On Thursday 12 Jun 2003 12:38 pm, you wrote:
> Kat,
> Even when I was in, most enlisted personnel wifes took jobs to make ends
> meet.  We only got housing allowances if we lived off base or off naval
> housing.  I got $300 a month because we didn't have a galley on our command
> and had to buy our own food, plus a housing allowance, about $175 a year
> for uniforms (even though the cost was much higher because I usually had to
> buy at least 5 sets of working uniforms, new boots, 2 new sets of whites,
> and 2 new sets of blues, socks, t-shirts, etc every year).  Being an E-5
> after 5 years in the military my base pay 12 years ago was something like
> $11,000, I think with extras I got it somewhere up to $20,000.  I'd have to
> look it up. Oh, I also had to pay for my own life insurance and pay into
> the GI bill the first year in the service.
> You could make it, and many families still do, but, you do have to be
> thrifty.  I do miss the the cheaps at the on base malls and commissary
> plus, the cheap recreation opportunities.

"cheap recreation opportunities".... I'm thinking young sailors here. ;-)

>
> beth t the OT
>

Its not that long ago Britain stopped the the "grog" ration - "never touch a
man's rum, bum or baccy" a Chief PO mate of mine always used to say.

Cheers

Deri