Military pay scales

[Ed Rotondaro]

Hi:

Since we have so many former service members, I have a question regarding military pay scales because I am also a Civil Servant as many of you were (or still are).

In NYS we have what is referred to as the job or hire rate for each civil service grade. For example the hire rate for a G-18 would be say 40,000 dollars. This salary is then incremented annually in a series of steps that eventually brings you to what is referred to as the top of grade. For purposes of our example we'll say that top of grade for a G-18 is 50,000 dollars. Each year, all civil servants are subjected to an evaluation. As long as the evaluation is satisfactory, you can then advance the next step up in salary. There are seven steps, so it takes 7 years for an employee to reach top of grade payscale. I believe the Federal Government has a similar system (Dennis, Robert any thoughts?)

So does military use a similar system? Thanks for any insights.

[old_pop2000]

Hi:

Since we have so many former service members, I have a question regarding military pay scales because I am also a Civil Servant as many of you were (or still are).

In NYS we have what is referred to as the job or hire rate for each civil service grade. For example the hire rate for a G-18 would be say 40,000 dollars. This salary is then incremented annually in a series of steps that eventually brings you to what is referred to as the top of grade. For purposes of our example we'll say that top of grade for a G-18 is 50,000 dollars. Each year, all civil servants are subjected to an evaluation. As long as the evaluation is satisfactory, you can then advance the next step up in salary. There are seven steps, so it takes 7 years for an employee to reach top of grade payscale. I believe the Federal Government has a similar system (Dennis, Robert any thoughts?)

So does military use a similar system? Thanks for any insights.

In the Federal Civil Service system there are actually three separate grading systems

Wage grade - This group earns an hourly rate. They are ranked by the term "WG". Each year, a wage survey is made of each area in the US and the wages are increased based on that wage survey. There is usually an inflation figured added for expensive areas like San Diego used to add 4% to our wages.

General Schedule - This group is paid on a yearly basis. The top step in a GS schedule is GS-15. Each grade has certain steps based on years in grade i.e. After 6 months you would move to step 2, then 2 years, step 3, etc.

There are other schedules for executives, scientist etc.

I retired as a GS-12 step 4.

[djcyclone]

The military simply pays by pay grade. There are few exceptions to this, but the only way too advance in rank is to take a test, and whether you advance or not is based on how well you took the test, and how many positions are open in your paticular rate, and the rank you are shooting for.

Once you reach the rank of E-5 you are entitled to living expenses, which will pay for the basic rent in your stations area, and the general living cost. This is called housing expenses, and the only way to qualify for it before E-5 is to get married. If you are on shore duty, then you stay in a barracks if you are not married, and if you are on sea duty, then you are expected to live on the ship.

If I remember right, there was no way to get additional pay for simply being in a paticular rank for too long. If you want a pay raise, then you advance in rank, period.

[Rick]

Well lets see in the Navy the pay scale is something like this:

E-1 Indentured servant
E-2 practically nothing
E-3 next to nothing
E-4 two coins to rub together
E-5 Thailand sweatshop
E-6 the kid at McDonalds makes more than me
E-7 savings whats that?
E-8 hey Martha we can finally get little Johnny his shots
E-9 not enough

[old_pop2000]

Well lets see in the Navy the pay scale is something like this:

E-1 Indentured servant
E-2 practically nothing
E-3 next to nothing
E-4 two coins to rub together
E-5 Thailand sweatshop
E-6 the kid at McDonalds makes more than me
E-7 savings whats that?
E-8 hey Martha we can finally get little Johnny his shots
E-9 not enough

Think of all the perks; cruising around the world, free chow, showers with friends, interesting work, free education in a myriad of interesting jobs. What more can a young man want? You've found a home in the Navy!

[djcyclone]

Well lets see in the Navy the pay scale is something like this:

E-1 Indentured servant
E-2 practically nothing
E-3 next to nothing
E-4 two coins to rub together
E-5 Thailand sweatshop
E-6 the kid at McDonalds makes more than me
E-7 savings whats that?
E-8 hey Martha we can finally get little Johnny his shots
E-9 not enough

I would not be so hard on the navy, but that list is funny. I was making 1,400 a month as an E-4 when I got out. That is not that bad when you consider that you live on the ship and do not have to pay for rent. Food is also free, even though it is mostly nasty. I loved breakfest, but other meals where questionable. If we where in port, then I would walk two miles to the NX and eat fast food. Then I would walk two miles back to the ship. When we where at sea, I generally just starved myself, but every now and then they had a good meal.

[asnrobert]

The military simply pays by pay grade. There are few exceptions to this, but the only way too advance in rank is to take a test, and whether you advance or not is based on how well you took the test, and how many positions are open in your paticular rate, and the rank you are shooting for.

Once you reach the rank of E-5 you are entitled to living expenses, which will pay for the basic rent in your stations area, and the general living cost. This is called housing expenses, and the only way to qualify for it before E-5 is to get married. If you are on shore duty, then you stay in a barracks if you are not married, and if you are on sea duty, then you are expected to live on the ship.

If I remember right, there was no way to get additional pay for simply being in a paticular rank for too long. If you want a pay raise, then you advance in rank, period.

I was an E-4 when I was stationed in Charleston. While on shore (I was on a boomer, so I was at sea for three months then on shore for 3), the base had a shortage of barracks space, so we were encouraged to live off base, so I got money for housing and food. OTOH, when I was in Bangor, WA, they had alot of new barracks built so it was harder to live off base unless you were E5 or greater.

[Scott Chisholm]

Officer pay gets a bit screwy depending on whether you have any prior enlisted time.

In general, however, there is a base pay for each rank, and a longevity raise every two years in rank. That really doesn't come into play until you make Lieutenant as Ensigns and JGs are promoted after two years in rank.

There is a cap on longevity pay raises. For instance, a Commander caps out at 22 years, so the only raises one would get after 22 years are COLA raises.

[asnrobert]

In the Federal Civil Service system there are actually three separate grading systems

Wage grade - This group earns an hourly rate. They are ranked by the term "WG". Each year, a wage survey is made of each area in the US and the wages are increased based on that wage survey. There is usually an inflation figured added for expensive areas like San Diego used to add 4% to our wages.

General Schedule - This group is paid on a yearly basis. The top step in a GS schedule is GS-15. Each grade has certain steps based on years in grade i.e. After 6 months you would move to step 2, then 2 years, step 3, etc.

There are other schedules for executives, scientist etc.

I retired as a GS-12 step 4.

At the VA, LPNs, nurse techs, clerks, housekeeping, etc are on the GS schedule. As an RN I'm Title 38 which is a different pay scale. We also get 5 weeks vacation annually at the start -other employees have to have 15 years service before getting that.

[john964]

Lets not forget the ole Up or Out. you can only stay in so long at a particular rank before you can nolonger stay in IIRC E-2 6yrs E-4 8 yrs E-5 12yrs E-6 20yrs. and as Scott said your pay tops out well before exept for COLA or if Congress gives you a pay raise. In the Navy we had additional pay for different types of duty I had Sea pay and Flight deck pay. Sea pay was only given to those whose rank was E-4 and above.