Quote:
Originally Posted by covfam
johnnyb, you make it sound like they are made of money.
Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour and at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks makes $15,080 a year.
Poverty level in 2011 is $26,170 for a household income supporting five (two adults & three children).
Let us examine the likely averages soldier in the USA. This individual begins a 4 year tour as an E-2 (private) making $17,496/year, and ends his 4 year tour as an E-4 (coporal) making $25,476/year, assuming that everything goes perfectly. My personal experience that the average soldier works an average of 60hr/wk rather than the typical 40hr/wk.
When these increased work hours are included, the average pay over the four years is $6.85/hr, less than federal minimun wage. So basicly more than 75% of the US soldiers make a little more than the average Mcdonalds high school student.
Interesting, that a US soldier supporting a family, will typically fall right above or right below the poverty level in the US.
So yes it is a good thing for charities and other entities to donate and support our troops.
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The average Deployed Sailor works about 84 hrs a week
(Actually more since I'm not counting Watches and Drills)
So an E-4 would be getting paid $5.84 per hr.
But he also gets to eat those Free Meals in the chow halls (oh Yum)
and he gets free room in board (in a space about 2 foot x 2 foot x 6 foot).
And for that you get to be gone for months on end, but on the bright side
you don't have to worry about all those pesky things like being able to tuck
your kids in at night, or being able to take a normal shower, etc.
If you do nothing else ever for these Men and Women,
say a prayer for them, and when you see them Thank Them.
I am a Vet and I am so grateful to our active duty personnel.
To those with Children, spouses, or even parents in the military, to You
I want to say Thank you, I realize that you also are making a sacrifice.