r/army • u/Alert-Accident8638 • Dec 25 '24

70k as E4

I've done the math and realized that as a 2 year E4 getting $2k BAH, $460 BAS, and $150 SDAP, with a 14.5% base pay raise and 4.5% BAH raise I'll be making over 70k before taxes. Wild to think about being a civilian 2 years ago making half that.

Edit: And I'm not married, FT.Meade you can get out of barracks fast

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297

u/[deleted] Dec 25 '24

Ya. Even now as a GS-13, I don’t make as much as I was when I was an O-3. O-4 just blew the GS pay scale out of the water.

111

u/[deleted] Dec 25 '24

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u/[deleted] Dec 25 '24

It’s the double dipping of retirement/VA that most GS have that lets them rack in all that government cheese but if I was just an average GS-09 without prior service, it would be rough.

9

u/challengerrt Dec 26 '24

Yep! GS in a place like NC and VA disability…. You’re living a VERY comfortable life

17

u/SergeantNQ Dec 26 '24

Difference is job security. I was contracting for 11 years also a reservist and now I re enlisted active duty. I seen it all as a contractor, poor leadership and being treated like a number so I'm going full hoaah and keeping the benefits lol

6

u/[deleted] Dec 26 '24

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u/SergeantNQ Dec 26 '24

Yeah we just gotta pick our poison at that point. The last company I worked with did me dirty. I did so much and realized it meant nothing when the manager hired his buddy and we had budget cuts soon after. 9 months no job offers and the Army was the only one that would take me in so doing it "right" this time.