Well?
Well?
They're pay for services goes up a significant amount when they're married...I might be wrong, but it would make sense if military personnel also have higher rates of divorce since they're more likely to get married for money than love.
Poorly and/or under educated (especially true for wives of men in the military), social circle expectations, tradition, desperation
Provides a little stability when having to move every year or two. Plus chicks dig a dude in uniform.
Women are gold diggers. Easy government check coming in. Many of these women have a Travelling Soldier fantasy about their spouse dying in war as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C0QS3IDyP8 If they do get killed in combat, more money, sympathy, and then they will move on to another soldier.
Not an expert but still wrote:
They're pay for services goes up a significant amount when they're married...I might be wrong, but it would make sense if military personnel also have higher rates of divorce since they're more likely to get married for money than love.
In 2012 the civilian divorce rate was 3.6% and the military divorce rate was 3.5%.
Not an expert but still wrote:
They're pay for services goes up a significant amount when they're married...I might be wrong, but it would make sense if military personnel also have higher rates of divorce since they're more likely to get married for money than love.
If you joined the military to make money, you're pretty far off. Most join for education benefits and drop out after their first term is up.
It's an extra 200 to 300 a month if you're married. That's it. If you're mil to mil married, you both make single rate and do not recieve any extra for being married.
The only benefit would be for an E1 to E4 stuck in the barracks to marry in order to move out, but will quickly find out having to pay for food, housing, bills & a wife or kids is quite a bit more.
The only added bonus to being married is past I believe 1 year you get seperation pay while you're deployed. It's a daily rate, and adds up to around $250.
In many cases I've seen members marry because they've been dating for a long time and don't want to seperate. They marry to stay together. Or, if they have a girlfriend that isn't military, it's either goodbye or let's go ahead and get married and continue this. I know quite a few here that are in stable marriages that have lasted for 10-20years & still going. There are kids who get married young and realise it's not all it's cracked up to be, then some marry young and are still together 30 years later.
We do have scumbags who get caught and lose their stripes over screwing around with someone else's wife while they're gone. I know quite a few who's wife cheated and was caught when they were deployed, most of the time with someone off base (non-mil). The mil ones get in huge trouble. I've only seen 1 or 2 here caught committing adultery in the past year.
Lot of the numbers are skewed for news networks to push agendas. Such as the sexual assault stuff. sadly, a comment heard is put in the same statistic as a rapist. Most of the claims happen when the new people are in training coming into the military and haven't even been to their first base, or sent back to their guard unit or reserve component. These numbers add onto the active duty's hit list because it's being done while they're activated by the feds to go through training.
A lot of your information is wrong.
There are more E4s in the Army than any other rank so let's look at this example:
E4 in the Army. Time in Service 2 years.
Basic Pay: $2101.80 per month (this is the only part of your pay that is TAXABLE INCOME). Base Pay is based on RANK and TIME IN SERVICE.
Allowances: BAH, BAS, Family Separation Allowance, Etc...all UNTAXED.
BAH: Basic Allowance for Housing. You only recieve this if you have dependents. You only recieve the full amount if these dependents live with you. As you would guess, this is to help pay for housing. You pocket the difference if what you pay in rent or mortage is less than the BAH recieved. So if you get $1000 in BAH per month but you live in a mobile home paying $600 then $400 goes into your pocket. Also, amount of BAH is dependent upon RANK and LOCATION. Also, if you live on post in government housing they will take every last dime...:) As an example let's look at Fort Hood, TX. Same E4 as above would get: $1167
BAS: Basic Allowance for Substinance
$323.87
BAS is meant to cover the cost for meals for the service member. If you live in the barracks you recieved a deduction of I believe $268...or could be closer to $300, I don't remember. The deduction is based on the # of meals you are authorized at the DFAC...whether you use them or not. Many soldiers in barracks simply skip the DFAC half the time. Although, that is not highly recommended...:) If not in the barracks you keep this income. Again untaxed.
Family Separation Allowance: $250
If you have dependants that live with you and you are gone either on training or deployed for more than 30 days you will recieve FSA. Again untaxed.
So to compare:
E4 living in the Barracks at Fort Hood:
$2101.80 + $323.87 = $2425.67
E4 w/dep living off post:
$2101.80 + $323.87 + $1167 + $3592.67
Pros/Cons:
*In the barracks you don't pay rent...but you might have a roomate in a very small room....sort of like a dorm.
*In the barracks you don't have to worry about groceries....but you will either eat whatever is served in the DFAC or go buy junk on your own adding to your expenses.
*In the barracks you have to deal with your leadership alwasy checking up on you.
*Off post you can actually be AWAY from work.
So, it is financially beneficial to the soldier to get married. It is beneficial to the spouse because he/she gets a military ID which carries a number of benefits (TRICARE, Commissary, etc).
Other benefits to the military: 30 days payed leave per year. A 3-4 day weekend pretty much every month.
As far as joining the military to make money....I easily gross $15k more in the Army than I did as a civilian.....my health insurance is also free, meaning no monthly premiums. I was paying $7200 a year as a civilian...so factor that in and you're looking at over $20k a year than I used to make. Now add the fact that my Allowances (BAH, BAS) are tax free and you're looking at an additional projected gross that I would need to make on the outside to reflect my current NET.
Of course the Army is not for everyone. There is a certain amount of free will and choice that is taken away from you...haircut, facial hair, tattoo policy, 9 month deployments (which were 12-15mo), week long training events in the field, month long military schooling from time to time, etc. You get a DUI in the civilian world and your boss isn't going to care...in the military it's a good way to get kicked out these days. I have not been deployed (been in 4 years) but I know guys who have been in 16 years and deployed for 8 years of that time. So it has the potential to be very hard on those young marriages or any marriage for that matter. It is a very very easy job. 99% of the Army is just being in the right time, at the right place, and in the right uniform. If you excel you get awarded. You do good at PT, you do good at your job, you get to go cool schools, get better assignments, etc.
I enjoy it anyway, most of you probably wouldn't.
Alan
Real answer:
In many cases, it has to do with "service." After deep and meaningful indoctrination (which, so far as I can tell, can be permanent), one wishes to extend all that goodness to others.
"Goodness" can indeed mean money (not for oneself, but for the needs of the other) but also health care, community (mil life is very tight), adventure and companionship.
So, if, say, you were on the fence with your special person (as many are wont to be, at the typical age of enlistment), then "committing" to the military tips one over into willingness to take on *other* commitments.
You're willing to put your life on the line for country, why not for one's love?
As civilians, though, you are NOT gonna get it... sadly.
In my military experience, I agree with everything you said.
I was one of those that married young to my HS sweetheart shortly after bootcamp so she could join me at my first duty station.
We just celebrated our 25th anniversary.
I think this is less of a factor now but it still exists. (during the Vietnam era) The parents of several of my friends married and had a kid early because of the chance the father could die in war and he wanted descendants. Given that military and police skew conservative (family values) and there still is an elevated death risk, I could imagine this thinking still has influence.