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| Military pay is not enough. |
enlisting in the armed forces of the United States. The only alternative would probably be to re-instate the draft. In doing so, a lot of lives would be interrupted. New careers would have to be put on hold, educational endeavors would be delayed and a lot of families would be separated.
That's exactly what most of the brave men and women who serve this country are going through right now.
What do other professions who protect us make? The salaries shown below are median salaries in the United States with less than one year's experience:
- Border Guard - $ 39,846
- Firefighter - $ 36,788
- Police or Sheriff's Patrol Officer - $36,711
- Security Guard - $ 24,715
- Active Duty Military (Enlisted) - $ 16,000 or less
Do you realize what the poverty level in the U. S. is?
According to the U. S. Census Bureau Poverty Thresholds-2000, a family of four people, including two children under age 18, that produces an annual income of $ 17,463 or less lives at the poverty level.According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services-2001, the same family of four that produces an annual income of $ 17,650 or less lives at the poverty level in the U. S.
So, if you make less than $ 18,000 per year, you are at or below the poverty level in the United States.
You would be amazed at the number of military families receiving public welfare assistance. Many military wives whose husbands are on deployment in Iraq have to get food stamps just to eat a decent meal.
The "Feed the Children" organization drives up to the gates of many military installations, showing the world just how desperate some of our military families are.
Yes, the men and women of our military at least deserve the dignity of living above the poverty level.
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