Infographic: Fixing the Force: Understanding Military Pay

Infographic: Fixing the Force: Understanding Military Pay | Center for American Progress Facebook 57,891 Twitter 40,100Youtube 3,892 RSSCAP en Español --> -->TRENDING:2015 Progressive PartyMinimum WageImmigration ReformNondiscrimination ProtectionsIncome Inequality Search for: --> IssuesChinaCivil LibertiesEarly ChildhoodEconomyEducationEnergy and EnvironmentFederal BudgetForeign Policy and SecurityGuns and CrimeHealth CareHigher EducationHousingImmigrationLabor and WorkLGBTMediaMilitaryOpen GovernmentPovertyProgressive MovementPublic OpinionRace and EthnicityRegulation and MarketsReligion and ValuesTax ReformTechnology and ScienceTerrorismWomenProjects Our Projects

The Center for American Progress helps advance progressive ideas through a range of projects in key issue areas.

Doctors for AmericaEnoughFair Shot CampaignGeneration ProgressLeadership InstituteLegal ProgressProgress 2050Progressive Studies ProgramReel ProgressWashington Center for Equitable GrowthWomen's InitiativeExpertsFind Experts by Name... or Find Experts by Issue: ChinaCivil LibertiesEarly ChildhoodEconomyEducationEnergy and EnvironmentFederal BudgetForeign Policy and SecurityGuns and CrimeHealth CareHigher EducationHousingImmigrationLabor and WorkLGBTMediaMilitaryOpen GovernmentPovertyProgressive MovementPublic OpinionRace and EthnicityRegulation and MarketsReligion and ValuesTax ReformTechnology and ScienceTerrorismWomenEventsReports About UsAbout Center for American Progress

--> Board of Directors · Staff & Fellows · Jobs · Internships

PressDonateIssues » Foreign Policy and Security

Infographic: Fixing the Force: Understanding Military PayBy Katherine Blakeley, Mo Smolskis, Charles Schellpeper | Thursday, May 7, 2015

PRINT: SHARE:

See also:

Infographic: Fixing the Force: The Path of a Military Career by Katherine Blakeley, Mo Smolskis, and Charles SchellpeperFixing the Force: The Outdated Military Compensation System by Katherine Blakeley

The current military personnel system is outdated; it is also too rigid to accommodate the flexible force that the U.S. armed forces and national security will require in the future. The military pay, health care, and retirement systems were designed in the post-World War II era, and although they have seen a hodgepodge of additions since then, they have remained largely unchanged since 1947.

Basic pay makes up only about half of military compensation. The infographic below provides snapshots of total compensation for military officers and enlisted service members by rank.

Katherine Blakeley is a Policy Analyst on the National Security and International Policy team at the Center for American Progress. Mo Smolskis and Charles Schellpeper are interns with the National Security and International Policy team.