First Person: Does It Pay To Serve Our Country?

There are a lot of American citizens complaining that the defense budget must be cut in order to help lower the national deficit. I do agree that the defense budget could be cut in certain places, however I do not agree that those serving our country and putting their lives on the line every day must receive pay and benefit cuts in order to help trim the budget. In fact, this is the lowest pay raise in the military (1.4%) since 1962. In addition, numerous benefits also received very low increases and some benefits were even reduced in 2011.

2011 Military Base Pay

There was a mere 1.4% pay increase over 2010 rates. As stated above, this is the lowest pay increase for military service members since 1962. This can amount to a simple $20 pay raise for the entire year for certain grades, where the cost of living in the U.S. is expected to increase dramatically in 2011 with higher gas prices and food prices increasing faster than inflation.

2011 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) Rates

BAH is determined based on a military members pay grade (see military pay charts). BAH pay allowances received a slight increase in some areas and some areas received a decrease in the amounts provided. For example, military members that live near Kansas City, MO received $1095 in 2010 and in 2011 they will receive $1098. However, if a military member was already receiving a 2010 BAH and it decreased in 2011 it will be grandfathered.

2011 Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) Rates

BAS is a food subsistence for military members not living within the military barracks. Enlisted military members will see an increase of $1.17 on their BAS in 2011 and Officers will see a $0.80 increase on their BAS in 2011.

All in all, by cutting the military pay and allowance increases in 2011 from the proposed 1.9% to the approved 1.4% increase will save $377 million in the defense budget. Let's hope that the government uses the money to pay down the national deficit and make our dollar a little stronger instead of spending (wasting) it on another needless program or humanitarian aid in another foreign country.