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So now they come out with this! I was all set to enlist in 1983, all the papers were signed, physical was good, and took the intelligence test. All I had to do was show up but I changed my mind for a number of reasons. $25k (or the 1983 equivalent) would have led me to go through with it. One of my regrets in life.
How many times have I heard that! "I was gonna enlist but.........!" You apparently made the decision that was right for you at the time. My desire to enlist in the military when I was 17 began when I was a young kid. If you're not committed to enlisting spending the next four years in the military life can be pretty miserable. It's best to stay home and do something else with your life. Regarding military bonuses they're taxed at a rate of between 25% and 28%. This is automatically done by the government, and not something you can change. If the withholding is too high for your tax bracket, then you will likely receive a larger than normal refund the following year. If not then your bonus was whatever was leftover after taxes. When I enlisted in 1976 that $25,000 was the equivalent of about $6,500. As an E-3 I was making about $5,000 annually. I'm doubtful that $6,500 paid over four years would have been much of an incentive for me to enlist.
Last edited by irishcopper; 04-14-2022 at 11:42 AM..
I grew up in the military in a career-military family and life changed very little from one Presidential administration to the next.
Just met an active-duty Navy SEAL that moved to Arizona (is commuting to Coronado just to get out of California). He said he is counting down the days to get his 20 years in. Said the last two years have been complete hell for him and his team. I said "you really can tell a difference in day-to-day life depending on who is President?" He said absolutely.
Don't know exactly what that means and all of the details, but the dude is of high character and I trust what he says.
How many times have I heard that! "I was gonna enlist but.........!" You apparently made the decision that was right for you at the time. My desire to enlist in the military when I was 17 began when I was a young kid. If you're not committed to enlisting spending the next four years in the military life can be pretty miserable. It's best to stay home and do something else with your life. Regarding military bonuses they're taxed at a rate of between 25% and 28%.
Wait!
You were taxed on your salary?
I was paid a Re-enlistment Bonus every four years of my career, I was tax-exempted.
During the periods when you were eligible for a Combat Medal you should have been exempted from income taxes.
Just met an active-duty Navy SEAL that moved to Arizona (is commuting to Coronado just to get out of California). He said he is counting down the days to get his 20 years in. Said the last two years have been complete hell for him and his team. I said "you really can tell a difference in day-to-day life depending on who is President?" He said absolutely.
Don't know exactly what that means and all of the details, but the dude is of high character and I trust what he says.
Likely means rules of engagement, uses for the military, budgets (pay raises, weapons, training, equipment, bonuses, etc.) and how the decisions from the commander in chief roll down hill to generals and downward. It all affects the morale and readiness of the military.
There was a time when we were told to "bring your own printer paper" or "use pine cones and go bang" to simulate a grenade due to not having money...
I was paid a Re-enlistment Bonus every four years of my career, I was tax-exempted.
During the periods when you were eligible for a Combat Medal you should have been exempted from income taxes.
You were a submariner and your re-enlistment bonuses were eligible for tax exemption because of periods you were awarded a combat campaign medal for your entire career? Please explain.
Qualifying Awards for the Veterans’ Tax Credit For Wars or Conflicts after May 8, 1975
Any of the following medals shall be considered a “theater of operations service medal†for the purposes of
qualifying a veteran for the Veterans’ Tax Credit in RSA 72:28. Typically, the medal will appear on the
discharge papers (such as the DD214), except for those who earned the medal, but were discharged prior to the
award. There must be documentation to qualify.
•Afghanistan Campaign Medal
•Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
•Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
•Iraq Campaign Medal
•Kosovo Campaign Medal
•Kuwait Liberation Medal
•Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
•Navy Expeditionary Medal
•Southwest Asia Service Medal
In addition, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the award of the following decorations shall also be
considered evidence of a veteran’s combat service and qualification for the Veterans’ Tax Credit:
Reference: “V†Device: “V†stands for Valor, and it is awarded to denote combat service.
If so specified, the medal must have the “V†Device to be valid.
•Air Force Cross
•Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V†Device
•Air Medal with “V†Device
•Army Commendation Medal with “V†Device
•Bronze Star Medal with “V†Device
•Combat Action Ribbon
•Combat Infantryman Badge
•Combat Medical Badge
•Combat Aircrew Insignia
•Distinguished Flying Cross
•Distinguished Service Cross
•Joint Service Commendation Medal with “V†Device
•Medal of Honor
•Navy Commendation Medal with “V†Device
•Navy Cross
•Purple Heart
•Silver Star
Last edited by irishcopper; 04-18-2022 at 06:47 AM..
[font=Arial]You were a submariner and your re-enlistment bonuses were eligible for tax exemption because of periods you were awarded a combat campaign medal for your entire career? Please explain.
Once a man qualifies to wear dolphins you get sub-pay. and are pretty much locked into the sub community. To my understanding, hazardous duty pay, combat pay, jump pay, sub-pay are all the same with the same benefits.
My first two years of Active Duty were spent attending schools. Once I reported to my first sub, I had one year to qualify as a submariner. From then on, I was paid sub-pay for the next 18 years.
Once you have completed so many years of continuous time on subs [it was either three years or five years] then you get 'career sub-pay'. If you should accept orders to some other kind of command like a sub tender or squadron or sub school the career sub-pay will continue for a set number of years in anticipation of your return to subs.
One feature that dispursing always seemed to think was important was your 'sub-gate'. The idea of a 'sub-gate' was that if you collected sub-pay for fifteen years continuous you needed to have spent at least 12 years on subs. If you failed to meet that goal, then you would lose your career sub-pay. So every few years the dispursing office would calculate your sub-gate numbers and record them in your pay record. If you did meet the sub-gate numbers then you could continue to be paid career sub-pay beyond fifteen years.
When I have googled Navy pay charts, they frequently do not list the sub-pays at all.
Once a man qualifies to wear dolphins you get sub-pay. and are pretty much locked into the sub community. To my understanding, hazardous duty pay, combat pay, jump pay, sub-pay are all the same with the same benefits.
My first two years of Active Duty were spent attending schools. Once I reported to my first sub, I had one year to qualify as a submariner. From then on, I was paid sub-pay for the next 18 years.
Once you have completed so many years of continuous time on subs [it was either three years or five years] then you get 'career sub-pay'. If you should accept orders to some other kind of command like a sub tender or squadron or sub school the career sub-pay will continue for a set number of years in anticipation of your return to subs.
One feature that dispursing always seemed to think was important was your 'sub-gate'. The idea of a 'sub-gate' was that if you collected sub-pay for fifteen years continuous you needed to have spent at least 12 years on subs. If you failed to meet that goal, then you would lose your career sub-pay. So every few years the dispursing office would calculate your sub-gate numbers and record them in your pay record. If you did meet the sub-gate numbers then you could continue to be paid career sub-pay beyond fifteen years.
When I have googled Navy pay charts, they frequently do not list the sub-pays at all.
Dolphins are my 'combat campaign medal'.
I collected flight pay when I was a Naval aircrewman, sea pay while at sea and deployed with the Fleet Marine Force and hazardous duty pay when I worked on the flight deck of a CVN. The only time our pay was tax exempt was when when were were in a combat zone. That was true if you were at sea, flying in a combat zone or on the ground with the Marines. Being awarded Naval Combat Aircrew wings or a Combat Action Ribbon didn't exempt you from tax liability for the rest of your career. I sure wished that it did.
Last edited by irishcopper; 04-18-2022 at 09:21 AM..
Just met an active-duty Navy SEAL that moved to Arizona (is commuting to Coronado just to get out of California). He said he is counting down the days to get his 20 years in. Said the last two years have been complete hell for him and his team. I said "you really can tell a difference in day-to-day life depending on who is President?" He said absolutely.
Don't know exactly what that means and all of the details, but the dude is of high character and I trust what he says.
That type of anecdotal comment really means nothing, especially without any specific details on what has changed. The only difference is that they liked the previous loudmouthed liar better than they do Biden.
Speaking as a former enlisted guy and retired AF civilian, I'll say it may indeed have something to do with it. Likely less for the younger folks with a year or two of service that don't know anything different, but those that have been around 5 or 6 years have seen some recent changes that may not sit well with them.
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