So actually pay/pension soldiers enough to get good medical insurance after they retire, buy a home, etc. Why create a bureaucracy when it might be cheaper to simply pay a wage that reflects the hardships of the profession?[/quote]They don’t pay wages reflecting those hardships BUT a service member stationed in a “dangerous area” does get a stipend for working in a danger zone ONLY WHILE stationed there. They DO get a housing allowance (and COLA, if applicable) if they have a spouse and/or minor children and are not offered a military housing unit OR do not elect to take one. The housing allowance is now about four times the size it used to be BUT it still does not keep up with current rents PLUS utilities in a high-cost area such as SD County. If they elect to apply for military housing, it is offered to them and they accept the quarters, all utilities are paid except landline phone and cable TV/Internet inside the unit.
Their retirement pay is based upon their base pay only, with no allowances, COLAs or extra pay for working in dangerous areas factored into the calculation.
The current housing allowances would be instrumental in helping a servicemember pay PITI BUT if they lived in government quarters, they wouldn’t have ANY housing expenses except for TV/internet/phone (if desired). Most of them stationed in SD County elect this option, especially those families whose sponsor’s pay grade is E6 or below.
If the service member is single or unaccompanied (their spouse and/or children are living in a locale other than their current duty station), they will be offered shipboard quarters or “barracks” (now modern high-rise apts at NavSta SD, with one or more roommates).
