PV1 can get paid more than Commander

[Snoopy47]

Bear with me hear. I’ve taken some great leaps in assumptions but it’s mathematically possible for a USAR PV1 to get paid more than a USAR O2 for drills and annual training.

Presuming that the minimal 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year (WILD ASSUMPTION) holds fast and the PV1 gets a re-enlistment bonus (wild assumption again that someone held down at PV1 can reenlist, but not impossible) of the recent $20K for specific MOS’s then you apply that $20K the PVT makes going forward for his future drills/annual training, well, on a daily basis, it’s more than a 3yr TIS 1LT which could technically find himself in the position of CO (not impossible in the USAR).

I was just crunching numbers of more realistic scenarios for my SSG's that re-enlisted are making more than me when considering the bonus, and played with opening up those assumptions as much as I could, and it got all the way down to a PV1 being able to match new 1LT pay wise if the actual drill days are limited to the minimum.

[nick]

It can be done in the big Army too, if the private lives in the zip code with a large BAH and the O2 - in an area with low BAH.

[riserdive]

It can be done in the big Army too, if the private lives in the zip code with a large BAH and the O2 - in an area with low BAH.

Incorrect; BAH for NG and RC is based on home of record but BAH for Active Component is based on duty location - not where someone elects to reside on/off post.

It may have been done differently years ago, but not in recent history.

[nick]

Incorrect; BAH for NG and RC is based on home of record but BAH for Active Component is based on duty location - not where someone elects to reside on/off post.

It may have been done differently years ago, but not in recent history.

It's based on the home ZIP code during BCT.

[Snoopy47]

I was talking about the very same ZIP CODE.

One of my PVT's with a 20K enlistment bonus could be getting paid more per drill (if you amortize the bonus over the drill weekends and AT) than his 2LT Platoon Leader.

Now, when you compare different BAH's it's a different game all together. Coastal USAR and NG students could be potentially raking it in compared to their cadre.

[Milsurp1]

[tomk556]

[riserdive]

Nick, yes, IET service members can receive BAH from their HOR during IET. However, for Active Component guys, that BAH locations changes to their duty station once they graduate IET and report for initial assignment.

CONUS Deployments are pretty common in some CMFs; not just isolated to the NG guys on the Southwest Border (Tampa, Meade, Bliss, and the NCR are frequent 'conus' deployment locations). Not all of the pay is equal: some trips are TCS, some are TDY, and others are voluntary reassignments. Most people 'deployed' to Tampa (or Bahrain even) get Per Diem at that location for lodging. In contrast, most of the volunteer OC/Ts at Fort Irwin do not get BAH at their home of record, and only get Per Diem for Ft. Irwin for lodging since it is a voluntary assignment and not a unit mobilization..

Lots of reservists have been getting 'burned' on BAH lately since they're defaulting to assumptions from GWOT era combat deployments, rather than actually reading the fine print on orders or asking pertinent questions.

[kevman0154]

When I was a Newlywed E3 assigned overseas, I was still in the process of getting my wife command sponsored to accompany me at my duty station. I was collecting BAH for SF, $3500 plus my base pay. My CO didn't believe and called Finance on me to stop my BAH. They had to explain BAH to her and how its zip code based. Good times and good checks.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

After a full 6 year term + an extra 5 months or so in the USAR, I never understood exactly how military pay worked.

[nick]

After a full 6 year term + an extra 5 months or so in the USAR, I never understood exactly how military pay worked.

Pretty much. Good thing I didn't care much either.

[Endless]

It can be done in the big Army too, if the private lives in the zip code with a large BAH and the O2 - in an area with low BAH.

You’re 100% correct in regards to active duty.

An E5 used to get $2500 bah about 10 years ago in the Bay Area California. A O2 in bfe Maine took in $1500 that same time period.