Enlisted Military Pay Versus Civilian Pay: Do Enlisted Military Personnel Earn Enough to Support a Family With More Than One Child?

Abstract
There have long been complaints that enlisted military personnel do not earn enough pay to support a family with more than one child. When researched, it was found that enlisted service members earn a small base salary entitled basic pay, but additional allowances more than made up the difference between civilian and enlisted military salaries. In 2004, the average enlisted military employee earned $42,664.48 annually while the average full-time, year-round civilian employee earned only $36,284. …