Navet, I'm in agreement w/ you that the lowest E's aren't "paid well". I joined in 89 and I remember my first paychecks were around $300!
Here's the BAH calculator (this is just BAH, does not include BAS):
https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/pdcgi/bah/bahsrch.cgi
An E6 living in the DC area gets $2,586 (w/ dependent's) and $2,004 (without). So, an E6 with is getting $31,000+ tax free/year just for housing. Then they are earning (taking from your post, I didn't look this up) another $45K.....then they get a few thousand in BAS. So, they're making around $80K....as an E6!!
Sure, if you're in an operational unit (ship, air squadron, special forces, etc) you are busy and working a lot of hours. I've worked as many or more hours as an Officer as I have as Enlisted. I was a Corpsman when I was enlisted, I worked 7 days a week at times. When I was in a clinical/hospital job I sometimes worked 40 hour weeks w/ duty once or twice a month. I'm in a staff job now as an officer and I work 40-50 hours a week and do some light travel where I have to work weekends (like when I went to the Michigan/Cincinnati game two weeks ago).
My whole point was, when asked, I said that I feel like I am paid well (and sometimes/often times, feel over paid). I really like my job and I'm happy and grateful for it. But I paid my dues as an enlisted man and now I'm 'fat and happy'. BTW, I have a Master Chief (most senior enlisted man, E9) and he works the same exact schedule that I do. He's earned it. In fact, I take on more duties than he does....because I'm "junior" to a Master Chief (don't tell OUR master chief here!!). But a 20 year old uneducated E4 is even making $1650/month in BAH!
