And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
Swingwing Maintenance. I wonder what those guys are getting an hour for that work?
But wait...deployed on a gator freighter. So working 16 hrs/day, 7 days/wk, no such things as Sundays afloat. So with 30.4 days/mo (average) x 16 hr days, they're making about $6.57/hr.
In the late 80's early 90's I was in the US Navy. While on deployment I averaged about .18 cents per hour. While deployed the work day is a 24 hour day and we worked 7 days a week. There was some time off on Sunday mornings for religious services, but after that...turn to!
current E-5 pay is about $3,000/mo before medical, subsistence and housing; 10/hour days (if you're lucky): 10x4=40x4=260...3,000/260=$11.54/hour - far less if 12hours/day x 31days/month at sea.
I got out of Bobby Troop's goddam army in 1974 as a Sergeant E-5 with three years' service and over two years' time in grade, and with overseas pay and some kind of b.s. clothing allowance, got $444 a month.
Soon no longer will the enlisted be allowed to turn a wre nch. All contractor maintenance will replace them. Do you really want one of today's 18 year old drug waivered kid to work on an MV-22 or next generation helo? Sorry, things are too complex for the affirmative action IQ of a soap dish crowd.
How do we entice contractors to sail with an amphibious ship (like that pictured) that will go fairly close to an enemy shore? Military people will keep on doing maintenance for essentially ever, at least on-aircraft maintenance as pictured. There's a place for off-aircraft calibration and repair of components, especially when done in a safe rear area. ~ Doctor Weasel
In Vietnam in 67-70 flying on a Huey B model gunship as a door gunner and crew chief as a Spec 5. Best I recall I made about $500.00 a month that included hazardous duty and flight pay. Ship in for 100 hour maintenance we helped the maintenance guys or flew on another ship to cover crew shortages. Flew day and night for who ever requested us. Great days for a 21 year old kid!
Private E-1 Army pay was about $96 bucks a month in 1966. E-5 pay in RVN with combat pay and jump pay was around $500 bucks a month. Housing was a poncho liner and poncho. C rations were provided free. 7 days on, no days off but an R&R flight to Australia was free.
Private E-1 Army pay was $326.10 in June 1974. Didn't get to spend much of it the first few months. In May 1974 I was pouring concrete in the blazing Florida sun for $5 hr and I spent it faster than I could earn it. I was 19.
In the Coast Guard (enlisted) everybody worked and everybody flew. A pilot would generally do a preflight, & "might" help with the work depending on what and where things broke. This picture has 4 aircrew up top, I'd guess doing a preflight inspection..
Started out in 1980 as an E-2 assistant crew chief on A-10’s. Made just under 475 a month. 43 years later I’m a fully licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanic, with an Inspection Authorization cert, working medevac Lear45s & Beech Kingairs. 4 decades of aviation experience and I’m making less than 40/hr.
My guess, on average, an E5 paygrade.
ReplyDeleteE5 for navy, marine, army...E3 for air force.
DeleteE5 over 4 is $3199.20/month.
DeleteLUXURY!
But wait...deployed on a gator freighter.
So working 16 hrs/day, 7 days/wk, no such things as Sundays afloat.
So with 30.4 days/mo (average) x 16 hr days, they're making about $6.57/hr.
Oohrah.
Copy that. Was an E2 Marine on 46s on a Navy Helo Carrier working beaucoup hours in the early 70s. No minimum wage there.
DeleteCollege degree to break, HS diploma to repair, old Airforce saying.
ReplyDeletePride in service.
ReplyDeleteIn the late 80's early 90's I was in the US Navy. While on deployment I averaged about .18 cents per hour. While deployed the work day is a 24 hour day and we worked 7 days a week. There was some time off on Sunday mornings for religious services, but after that...turn to!
ReplyDeletecurrent E-5 pay is about $3,000/mo before medical, subsistence and housing; 10/hour days (if you're lucky): 10x4=40x4=260...3,000/260=$11.54/hour - far less if 12hours/day x 31days/month at sea.
ReplyDeleteWho remembers Bobby Troop's character in MASH?
DeleteI got out of Bobby Troop's goddam army in 1974 as a Sergeant E-5 with three years' service and over two years' time in grade, and with overseas pay and some kind of b.s. clothing allowance, got $444 a month.
Soon no longer will the enlisted be allowed to turn a wre nch. All contractor maintenance will replace them. Do you really want one of today's 18 year old drug waivered kid to work on an MV-22 or next generation helo? Sorry, things are too complex for the affirmative action IQ of a soap dish crowd.
ReplyDeleteHow do we entice contractors to sail with an amphibious ship (like that pictured) that will go fairly close to an enemy shore?
DeleteMilitary people will keep on doing maintenance for essentially ever, at least on-aircraft maintenance as pictured. There's a place for off-aircraft calibration and repair of components, especially when done in a safe rear area.
~ Doctor Weasel
In Vietnam in 67-70 flying on a Huey B model gunship as a door gunner and crew chief as a Spec 5. Best I recall I made about $500.00 a month that included hazardous duty and flight pay. Ship in for 100 hour maintenance we helped the maintenance guys or flew on another ship to cover crew shortages. Flew day and night for who ever requested us. Great days for a 21 year old kid!
ReplyDeleteJust for comparison in 67-70 I was a firefighter getting $300 minus $35 a mo for room and board. 5 days on 2 days off.
DeletePrivate E-1 Army pay was about $96 bucks a month in 1966. E-5 pay in RVN with combat pay and jump pay was around $500 bucks a month. Housing was a poncho liner and poncho. C rations were provided free. 7 days on, no days off but an R&R flight to Australia was free.
DeletePrivate E-1 Army pay was $326.10 in June 1974. Didn't get to spend much of it the first few months. In May 1974 I was pouring concrete in the blazing Florida sun for $5 hr and I spent it faster than I could earn it. I was 19.
DeleteIn the Coast Guard (enlisted) everybody worked and everybody flew.
ReplyDeleteA pilot would generally do a preflight, & "might" help with the work depending on what and where things broke.
This picture has 4 aircrew up top, I'd guess doing a preflight inspection..
$3?
ReplyDeleteStarted out in 1980 as an E-2 assistant crew chief on A-10’s. Made just under 475 a month. 43 years later I’m a fully licensed Airframe & Powerplant mechanic, with an Inspection Authorization cert, working medevac Lear45s & Beech Kingairs. 4 decades of aviation experience and I’m making less than 40/hr.
ReplyDeleteLooks to be USMC UH-1Y Venom, 1 Crew member and two AC Mecs of some type. More than likely on a Gator Freighter.
ReplyDeleteEarly 80s, as a brand new 2LT in the Army, fresh out of ROTC, my first paycheck was for $998/month.
ReplyDeleteI worked a real, full time factory job during all 4 years of college and I took a substantial pay cut when I went in.
That's because the PFCs in your new unit knew the job better than you did, and unlike you they'd already been promoted once. :)
Delete