Increase military yearly raises to at least 3% a year to offset the recent tax increase & the gap between the civilians.

With the recent increase in payroll tax in comparison to the recent annual military raises, the average enlisted member is losing about $80 a month after the raise. Although there is a budget crisis, the military pay needs to increase dramatically to offset the recent loss in pay and benefits. Review and compare the amount enlisted members with that of the officers and there will be a notable difference. The only difference between an officer and a an enlisted is the officer was hired with a degree. There are plenty of enlisted personnel that have higher degrees that officers, yet they are paid much less. Why should an enlisted E5 with 10 years in and a family have to live in a smaller, cheaper house, and less money than that of an officer O1 who is 8 years younger, with 2 years experience