Over the last 18 years, military pay raises outpaced those received by civilians, a report by Brookings notes.
Economic forces combined with political obligations pushed the earning potential for uniformed personnel, Brookings said.
Brookings cited an 2018 analysis by the Council of Foreign Relations that noted the modern military draws heavily from middle-class families.
Brookings said these enlistees historically expected a low salary combined with strong benefits. However, over the last 20 years civilian wages plateaued, while military compensation for the post 9/11 force kept increasing.
Service members at an E5 paygrade made 10 percent less than the median American in 2000. But by 2011 service members of the same rank made 10 percent more than the median American, Brookings said in its report.
And, according to Brookings, the economic recession started in 2008, about the same time as the “surge” in Iraq and the continuation of the war in Afghanistan. It said events created a shift in military compensation.
Brookings noted the pay differential could help create an opportunity for the Department of Defense to put together a more skilled and competitive military force.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.