House lawmakers’ plans to overhaul military pay tables next year would result in a nearly 20% basic salary boost for troops ranked E-4 and below and a substantial bump for E-5s as well.
Under plans unveiled Monday, House Armed Services Committee members next week will consider language in their annual defense authorization bill draft that includes highly revised military pay tables designed to bring all junior enlisted pay to at least $30,000 a year
Currently, some young enlisted service members can make as little as $24,000 in basic pay, although that total does not include other compensation such as housing allowances and free health care.
But both Republicans and Democrats on the panel have expressed concerns that enlisted troops’ low base pay make it difficult for military recruiters to woo young adults away from civilian careers, where a $15-per-hour wage translates into just over $30,000 a year in salary.Last month, committee leaders announced a broad plan to boost all pay for all troops ranked E-4 and below by 15%, a move that would add several hundred dollars in monthly pay for those individuals.
However, specifics of the plan released this week show an even more generous base pay hike. Committee staffers confirmed the 15% boost does not include a 4.5% increase planned for all troops, bringing the actual salary increase planned by the committee to 19.5% next year.
For an E-2 with two years of military service, that increase will mean about $5,000 in extra pay next year. For an E-4 with four years of military service, it’s almost $7,500 more in salary.
To ensure E-4s aren’t getting paid more than E-5s, the pay table overhaul also includes increases for mid-career enlisted troops. Combined with the 4.5% across-the-board raise, some E-5s could see up to a 12.5% pay increase next year.
An E-5 with six years service can expect a pay boost of about $4,300 next year under the house plan. An E-5 with eight years will get a $3,500 raise.