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People here on the mainland often ask me "what's living in Hawaii like"? when they find out I'm from the islands. My usual answer is: It's paradise for the rich, tourists, and the military. For everyone else it can be a choice slice of tropical hell... Maybe a little too trite a description but in the ballpark. V/R
People here on the mainland often ask me "what's living in Hawaii like"? when they find out I'm from the islands. My usual answer is: It's paradise for the rich, tourists, and the military. For everyone else it can be a choice slice of tropical hell... Maybe a little too trite a description but in the ballpark. V/R
That description sounds like how many others live on the mainland, too, in my experience
As far as being paradise for the military . . . I'll say that many military service members and their families do very well (or at least aren't really hurting financially) in Hawaii, but things aren't always rosy outside of that. Indeed, while we are paid handsomely in terms of housing and COLA pay, which are all tax free and in addition to other allowances and our base pay, many military members actually don't find Hawaii to be paradise for the following reasons:
Too far, distance-wise, from friends and family members on the mainland;
Larger families still very well may be scrapping by as all of that BAH and COLA is likely going to housing, with nothing left over to use as single members often have;
Many military spouses who were working on the mainland and otherwise would work in Hawaii often find it very difficult to find comparable work in the state, which doesn't help these families out financially.
From a financial standpoint, Hawaii is pretty sweet for dual-military couples/families, singles, or military couples/families that are small in size.
That BAH and COLA can really add up. My son, who's assigned to the Puzzle Palace in DC adds about 35% more to his take home every month to cover the costs. His little studio across the river from work costs the same as a nice studio in a good area of Waiks. The mil pays quite well these days... I was making $480 a month when I joined in the late 70's. After deductions and allotments I banked ~ $180 a month. Low even for back then... V/R
That BAH and COLA can really add up. My son, who's assigned to the Puzzle Palace in DC adds about 35% more to his take home every month to cover the costs. His little studio across the river from work costs the same as a nice studio in a good area of Waiks. The mil pays quite well these days... I was making $480 a month when I joined in the late 70's. After deductions and allotments I banked ~ $180 a month. Low even for back then... V/R
Yep. It's a nice bump. I'm at Fort Meade, MD until I return to Honolulu later this year. My BAH and BAS out here adds on another $33k to my annual pay, and all tax free. When I return to Honolulu, between BAH, BAS, and COLA, I'll be getting an extra $51k a year ($6k of that will be for dependent pay for my kid, who isn't born yet)--again, all tax free--on top of my actual taxed salary of $78,000. Considering that I don't pay state income taxes, too, my pay takes on an even different meaning.
Still, while I'm able to pocket a decent amount of my non-taxable pay each month, many families would not be in that situation. If you live in many kinds of military housing--which is the only way that many families can make things work as signing a private lease would be cost-prohibitive and consume all of their BAH and then some--you are required to give up your entire BAH.
Note, most mainland locations don't have COLA, but they are implementing more--mostly paltry--monthly COLA payments to several locations to include DC. Hawaii (and I think Alaska) seem to be unique among American military duty stations for both high BAH and substantial monthly COLA payments.
If you're stationed in a US territory like Guam or in another country, you'll get a decent amount of COLA, but you don't get paid BAH. Instead, you get (I know you know this . . . I'm primarily writing for those who do not) Overseas Housing Allowance, which goes directly to the LL and as I understand cannot be used to pay down a mortgage (unlike BAH).
In any event, active duty military status isn't forever, so indexing one's ability to throw roots absent those huge financial subsidies is an exercise in futility. It's just a paid vacation, much like Europe/Pacific assignments.
Back to the topic at hand. As a native of PR, I underwent a similar dynamic, as an economic brain drain statistic myself. I often joke that the real luxury living is done by those in my demographic who stayed; foregoing income is luxury in my book. I just couldn't afford the paycut like they seemingly can and pride themselves in. Waiting for the old folks to kick the bucket so one could inherit the paid-for roof was never my definition of a "life plan" to raise my replacement and thrive in life; I find it grossly dehumanizing and entitled. I also don't find the quip "I live where you vacation" the "own" people think it is. I find it ironic and the weirdest of flexes really. But I recognize my bias as someone who emigrated for economic duress.
Hawaii is in a slightly better position than my territory, mainly due to statehood and the availability of more federally subsidized industries, to include ones where someone in my industry (pilot) could find mainland tracking wages in locally domiciled employment. This will continue to be the case as the new Cold War with China makes the Pacific theatre strategically relevant for the rest of my expected natural life, whereas back home my island continues to sink into economic irrelevancy outside that condescending towel folding hospitality industry, and the coddling of tax-evading crypto douche-bros with zero interest in contributing to the local culture.
Active .mil retirement here in 7 or so years should afford me the ability to at least snowbird back home to some degree, which is much more practical from South/Southeast CONUS locations than it would be for a HI native from the west coast. Silver linings I guess.
In any event, active duty military status isn't forever, so indexing one's ability to throw roots absent those huge financial subsidies is an exercise in futility. It's just a paid vacation, much like Europe/Pacific assignments.
Back to the topic at hand. As a native of PR, I underwent a similar dynamic, as an economic brain drain statistic myself. I often joke that the real luxury living is done by those in my demographic who stayed; foregoing income is luxury in my book. I just couldn't afford the paycut like they seemingly can and pride themselves in. Waiting for the old folks to kick the bucket so one could inherit the paid-for roof was never my definition of a "life plan" to raise my replacement and thrive in life; I find it grossly dehumanizing and entitled. I also don't find the quip "I live where you vacation" the "own" people think it is. I find it ironic and the weirdest of flexes really. But I recognize my bias as someone who emigrated for economic duress.
Hawaii is in a slightly better position than my territory, mainly due to statehood and the availability of more federally subsidized industries, to include ones where someone in my industry (pilot) could find mainland tracking wages in locally domiciled employment. This will continue to be the case as the new Cold War with China makes the Pacific theatre strategically relevant for the rest of my expected natural life, whereas back home my island continues to sink into economic irrelevancy outside that condescending towel folding hospitality industry, and the coddling of tax-evading crypto douche-bros with zero interest in contributing to the local culture.
Active .mil retirement here in 7 or so years should afford me the ability to at least snowbird back home to some degree, which is much more practical from South/Southeast CONUS locations than it would be for a HI native from the west coast. Silver linings I guess.
Cheers.
Sure, active duty status isn't forever, but what job is? The thing about those who stick it out and get a pension from the military, most are still relatively young (generally late 30s to mid 40s). So, these people have a decent pension--depending on their rank at retirement, etc.--and most will still go on to a second career in order to supplement their pensions if only out of sheer boredom if they don't have to work. And, in many cases, folks at retirement time (or even folks who get out before retirement time) are able to command higher salaries in their new careers (again, if they so choose) based on the experience they have gained from their active duty service.
To your other point, PR is an interesting case. Like Hawaii, Puerto Rico has high local taxes I understand, though I also understand that Puerto Ricans generally don't pay US federal income taxes on island-sourced incomes But Puerto Rico seems to have a smaller tourism base than Hawaii (from my admittedly basic research on the matter, I see that Puerto Rico had 3.7 million visitors in 2019, compared to the more than 10 million Hawaii saw in that year), which I'd imagine means fewer jobs in the industry, which is helping to lead to increased economic brain drain. But maybe I'm overstating the importance of tourism to the Puerto Rican economy, though
Last edited by prospectheightsresident; 01-08-2022 at 01:56 PM..
I was just thinking the same thing - isn't 62 the mandatory retirement age?
Yep (at least outside of the flag/general officer ranks who are allowed to serve for a couple of years later), although with the caveat that most aren't eligible to serve until that age based on the average age that people typically join the service. It would really come down to what age you came into the military and what ranks you advance to. As an officer, for instance, you can only generally serve 20 years of commissioned service if you fail to select to the rank of O5 (Commander or Lieutenant Colonel across the different services). That amount of time you're able to serve goes up as you continue to promote; I think that O5s are able to serve 28 years as an officer while O6s are able to serve 30 years of commissioned service. If you're coming into the officer corps right out of college and don't promote past O6, you'll be retired by 52 (assuming a college graduation age of 22), which, under the old system means that your pension would be roughly 75% of your high three year base pay (or 75% of $12,980 a month in 2022 dollars).
Still, I'd wager this isn't all that different for any other job these days with many people working for multiple companies throughout their careers. Gone are the days when people--with some exceptions, of course--are staying at one single job for their entire career.
Note, enlisted careers work similarly, though I'm not as familiar with the maximum time in service for each rank for enlisted service members.
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The thing about those who stick it out and get a pension from the military, most are still relatively young (generally late 30s to mid 40s). So, these people have a decent pension--depending on their rank at retirement, etc.--and most will still go on to a second career in order to supplement their pensions if only out of sheer boredom if they don't have to work. And, in many cases, folks at retirement time (or even folks who get out before retirement time) are able to command higher salaries in their new careers (again, if they so choose) based on the experience they have gained from their active duty service. 
