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We graduated Basic training this weekend and moved into Infantry AIT portion of our training, I spent about 2 weeks in the hospital after Christmas so my PT scores are sucking right now. My Drill Sergeant has me on two-a-day PT to get my scores back up, he is trying to help me get back in shape for RIP so I don't waste my contract. He is going to Ranger school immediately after we graduate and assures me he can get me in shape by the time I go to RIP I just have to bust my ass. It sucks not having any kind of access to the internet or cars at all for that matter, gives you a lot of time to think about what you want to do though. I'm thinking Datsun 510 with a v6 from a 350z right now, we'll see what happens once that bonus money comes rolling in.

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what kind of bonus do they give you guys? I was looking into it a few months ago and soldiers only make about 14k a year. :3 way under paid.

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With a RIP contract I get 16,000 and pay is determined by rank, make rank in a couple years and you make decent money.

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youre smoking crack, the vq35 is a pile of ----. pencil dick rods smaller than d series

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Goddamn I made 20k last year doing some pissant jobs. I don't get that nice sign on bonus though... I considered the army but it's not for me. Good luck with everything, and ---- the vq

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they also cover most bills

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No they don't pay good at all. My cousin is in the army and went to afganland for 7months or so and only got paid a few grand. I can understand the low pay when your in training but when you have to go out on active duty i think you shoud get paid a hell of alot more than when you just back home on base

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I mean honestly. When my work year goes as bad as it possibly can and I only work about six months steadily for the whole year I still make about 36k. Bare in mind I work my nuts off it's highway construction usaully five to six twelves a week but I usaully get three months off in the winter wich is nice after a long summer.

But anyway a combat soldier should make atleast 100k a year because you have the chance of getting killed so it should be like hazard pay scale in construction. And the government would say we can never afford to pay that much but why not when we send billion dollar aid packages to third world countries all the time.

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My brother spent five days short of a full year in Iraq last year and made 44,000 tax free as a Sergeant. I only a PV2 and make about 14,000 or so a year, but consider that all my housing, food, medical, clothing, etc is taken care of and it evens out. As far as the danger thing goes it all depends on your job, I'm Infantry with a Ranger contract so I'll see plenty of danger but that's the life I chose. You could just as easily be a pogue and never have to do a day of work your whole time in the Army, it is all what you want out of it. If you can handle the criticism about never seeing any action and just collecting a pay check then do something besides the Infantry.

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---- no you missunderstand where I'm coming from. If I did join I want to be in the action. I just feel the government is to tight about paying you guys your due.

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You receive your pay, lifetime medical treatment, training, experience, room and board while deployed.

Hazard pay in the real world doesn't work.

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do you really have a ranger contract? im not sure why you would be on two a day pt sessions yet have a contract to become a ranger

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I spent two weeks in the hospital with viral meningitis and I'm recovering from that. Yes I do have a Ranger contract.

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No it doesn't I know in my union locals contract agreement the wording is really vague and full of loopholes so you can never really get it. Around here the only kind of work that I should really get it would laying brick in the steel mill it's like 150 degrees in there and you can only work for about 20 minutes at a time. But they only pay scale. And if you say anything about it they lay you off and bring in someone who won't rock the boat.

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I think osolohatch is confused about is that a Ranger contract is simply the garuntee to get to go to the ranger school not a garuntee of graduating and becoming a ranger. Although if you do graduate you do get the garuntee of being in the 75th ranger regimine (Correct me if I'm wrong though... I am an Infantry Marine who looked pretty heavily into the ranger option when I first enlisted but didn't want the risk of being regular Army if something happened)

As far as military pay is concerned its really not as bad as it looks on paper. They only stuff I pay for is crap that I want. Your first few promotions come real fast. Unless your a fuckup then withing a few years you should be E-4 wich is up around 20k a year wich isn't bad. And then on top of that if you get married, have kids or live off base the your pay will increase to cover that as well. In the long run, while you are by no means rich, it is a garunteed check every 15 days that amounts to enough to suport yourself and a family in a comfortable lifestyle.

Also if my ass is getting shot at, I want the man who has my back to be there cause he is as crazy as I am, not because he was suckered into it by promises of large amount of money.

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The option 40 contract is a guarantee to go to Airborne school and then RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program) and upon graduation assignment to the 75th Ranger Regiment. Once in regiment when you're deemed ready you will go to Ranger school, it isn't a guarantee to go to Ranger school and graduate or anything like that. If you ---- up or fail out at any point you are reassigned according to the needs of the Army.

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Oh OK. I got the RIP and the ranger school confused I guess... What do you do in between RIP and Ranger school?

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What the ---- do you need to buy. You've got everything paid for. It's pretty much spending cash for christ sake's unless your trying to be baller and get ---- you can't afford. When I was in their were dumb fucks who just got into tech school and went out and bought like new cars and ---- and then started racking up ---- on their credit card at the local BX. I was living fine just on a normal E2 pay with no extras whatsoever.

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Everything is going well, I graduate Friday and move to Airborne hold. The money is just spending money pretty much, I want to get rid of the Cobalt and get something older to modify again the damn thing just costs too much. If anyone has something worthwhile in Georgia let me know, I'll be back to a life of freedom Friday evening.

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I remember someone posting up a running midget with a 12a in it for cheap on GRMotorsports.com.