The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[donaldtoo]

Are you salaried, or hourly paid? (Depending upon what company I worked at, I've been in both buckets of payroll.) At my last job, they had most employees at hourly. So OT was frowned upon by the bean counters to the managers. That pretty much kept most employees at 40 hours.

I’ve never worked a salaried job in my life, as I always would only accept hourly. Seems the fairest, all the way around, for both employer and employee, to me anyway.
They’re not payin’ me for hours I may not work (which is pretty rare), and I’m gettin’ paid time-and-a-half for any approved OT.
Y’all may recall all the OT came in pretty handy, especially during the damn-demic.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I was on salary in retail for a long time. The interview would go like this: so if you make $11 an hour, we put you on salary for a 55 hour week, that’s $600/week but you have to stay until you’re finished. Then you don’t have to work a part time job!

It was often 5 days one week and 6 the next, with an iron day (open to close, usually 13 hours) in the mix.

That’s life. You live by the deal you make.

 

[Lilofan]

But deployment was not a constant yearly thing.
It's like cruise ships.. Aka months at a time.

Not true for my uncle who was an aircraft carrier mechanic deployed at least 1x a year for months at a time, but the crew was well fed on ship. He was based in Norfolk VA.

 

[MinnieM123]

I was on salary in retail for a long time. The interview would go like this: so if you make $11 an hour, we put you on salary for a 55 hour week, that’s $600/week but you have to stay until you’re finished. Then you don’t have to work a part time job!

It was often 5 days one week and 6 the next, with an iron day (open to close, usually 13 hours) in the mix.

That’s life. You live by the deal you make.

As long as the financial situation works for a person, that's what matters. Everyone's needs are different.

 

[MinnieM123]

Not true for my uncle who was an aircraft carrier mechanic deployed at least 1x a year for months at a time, but the crew was well fed on ship. He was based in Norfolk VA.

Years ago, I heard that the Navy had the best food in the armed services. Haven't a clue if that's still the case now, but your comment above reminded me of that.

 

[Figgy1]

 

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[Figgy1]

3 days until Easter

 

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[Lilofan]

Years ago, I heard that the Navy had the best food in the armed services. Haven't a clue if that's still the case now, but your comment above reminded me of that.

A report in 2019 advised US Navy is more obese than Army, Air Force and Marines. I believe it. My friend Skip said when he deployed submarine duty out of Groton CT average weight gain on the sub was 8 pounds in 4 month deployment , 18 hour days 7 days a week

 

[Goofyernmost]

If our brave men and women in the military were paid hourly they would make a nice income. My relative who is retired Navy worked 9-10 hours in port , underway on an aircraft carrier 15-16 hour days , 7 days a week , months at a time. If general quarters is happening on the ship all crew at battle stations regardless if one is off duty or on duty , some can be awake for up to 40 hours on duty working.

I agree that the military salaries are not through the roof, but don't forget that there are other benefits and added moneys connected with the nature of the job and ones personal choices. There is the regular salary for the various "E" levels (E-1 etc.) If you are single there is free housing, free meals, free health care, 30 days vacation per year plus usually alternating holidays and some other situational pay like hazardous duty pay, sign up bonuses and so on. You can't just randomly cite salary. Since it's currently all volunteer, I'm sure the wages are much, much higher now then it was during the time when the draft existed and was being used..

When I was in the Air Force, 50+ years ago, starting wage was $48.00 per month, but you had no other expenses. Married military usually receive a housing allowance and extra family related things like shopping commissary's both for dry goods and food at a very discounted rate. I have no idea what the rate of pay in the military is now but whatever, comparing military situations to civilian is not really a fair comparison. Also I was in during a major war police action. At that time for those on permanent support status usually worked 60 hours per week, but when state side unless it was some major project it never even made it to 40 and no one was even caring one way or the other as long as the work got done. Also remember that the military wasn't trying to make a profit either but when the budget is discussed the public doesn't seem to care much about that unless it means that taxes are higher.

At the time, I and a lot of my fellow service men went in because we felt it was something that we owed to our country and we felt we were trying to keep freedom in existence. It isn't always about money.

 

[Lilofan]

I agree that the military salaries are not through the roof, but don't forget that there are other benefits and added moneys connected with the nature of the job and ones personal choices. There is the regular salary for the various "E" levels (E-1 etc.) If you are single there is free housing, free meals, free health care and some other situational pay like hazardous duty pay, sign up bonuses and so on. You can't just randomly cite salary. Since it's all volunteer now, I'm sure the wages are much, much higher now then it was during the time when the draft existed and was being used..

When I was in the Air Force, 50+ years ago, starting wage was $48.00 per month, but you had no other expenses. Married military usually receive a housing allowance and extra family related things like shopping commissary's both for dry goods and food at a very discounted rate. I have no idea what the rate of pay in the military is now but whatever, comparing military situations to civilian is not really a fair comparison. Also I was in during a major war police action. At that time for those on permanent support status usually worked 60 hours per week, but when state side unless it was some major project it never even made it to 40 and no one was even caring one way or the other as long as the work got done. Also remember that the military wasn't trying to make a profit either but when the budget is discussed the public doesn't seem to care much about that unless it means that taxes are higher.

At the time, I and a lot of my fellow service men went in because we felt it was something that we owed to our country and we felt we were trying to keep freedom in existence. It isn't always about money.

Family and friends joined military for a number of reasons
ROTC in college graduated with no debt served several years as officer
Enlisted because not much job opportunities in their small town
Enlisted Navy then became submariner served several years then Navy paid for his 4 year college after serving
When you get deployed not uncommon to work up to 100 hours a week in combat zone. The one thing my buddy Don advised even with free meals free housing etc his fellow peers were always in debt going out to eat drink , leasing new sports cars and enjoy what life has to offer.

 

[Goofyernmost]

A report in 2019 advised US Navy is more obese than Army, Air Force and Marines. I believe it. My friend Skip said when he deployed submarine duty out of Groton CT average weight gain on the sub was 8 pounds in 4 month deployment , 18 hour days 7 days a week

Skip was exaggerating, I think. Submarine duty is fully staffed and probably work in 12 hour shifts. 18 hour days would make for a very tired, inefficient military. Maybe the occasional long day but not constantly. With shift work that would mean overlapping personnel and there just isn't that much room on a submarine to have that many at a time unless there is some actual military action.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Family and friends joined military for a number of reasons
ROTC in college graduated with no debt served several years as officer
Enlisted because not much job opportunities in their small town
Enlisted Navy then became submariner served several years then Navy paid for his 4 year college after serving
When you get deployed not uncommon to work up to 100 hours a week in combat zone. The one thing my buddy Don advised even with free meals free housing etc his fellow peers were always in debt going out to eat drink , leasing new sports cars and enjoy what life has to offer.

Not everyone in a war is actively in combat day after day. There are always times when extra is asked. I was in an active warzone, not in the field, but part of a huge military base just outside of Saigon and 60 hours was the limit unless we came under attack and were called out to defend the base, but that wasn't constant even though we were sitting ducks. War stories tend to get more colorful after they are repeated several times. That doesn't mean that I think it was a piece of cake, it was terrible, hot, smelly, thankless and extremely dangerous but it was something that was happening and even though it cost me a year of my life, it cost 55,000 young, vital men and women their future. Something I will never quite get over.

 

[Lilofan]

Skip was exaggerating, I think. Submarine duty is fully staffed and probably work in 12 hour shifts. 18 hour days would make for a very tired, inefficient military. Maybe the occasional long day but not constantly. With shift work that would mean overlapping personnel and there just isn't that much room on a submarine to have that many at a time unless there is some actual military action.

Nope. Submariners work longer days than other Navy personnel.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Nope. Submariners work longer days than other Navy personnel.

OK, I've never been in a submarine so I don't really know, especially in current times.

 

[Figgy1]

@StarWarsGirl Me still screaming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you get to watch soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The sweetest cutest cast member is back

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Worf and Raffi perfect together

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Data is BACK!!!!!!!! Better than ever

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Nice nod to Tasha Yar

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I stand by wanting to have the kids get their own show!!!!!!!!!

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