Military Pay

From the Halls of Montezuma to the mountains of Afghanistan, the men and women of our nation's armed forces have been literally putting their lives on the line in defense of our nation for over 225 years. In recognition of their brave and patriotic service to the nation, enlisted service members should be better compensated for their courage to serve.Good thesis

According to the fiscal year 2002 military pay scale the average enlisted service member with two years of service in the military is paid $1,385.40 per month (www.DFAS.mil). Broken down this figure is equal to roughly $8.65 per hour. With the rate of taxes being higher on single personnel and the fact that some service members have families, $8.65 is far below the priceless value of human life. Serving in areas of natural disasters, war torn countries and the constant threat of terrorist threat, our service members should be paid for what they are worth. The benefits of serving in the military are great, but are they equal to the value of life? According to a recent survey published by the Marine Corps Times, more than 50 percent of the career options available to service members lack the compensation received by their civilian counterparts. (Marine Corps Times Online). These figures only represent the actual job portion of serving in the military not combat-related service. Compensation in the military is based on the number of years an individual serves and the rank that the individual possesses.

Another one of the benefits military service members receive is free housing. In many instances the housing is sub-par and does not suit the needs of the residents. Family housing units are often too small and the wait to receive a unit can be from eight to 10 months (Sgt. Paul Fowler). Junior service members, those serving in the rank of E-4 and below, are often cramped into dormitory style buildings similar to those found on college campuses. The basic problem in this instance is space. Personnel, as many as four individuals, are often required to share a room. The room not including all equipment and supplies required to be retained by each individual service member is filled with a bed, desk, wall locker, and chair for each individual. Also included is a sink for washing and sanitation purposes and a refrigerator. This does not include personal items that each individual owns.

Many people would likely disagree that service members should be better compensated. Some have voiced the concern because it is a volunteer military that the benefits of free medical