A Republican lawmaker is renewing an effort to boost the salary of the lowest-paid service members.
Service members would be entitled to a base pay rate of at least $31,200 per year, or the equivalent of $15 per hour for a 40-hour workweek, under the Raising Annual Income of Servicemembers by Enhancing, or RAISE, Minimum Base Pay Act reintroduced by Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., late last week.
"To build the military of the future that will deter aggression from China and other adversaries, we must be able to recruit and retain qualified Americans to serve in our military," Garcia said in a statement Friday. "The simple reality is that we can't do that if your local fast food chain is paying more than the armed services."
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Amid recruiting struggles, military officials have pointed to the fact that some entry-level service industry jobs offer a more competitive salary than the military.
Right now, the most junior members of the military make about $22,000 in base pay annually, not including any stipends such as the Basic Allowance for Housing. The minimum wage in Garcia's bill roughly amounts to what an E-4 with at least two years of experience makes right now.
Service members of all ranks are on track to receive a 5.2% base pay raise in 2024, which will be the biggest annual increase in two decades. But lawmakers have expressed interest in reforming pay scales and allowances beyond the...
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