WIC Program Update-

[itsbob]

Thanks for addressing that - and let me add:

You don't get free clothing and food, either. You do get to shop at the commissary, but that's not free, and stuff in the PX is all brand-name and costs more than what you get at the Target.

You get medical, sure, but it's comparable to what you'd get with any decent company. And it's not even close to what you get as civil service, or at least it wasn't at any of my ex's duty stations.

My ex got out as an E-5 and we damn sure didn't drive a fancy car or eat filet mignon every night. Maybe the guys who were single and lived in the barracks were, but we weren't.

Now I shall wait to hear someone pipe up with, "Well, if you can't afford to get married and have children, you shouldn't do it." I'm ready for them.

BIG difference is the medical is FREEE.. no paymnts for coverage.. no co-pay..... other then paying $7.00 a day for food while hospitalized it was FREE!!! How much does one pay for insurance out here (I don't, I still have medical through Uncle Sugar for FREE!!) for a family of four or five!?? I heard 300 or more a pay period??

I don't know when your husband was an E-5.. but when I was it wasn't too bad.. I wasn't rich by any means, but I had a new car.. a bike.. ate well every day.. and had one child at the time (I was only in 24 months when I made E-5). Then we moved to Germany where I lived in an apartment off base.. and due to my shrewd negotiation and business skills, a got an apartment for less than 1/2 of my housing allowance.. while others were getting apt's for 1200 - 2000DM a month (DM - $ was 4.25:1) I got one for 500DM.. and when the DM dropped to 1.70:1 I was the only one not screaming poverty.

I had my first when I was an E-4... retired with 4 kids. It wasn't easy at times, but never did welfare, or food stamps or WIC.

 

[itsbob]

ooh, and food, the ONE time we got a great benefit was in Germany.. 15 pounds of beef a month for everyone that held a ration card.. EVERY month!! The single guys loved to come over and BBQ their 15 pounds worth..

 

[Pete]

BIG difference is the medical is FREEE.. no paymnts for coverage.. no co-pay..... other then paying $7.00 a day for food while hospitalized it was FREE!!! How much does one pay for insurance out here (I don't, I still have medical through Uncle Sugar for FREE!!) for a family of four or five!?? I heard 300 or more a pay period??

I don't know when your husband was an E-5.. but when I was it wasn't too bad.. I wasn't rich by any means, but I had a new car.. a bike.. ate well every day.. and had one child at the time (I was only in 24 months when I made E-5). Then we moved to Germany where I lived in an apartment off base.. and due to my shrewd negotiation and business skills, a got an apartment for less than 1/2 of my housing allowance.. while others were getting apt's for 1200 - 2000DM a month (DM - $ was 4.25:1) I got one for 500DM.. and when the DM dropped to 1.70:1 I was the only one not screaming poverty.

I had my first when I was an E-4... retired with 4 kids. It wasn't easy at times, but never did welfare, or food stamps or WIC.

I thought somewhere you said you were an E-3 with 4 kids?

 

[itsbob]

I thought somewhere you said you were an E-3 with 4 kids?

Don't think so..

Maybe I was tired and posted that.

Trying to do the math.. I think the worst was E-5 with 2, E-6 with 3... E-7 with 4.. Every time I got promoted I guess the celebration just got out of hand.. Though the 4th was a "cancer free" baby!!

 

[Sharon]

I thought somewhere you said you were an E-3 with 4 kids?

I raised four kids on enlisted pay.. starting as an E-3.

I had my first when I was an E-4... retired with 4 kids.

Read between the lines. It gets more confusing each time he posts.

 

[BuddyLee]

Read between the lines. It gets more confusing each time he posts.

 

[vraiblonde]

BIG difference is the medical is FREEE.. no paymnts for coverage.. no co-pay..... other then paying $7.00 a day for food while hospitalized it was FREE!!!

Big deal - we were all healthy and didn't spend a lot of time using our medical bennies. You can't eat health care. You can't wear health care.

My memory is that I spent $100 a month on groceries, then our apartment was $300/mo.. Car payment might have been $150/mo. But after we paid our bills, we had about $200 a month left to piss away as we saw fit on clothing, household goods, gas for the car, etc.

This was '82 to '86.

 

[itsbob]

82 - 86?? That was after the TWO big raises from Reagan.. You were spoiled..

 

[Pete]

Big deal - we were all healthy and didn't spend a lot of time using our medical bennies. You can't eat health care. You can't wear health care.

My memory is that I spent $100 a month on groceries, then our apartment was $300/mo.. Car payment might have been $150/mo. But after we paid our bills, we had about $200 a month left to piss away as we saw fit on clothing, household goods, gas for the car, etc.

This was '82 to '86.

In 1983 I got something like $735 a month. I was rich! But it was just me. One thing is for sure the military pay scale was not created for junior enlisted with families. E-3 and below make decent coin for a single person but is dirt for a wife and a kid or 2.

 

[Pete]

82 - 86?? That was after the TWO big raises from Reagan.. You were spoiled..

Actually that was in 1980 and it was Jimmy Carter if I remember correctly.

 

[vraiblonde]

Well, if you can't afford to get married and have children, you shouldn't do it.

Thank you - I hate to waste a good retort

What kind of military will you get if you can't even suport a family on your pay? TEACHERS make more than enlisted personnel, get all kinds of time off, are represented by a union so they can get more goodies, and they STILL ##### to high heaven about being underpaid.

Some friggin' pencil pusher at the IRS makes more money to answer phones than our military personnel AND they get great bennies.

I'll bet they don't qualify for no WIC vouchers.

 

[itsbob]

Read between the lines. It gets more confusing each time he posts.

Naaah. Just didn't think back as accurately the first time.. Seeing how I moved every 2 or 3 years my entire life, my "history" is based on where I was, not so much as to when it was.. I think back to when my first was born, and I remember I was living at Ft Knox at the time.. then I can delineate things like rank.. how old I was.. what kind of car I drove.. etc.. etc..

And c'mon, we all can't be geniuses with perfect recollection 100% of the time.

 

[vraiblonde]

In 1983 I got something like $735 a month.

Dave got something like that, then an extra $150 or so for BAQ.

 

[itsbob]

Actually that was in 1980 and it was Jimmy Carter if I remember correctly.

Nope, I enlisted in 1980, our raises didn't kick in until Reagan.. He wanted to give us an across the board 21% the first year.. and if I remember right the compromise was to split up the 21% over 3 years.. Then he revived the F-16, the M-1.. and the other weapons programs that have saved our asses that Carter killed..

 

[Pete]

Thank you - I hate to waste a good retort

What kind of military will you get if you can't even suport a family on your pay? TEACHERS make more than enlisted personnel, get all kinds of time off, are represented by a union so they can get more goodies, and they STILL ##### to high heaven about being underpaid.

Some friggin' pencil pusher at the IRS makes more money to answer phones than our military personnel AND they get great bennies.

I'll bet they don't qualify for no WIC vouchers.

Anytime

 

[Pete]

Nope, I enlisted in 1980, our raises didn't kick in until Reagan.. He wanted to give us an across the board 21% the first year.. and if I remember right the compromise was to split up the 21% over 3 years.. Then he revived the F-16, the M-1.. and the other weapons programs that have saved our asses that Carter killed..

Might not have kicked in until 1980 but 11.7% raise and VHA was approved by Jimmy Carter in 1979. Reagan added 14.3% in 1980.

On the day of Reagan's inauguration, Iran released American hostages. Soon thereafter, true to his word, the new president proposed—and Congress later enacted—an average 14.3 percent military pay raise.

Because the increase came atop an 11.7 percent pay raise and new variable housing allowances Congress had approved the previous year, for which Jimmy Carter unsuccessfully tried to take credit, the pay gap quickly was closed. What a first impression Reagan made on troops.

 

[itsbob]

In 1983 I got something like $735 a month. I was rich! But it was just me. One thing is for sure the military pay scale was not created for junior enlisted with families. E-3 and below make decent coin for a single person but is dirt for a wife and a kid or 2.

Oct 1980 as an E-2 I made $558 a month, minus taxes, then minus the $75 a month for my VEAP benefit.. in the end I took home about $175 a pay period..

The year before was 500.. 1981 it jumped to $618

and a promotion to E-3 a made it $642

 

[Sharon]

And c'mon, we all can't be geniuses with perfect recollection 100% of the time.

No worries Bob.




For some reason :shrug: I always have this visual of you sitting there posting away while beating on your chest... "Look at me... I'm a man (thump thump)...tough it out you puzzies!". Yet, everytime I've seen you IRL you're so nice.

 

[itsbob]

No worries Bob.




For some reason :shrug: I always have this visual of you sitting there posting away while beating on your chest with a "Look at me... I'm a man (thump thump)...tough it out you puzzies!". Yet, everytime I've seen you IRL you're so nice.

Thank you!!

I TRY to tell everyone I'm not an azz.. I just play one on the internet!!

 

[chernmax]

Oct 1980 as an E-2 I made $558 a month, minus taxes, then minus the $75 a month for my VEAP benefit.. in the end I took home about $175 a pay period..

The year before was 500.. 1981 it jumped to $618

and a promotion to E-3 a made it $642

LOL, I joined the Navy in April of 80 as an E-1, we where so poor we used to sell blood to make a couple extra bucks before payday. I use to also take the bus (14 hrs) when I went on leave from SC to NY. When Reagan pay raises kicked in I was an E-3 by then and could finally affort to take the train...

Money may have sucked, but at least I had a ship over my head (single sailors lived on board the ships if you where on sea duty) and 3 squares...