There are 24 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #9 by Helium's members.
My husband is a soldier and has been for well over four years. After the government extended his contract three times without his consent, he doesn't even make enough money to pay our bills and feed our eight month old son, let alone ourselves. We've had to borrow money countless times from family members that can't afford it, for we can't borrow money from banks around here due to the fact that he doesn't have a year left in the military, and around here the military is the end all and be all. Yet they expect us to not go in debt, have enough extra to afford his uniforms, haircuts, gas to go to and from work numerous times during the day, not to mention the countless places they have to drive to and from on post each day, as well as a vehicle that passes all of their inspections, and a home for ourselves that is close enough so he can go to and from if on a whim his NCO's request him to go get something that's "vitally" important and then never use it. Not to mention the fact that they can stop his pay at any time and it will take at the very least two weeks to get it started again, meaning our little family is in limbo for two weeks. And don't forget about the promotions; the promotions usually go to the ones who don't deserve it, abuse the power, or sleep their way to the top. My husband can not be promoted for they say he if too fat, though he passes his physical tests and is a top notch soldier, they feel he should be skinny as a toothpick, instead of build with muscle as he is. And if the government would care to know, things cost a whole lot more in areas where there are a lot of soldiers. Why, because civilians use having post close to their advantage and jack their prices up. Where is all the money from my husbands enlistment bonus you ask? He never got one, because he joined before all of these outrageous bonuses just to get losers into the military came into effect. But he's probably been deployed, where's all the money that was saved up from his deployments? Truthfully, during a deployment you can not save up any money unless you are single with no children and no bills at home. Life still goes on and costs the same amount at home whether the soldier is there or not. In reality, a deployment costs more than having your soldier at home does because they are over there spending money on the things they need as well as food and things to keep their mind away from missing loved ones. So as far as the economic effects are concerned, I'd
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War in Iraq: The economic and emotional effects of war on the home front
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