Pay troops more, Army head urges

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7437014.stm

"A private on their first operation will receive a minimum of £16,227, plus a 2,320 tax-free operational allowance."

and just to prove I've nothing against truthful and responsible reporting.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1247731.ece

THE head of the Army last night called for soldiers to get a wage rise – saying even traffic wardens earn more.

A soldier’s starting salary is £12,572 a year, rising to £15,677 as a Level 1 private. A traffic warden’s basic pay is £17,000.

I can only say that if this is so then it is entirely disgusting and this government should be ashamed of it's self.

[punky]

It is disgusting they do one of the most dangerous, but much needed services, yet they get paid and treated as one of the worst.

[Angua]

Quickest & non inflationary rise they could give is to stop charging for Food & Accommodation. When Hubby was in the services any pay rise they got was usually wiped out by increases in the cost of food & accommodation.

Given that they mostly have no choice about where they live and no kitchen facilities this is a pernicious charge which should be dropped ASAP.

[Russ]

Anyone else think that soldiers should get a pay structure similar to that of police officers?

[TheDaddy]

Anyone else think that they should get at least minimum wage?

In besieged Helmand in Afghanistan, soldiers are often on duty for 16 hours or more a day, every day of the week.

A junior private with a year's post-training service earns £39.24 a day. There is an extra £6.02 separation allowance a day for being on overseas operations, giving a total of £45.26. Based on a 16-hour working day, that's just £2.83 per hour. The minimum wage for anyone aged 22 or over is £5.35; £4.45 for those aged 18 to 21.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-infantry.html


* Article dated October 2006, I know the minimum wage has gone up, bet the armies ain't gone up by much though

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Russ B

Anyone else think that soldiers should get a pay structure similar to that of police officers?

You mean one the government ignore?

Sounds a good idea, pay rises after initial training is out then yearly rises to a decent figure. Then a bonus if you decide to stay in after your initial time.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Derek S

You mean one the government ignore?

Them's the ones

Originally Posted by Derek S

Sounds a good idea, pay rises after initial training is out then yearly rises to a decent figure. Then a bonus if you decide to stay in after your initial time.

There are similarities in both jobs...

Originally Posted by Russ B

Them's the ones



There are similarities in both jobs...

What, even the charges for Food and Accommodation?

[Russ]

I said silimarities....

[PeteTheMusicGuy]

Originally Posted by Russ B

Anyone else think that soldiers should get a pay structure similar to that of police officers?

Yes I do but when they are out in the field they should also be getting a large "danger money" bonus

[STONEISLAND]

Originally Posted by Russ B

Anyone else think that soldiers should get a pay structure similar to that of police officers?

Yes but where does the money come from? Higher tax's?

I agree though well under paid!!

[Raistlin]

<puts on flame-proof pants>

I'm going to make the same comment here I made during the Firemen's strike.

When they joined up they knew a) what they were getting into, and b) what they were going to get paid for doing it.

When either Firemen or Soldiers to complain that their work is 'too dangerous' and that they need more money I have to ask myself what they 'thought' they were going to be doing.

<attempts damage mitigation>

But.....

Before anybody jumps down my thoat.

I've spent many years working closely with members of all three forces, and have the utmost respect for the amazing job that they do and the professional way that most of them do it. I would never begrudge them the money that they earn, and wish them the very best of luck in getting a better deal for themselves as they will deserve every penny that they can wring out of this tight-fisted government.

I can also appreciate the argument that what might have appeared to be an acceptable rate of pay has been seriously diminished in recent years by the massively increased cost of.....well, just about everything. They're not the only people that are suffering there though.

<tries to wrap up with a sensible suggestion, despite the fact that it'll never work in practice>

That said. the best thing that could happen would be for people not to sign up for the armed forces if they're really that bothered by the pay. Eventually the numbers will fall so low that the government will *have* to do something to bolster recruitment, and that 'something' might just be the raise in wages that they're looking for.

<runs away quickly>

Originally Posted by Raistlin

<puts on flame-proof pants>

I'm going to make the same comment here I made during the Firemen's strike.

When they joined up they knew a) what they were getting into, and b) what they were going to get paid for doing it.

When either Firemen or Soldiers to complain that their work is 'too dangerous' and that they need more money I have to ask myself what they 'thought' they were going to be doing.

<attempts damage mitigation>

But.....

Before anybody jumps down my thoat.

I've spent many years working closely with members of all three forces, and have the utmost respect for the amazing job that they do and the professional way that most of them do it. I would never begrudge them the money that they earn, and wish them the very best of luck in getting a better deal for themselves as they will deserve every penny that they can wring out of this tight-fisted government.

I can also appreciate the argument that what might have appeared to be an acceptable rate of pay has been seriously diminished in recent years by the massively increased cost of.....well, just about everything. They're not the only people that are suffering there though.

<tries to wrap up with a sensible suggestion, despite the fact that it'll never work in practice>

That said. the best thing that could happen would be for people not to sign up for the armed forces if they're really that bothered by the pay. Eventually the numbers will fall so low that the government will *have* to do something to bolster recruitment, and that 'something' might just be the raise in wages that they're looking for.

<runs away quickly>

I think paying people to do the dangerous should involve a certain amount of respect and pay to match.No arguing,no quibbling.

The last suggestion strikes me as foolhardy as it might leave us vulnerable at a time we don't need to be vulnerable.

[Raistlin]

Agreed, and I'm not saying that they shouldn't be getting more money.

Unfortunately the government isn't going to simply just hand the money over.

I was just trying to make the point that people generally know what they're going to get paid before they take a job, and that it's reasonable to assume that jobs in the armed forces will be 'dangerous'.

To be fair, very few could have envisaged the continual conflicts that Iraq and Afghanistan have become.

The ones I have spoken to have no problem being sent into harms way (it's part of the job), it would just be nice if it was occasionally, rather than constantly.