Military Pay Chart

The possibility of a 4.6% increase in the military pay chart in 2023 will be the highest increase of the decade. However, considering the inflation rate in the United States, which is already more than 11%, this increase may not be enough for military personnel.

As you might remember, the Biden administration shared their proposed budget for the fiscal year 2023 in March. In the budget of the U.S. government’s Fiscal Year 2023 proposal, Biden offered a 4.6% pay increase for both civilian and military personnel.

In the same proposal, defense spending is also proposed to increase by $30 billion. This means there may be a 4% increase compared to last year’s budget proposal. This increase corresponds to a 4.6% pay raise for all the troops.

The Last 4.6% Rise Came in 2007, Before the Financial Crisis

It is worth noting that the last 4.6% increase took place in 2007, which was a year before the financial crisis. On the other hand, the United States is now suffering from a significant rise in inflation, which is considered the worst since the 70s.

Whether history will repeat itself or not, a 4.6% pay raise will not be enough for military personnel. However, it is still better than nothing, and we hope the increase will be much higher.

Of course, this expectation is not realistic either. The government is struggling with numerous financial problems, and a government shutdown is in question as well. This possible increase will not help military personnel and their families maintain their lifestyle standards because of the increasing inflation rate.

It is also worth noting that this is just a proposal, and the pay raise is not guaranteed. This ratio may go down or up before it is approved. Most military personnel wonder whether the pay raise will be more prominent because of the increasing inflation.

Don’t Expect More Increase

Although our hopes are moving in this direction, expecting a bigger increase does not seem realistic. The government must find an extra budget to increase the defense budget to provide more pay raises. However, so far, the government is having problems with keeping the government open.

For these reasons, most experts believe the pay raise will not be more than 4.6%. Some of them also believe that the government may not be able to afford a 4.6% pay increase. Thus, they recommend paying attention to your spending and not going into debt by trusting these proposals.

It is important to understand that this 4.6% pay raise is just a proposal and nothing concrete. First, the proposal will be evaluated by Congress. During this time, the Senate and House of Representatives will modify, remove, or add parts of the budget before it is voted.

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Affects The Numbers

On the other hand, Biden’s administration is busy with speculation and talking about whether the pay raise may be higher. Although we hope for the same, the figures and facts show the opposite. We hope that the government will not announce a pay raise of at least 4.6%.

However, things seem a bit pessimistic for military personnel. Of course, another item in the equation is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government may be forced to increase the military budget to keep supporting Ukraine.

Russia’s next move is also significant in this equation. If the United States feels threatened, we are pretty sure that Congress will decide to increase the military budget. As a result, military personnel may enjoy a better and fairer pay increase.

Active Duty Officer Basic Military Pay Chart 2023

Monthly basic pay amounts are rounded to the nearest U.S. dollar and are for the active components of the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard.

*NOTE 1: Military basic pay for O-7 through O-10 is limited by the Level II of the Executive Schedule. The actual figures will be released at a later date.

*NOTE 2: Basic pay for pay grades O-6 and below is limited to the rate of basic pay for Level V of the Executive Schedule. The actual figures will be released at a later date.

E pay scale is Enlisted, W scale is Warrant Officer, O scale is Commissioned Officer. Effective January 1, 2023, if approved.