). Use the link below if you served in the DOD since 1949.
http://www.militarypay.com/MilitaryPayCharts.php
http://www.militarypay.com/MilitaryPayCharts.php
Posted in these groups: 
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Military Pay
Money Military Pay
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 281
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL I don't have an LES back from 1975, but I can tell yo my starting pay as a private was $102.00 a month and some cents, it went up to $112.67 or something like that when I got promoted to E-2 and then just kept going up along with promotions and the annual raises each January. It was pretty nice when I retired after 37 years as an O-6 though!
Wanted to clarify that the $102 and $112 were the net amount. Can't remember what the gross amount was. All I can remember is I was broke before the 15th of the month for a long time! Thatnk goodnees for the barracks and mess hall, and the day room to watch TV!
Wanted to clarify that the $102 and $112 were the net amount. Can't remember what the gross amount was. All I can remember is I was broke before the 15th of the month for a long time! Thatnk goodnees for the barracks and mess hall, and the day room to watch TV!
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SFC James Tihanyi
April 1962, Fort Jackson, S.C. If I remember correctly I received some $80 in the first months!
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CPT Mark Choiniere
Base pay for a PV-1 when I joined in Sep 1975 (last chance for GI Bill month) was $360. When I made PV-2 Jan 19 1976 (which was as long as you can go as a PV-1 without being discharged) it went up to $402....Did not make more than 10K a year until SSG-although you have to look at tax free BAS and BAQ to get a true picture. Now OCS-that was a pay raise!
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In 1965 I made $67 a month which works out to be $2.23 a day, which works out for an 8 hour day to be 28 cents an hour. I'm being lenient on the 8 hours. It was usually more like ten hours a day. We couldn't go anywhere so I sent mine home. I sent nearly all of my pay in Vietnam home and by the time I got home I had enough to pay cash for a 1967 Camero SS. I bought the first one sold from a neighboring city, La Porte, Texas.
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SSgt (Join to see)
This guy is the forefather of the "E-1s through E-3s buying Dodge Chargers and Mustangs movement"!! LOL
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1SG Patrick Sims
In the beginning of 1967 I was an E-2. I believe I was making $88. a month. In 1968 as an E-3 in Vietnam It was around $120 a month, $8 dollars sea pay, and about 30 bucks for combat pay. I'm not sure about that combat pay number, its been over 50 years.
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SPC James Seigars
In 1985 my $695.40 translated into $173.85 per week and $0.15 shy of $4.35 an hour (which was a whole $1 per hour over minimum wage back then). I bought a (1983/84, can’t remember) Pontiac Ventura in cash as well when I got back from Basic/AIT. These kids now don’t know how lucky they are to make what they do for the quality of work most of them perform and to have a lot of the stuff we got on our own given to them for nothing aside from being born.
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I made "gross" $78.00 per month in June 1963. Then there was laundry, haircuts, and personal items. When all was said and done you were expected and did live on less than $50.00 per month and you were paid ones per month not twice. During my 25 years career I watched our young troops make more and more and you know what ? They were worth it !
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SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
1SG Bill Schrier first and foremost thank you for your service. I am at awe that you made $78.00 take home pay. Thanks for the support for our Military. Your right they are worth every penny and more. I am at peace in my home because of our Military.
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