Current Events > I signed the paperwork. The Army owns me til April 20, 2027

(+) Yeah! (+)

Ib4 retention/recruitment stays trash, they keep bleeding numbers, and stop loss the entire force and keep me til I die in service of my country at the ripe age of 50 something

Pay grade? Base housing?

Questionmarktarius posted...

Pay grade? Base housing?

E-5, barracks.

I've been in the barracks my entire career.

Sergeants don't get base housing?

Questionmarktarius posted...

Sergeants don't get base housing?

Not where I am.

95% of all barracks rooms on the installation have to be full before Promotable E-5s can become eligible to apply for their housing allowance.

Some installations do let single Promotable E-5s move out.

I have to get promoted to E-6 to move out on my own as a Single soldier/NCO.

If you're married, you get your housing allowance at any grade/rank.

wackyteen posted...

If you're married, you get your housing allowance at any grade/rank.

Ah... that explains why Whiteman AFB is basically a suburb with a barbed-wire fence

How big of a pension do you get at 50?

ChrisReeve posted...

How big of a pension do you get at 50?

That'd be 30 years of service, so 60% of E-9 pay at the time (under the new retirement system) every month til death then you can get your TSP (Military/government 401k) at whatever age, 65/67/retirement age.

Who knows what all that'll be worth come 2043 but it's not too bad

E-9 exists?

wackyteen posted...

That'd be 30 years of service, so 60% of E-9 pay at the time (under the new retirement system) every month til death then you can get your TSP (Military/government 401k) at whatever age, 65/67/retirement age.

Who knows what all that'll be worth come 2043 but it's not too bad

Noice. Good luck.

Questionmarktarius posted...

E-9 exists?

Yeah, (Command) Sergeant Major.

The most senior of Non-Commissioned Officers.

There is also Sergeant Major of the Army that is an E-9, but I'm not combat arms nor am I that high speed, so it's a moot point

Have you considered going Lieutenant?

Uncle Sam does the best he can.

Damn the army is so different. When I was a senior airmen (e4) in the airforce the dorm manager was trying to kick me out of the dorms cuz of a lack of rooms [two of the dorms got shut down for being too old]!

It was normal for senior airmen (e-4) w/ 3 years of service to move out of the dorms even if unmarried! I didn't have a car tho so they let me stay . My staying in the dorms was considered kind of odd I think. Also Idk how it works overseas this was a stateside base.

I'm also pretty sure some a1c (e3) close to becoming senior airmens were able to move out early because of the lack of rooms at the time

Questionmarktarius posted...

Have you considered going Lieutenant?

Years ago, but I'm permanently injured so I can't meet the requirements to go 'green to gold' or any other path.

Also officer world is so much more dog eat dog and I'm not sure I'd survive it, at least not on the Active side.

As a veteran, let me give you some good advice.
About a year before you get out, make sure you start the VA paperwork for your injury. If you wait, it will probably never be recognized by the VA and you'll never get it covered anywhere else.

Godspeed. Enjoy your time. Come out of it having learned something. Be proud.