Wage inequality in America vs Canada and Australia in the Armed Forces

Let us take a look at wage discrepancies between our soldiers shall we? It is the old go-to in American society when you can't get a job, people often join the military to be of service to their country and to get ahead in life... hey, the more you get paid, the more you can contribute to society right?

This is only a broad view, which doesn't go into the specifics of BAS, BAH, retirement, education, medical expenses, vacation, etc. but if one of you wishes to post that up as well, please do!

-so-

An enlisted member (E-1) in the US military makes $1,516.43 per month.

$1516.43 x 12 = $18,197.16/yr. (this is only several thousand dollars above poverty.)

An officer (O-1) in the US military makes $2,876.63 per month.

$2876.63 x 12 = $34,519.56 (take into consideration student debt and minimum payments, etc.)

Now, if I were to say that I could contribute more in taxes to the USA by working in the military in Canada, it might sound crazy. But it's the truth.

Canada enlisted base pay $2,751 per month.

$2,751 x 12 = $33,012

Canadian armed forces officer (CADET) base pay = $2,775

$2,775 x 12 = $33,300

Then there is Australia. Land of Kangaroos and beautiful women with accents.

Enlisted pay $33,619/year (...recruit...) but after basic training they're paid $38,422/yr. After exchanging currencies that turns out to be $40,227.83

Officer pay starts out at $48,266. That is $50,534.50 after currency exchange.

So what are peoples thoughts on this?Could Americans join foreign services and actually make more money for the USA through purchases/taxes than they would otherwise be able to by working at Taco Bell or even the USMC?!

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


So what you are asking is why not send people over to Australia to be soldiers, Australian soldiers and why do you think the Taxation would come back to you. The taxation would feed into the Australian tax system.

The other problem is that you have to be an Australian Citizen to be in our armed forces. Sort of logical if you think about who you want defending your own country.

The US pay scales suck!

P

taxes can take the form of transaction taxes. I thought that was fairly self-evident.

Oh wow, that makes me sound like a globalist

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
taxes can take the form of transaction taxes. I thought that was fairly self-evident.

I do not understand what you are trying to get at. If you serve in the ADF you have to live here. You can't commute and we don't have an office in New York! You buy things and pay local taxes. In any case you can't because your not an Australian.

P

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


Funny, you don't LOOK like a globalist.

I had no idea of such inequalities in our military pay (I'm American). I always just assumed that the US paid their soldiers top-dollar compared to other countries. Boy, was I mistaken.....

The price of getting your killing done wholesale, is definately at disparity among the services compared.....
I think theres more to it, though as there are other pay raises youve not spoken about...
MOS like Paratroopers get jump pay etc etc....
Time spent in combat zones rates a modicum of a raise too i believe...
Then youve not compared the air force or navy specialties and bonuses...
How does a helicopter pilot rate between the services, i think they all have similar craft chinooks or whatever to make some equal comparison.
or how do destroyer escort captains look?

reply to post by pheonix358


Create a business/corporation (online?) with an office in the US that you fund with wages earned in Australia?

Buy from online American businesses?

shhh do not tell the US soldiers what our diggers get for just doing 8months in theater. 30 days for me and ill be at basic.

reply to post by stirling


If you want to do the analysis, go ahead. Please do!

I'm fairly certain that Americans will still be behind even with all of those other factors.... at least that was the trend when I started comparing, say, helicopter pilots.

Do you honestly think that other countries don't have hazard pay? Or don't pay for their soldiers meals? Or don't pay for their college education?

The only obvious thing that I can say, is that the US military takes pretty much anyone... our military is HUGE.

Canada and Australia might be a little more... choosy with who they let in.

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
reply to post by pheonix358

 

Create a business/corporation (online?) with an office in the US that you fund with wages earned in Australia?

Buy from online American businesses?

And you could name it
FACETROOPS
exporting soldiers for profit to other country's.
You may be on to something.....

For general interest, here is the link to the U.S. Military pay grade chart with time in considered.

US Pay Grades

The Generals don't make near what I thought they would. The benefits of serving don't look half bad to me when I'm accumulating real debt for the same courses and support the vets are getting as part of their package. They earned it, no question. I wish I hadn't had a foot issue....I'd love to have gotten the benefit of higher education without starvation.

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


At the end of nam
I was a long haired freaky type,
with 8 track copies of the Nixon tapes,
the military did not want me either.

reply to post by Rudy2shoes


It isn't me. It is something that has been done for centuries.

Something that Australia is openly doing.

But why? Why are these smaller nations trying to get more experienced, American, troops? (well they speak English, duh.)
But once they get those troops, what are they going to use them for? How many years is this going to go on before it becomes a cultural 'norm'?

reply to post by SymbolicLogic


Times change,
I can remember back in 73 fishing in the arctic circle and the Native Americans up there were telling me their dreams of coming to United States and join the service for a better life.

From what i understand we do not take many Us troops, total ADF is like just over 80k i believe. But the US wants to establish a base of operations in the south pacific what a better place then Australia. Well the top end anyhow. We can manufacture most war orientated items.
The land area in the north is huge."Staging area" An assault on the South Asian area would be able to take place 100% faster. We speak English for the most part.
And if shtf and the Northern hemisphere becomes uninhabitable the ease of a fast land grab of Australia would not take many troops. lol

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
reply to post by Rudy2shoes

 

It isn't me. It is something that has been done for centuries.

Something that Australia is openly doing.

But why? Why are these smaller nations trying to get more experienced, American, troops? (well they speak English, duh.)
But once they get those troops, what are they going to use them for? How many years is this going to go on before it becomes a cultural 'norm'?

No we are not. Our Soldiers are trained by our own people to some of the best standards anywhere.
We do not use US soldiers. We pay our soldiers well because we want the best. We don't take everybody. We are not cheapskates.

P

My son thought about it after he served his time in Iraq (Persian Gulf Navy guarding pipe line)
I think he said 25,000 war bonus plus base pay is what he got for that.
then if he would become a contractor they were offering 120,000 a year.
He came home, has a good job, turned it down.

reply to post by pheonix358


that isn't what the recruiter and history says.

So.

Why?

In Australia we have pretty high wages for everything. This is countered with the ridiculous cost of living. Utility bills doubling for no reason, $1.48+ a litre for petrol. High food prices. Insane alcohol prices. Everything here is unsustainably high. What benefits do each country’s army receive? Leave, allowances when they’re overseas, food, accommodation, tax rate and so on? They probably wouldn’t have anywhere near the outgoings of a normal people cash wise. Perhaps this is a reason why the pay is fairly low?

Originally posted by SymbolicLogic
reply to post by pheonix358

 

Create a business/corporation (online?) with an office in the US that you fund with wages earned in Australia?

Buy from online American businesses?

But America is in breach of International taxation laws anyway, so no matter where you go doesn't 'Uncle Sam' tax you on your citizenship?

The ONLY way out of this is to relinquish your citizenship which is ridiculous on so many different levels.