3.4: Military Pay & Benefits

Reform military pay and benefits.

Other Information:

The U.S. relies on volunteer armed forces. Recruiting and retaining skilled military personnel is expensive, especially during wartime. According to the Congressional Budget Office, between 2000 and 2008, basic military pay rose faster than inflation and faster than average pay for private employees. The enlisted personnel saw their basic pay rise 13 percent, with senior enlisted personnel and officers seeing their basic pay rising 16 percent and 9 percent, respectively, after inflation. The annual across-the-board pay increases ignore overstaffing in some occupations and shortages in others. There are options available to reform military pay and benefits that would help the Pentagon to attract and retain the personnel it needs, especially once forces are withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan, while also reducing costs.

Stakeholder(s):

• Enlisted Personnel


• Senior Enlisted Personnel


• Military Officers


• The Pentagon

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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