# US Soldiers in Afghanistan may not be paid **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 30, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821 "2011-07-30T07:55:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/1 "2011-07-30T07:55:28Z")
If there is a default.[Per Admiral Mullen](http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre76t0mh-us-usa-debt-afghanistan/) So what can we expect to see. Falling morale. Certainly. Dissatisfaction. Most likely. Mutiny? Resignations? It sounds like Spain in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/2 "2011-07-30T08:45:54Z")
Dissatisfaction at a minimum. No matter who you are, no matter how good your credit might be in the future, there’s no better way to turn loyal soliders disloyal than by not paying them on time and in full. If I were a warlord, I’d be breaking out my checkbook. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/3 "2011-07-30T12:38:09Z")
Sure because US Soldiers are the same as mercenaries. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/4 "2011-07-30T13:00:39Z")
With all due respect; US Soldiers are disciplined and motivated; they are however not angels. Even the most disciplined and motivated force can break down if the systems which keep an army in place and operational cease to work. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/5 "2011-07-30T13:13:12Z")
That was a response to **DWMarch** ’s “If I were a warlord, I’d be breaking out my checkbook.” Morale will be shit, but nobody will be switching sides or going AWOL. We will all get back pay, so it really isn’t much of an issue. Only those Soldiers already in some financial difficulty are going to be hit hard. But there are programs like the AER interest free loans and grants that will help Soldiers in these situations. They will be taken care of. Crying that Soldiers are not getting paid and the whole war will suffer and “oh no terrorists win!” is a political ploy. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/6 "2011-07-30T15:36:00Z")
Fuck’em. There in Afghanistan. What are they gonna do? Swim back? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/7 "2011-07-30T18:03:47Z")
If there was a sane man in-charge of the US; the US would have been out if Afghanistan about three years ago; there is no major US interest there that justifies the costs; especially when the US is in a situation where it seriously may not be able to pay is forces. Who would have thought of this ten years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/8 "2011-07-30T18:14:26Z")
In many countries, this would be a recipe for a military coup. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/9 "2011-07-30T18:49:21Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Fuck’em. There in Afghanistan. What are they gonna do? Swim back? I’m sure the Navy would bring them back. 😛 This dude I used to know spent some years in the Army. He said the two most important things for officers to know are: Don’t mess with the troops’ food, and don’t mess with the troops’ money. I agree with **Bear** , nobody is going to break and run, but it’s a morale killer. ---
**Author:** ![turner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@turner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/turner)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/10 "2011-07-30T20:57:49Z")
Doubtful. Possible but doubtful. The Government still has an income stream. The budget has been authorized through the fiscal year. The money that is coming in will go somewhere towards that budget, but its not enough to cover everything. It will probably be up to the Chief Executive (president) which of his executive departments will get priority in handing out that income stream. My guess is Social Security, medicare, medicaid and the military salaries and retirements will be the first to receive money. If he were not to pay the military, he’s be handing the Republicans a new club to beat him with. Its much easier to close other things like National forests and monuments, etc. that he can legitimately say are non-essential and that he didn’t want to close, but there were higher priorities to fund. This way he can piss off a lot of people whose vacations are ruined and say he was forced to do it by the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/11 "2011-07-30T21:23:09Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > In many countries, this would be a recipe for a military coup. Several Roman emperors were killed when they couldn’t pay their armies. ---
**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/12 "2011-07-30T21:26:13Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Fuck’em. There in Afghanistan. What are they gonna do? Swim back? “_Fine. When the guys in the military come looking for their pay, we’ll tell them to see you._” –Cecil Adams ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/13 "2011-08-01T10:42:11Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > Sure because US Soldiers are the same as mercenaries. :rolleyes: Did not mean to imply such. Nonetheless, men (and women) have families and needs. Is it all that impossible that there might be a soldier out there desperate enough to take money from whomever offers it, should Uncle Sugar not be able to pay his dues? Bradley Manning betrayed his country for _conscience_ and Lynndie England betrayed her country’s ideals for shits and giggles. Is it so unfathomable that PFC Smith, struggling to raise a handful of kids, might take cash from the enemy if his US military paycheck doesn’t come through? Now I’ll readily admit I’m projecting my own experiences here from witnessing the instant disloyalty of workers whose paychecks were deposited so much as a day late, no matter how valid the excuse might have been. Maybe soldiers will indeed soldier on even if they never get paid for it. And all the power to them if that is that case. I wouldn’t count on it though. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/14 "2011-08-01T14:29:04Z")
Sounds like scare tactics to make a point. It will never happen. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/15 "2011-08-01T16:38:10Z")
The Army’s Emergency Relief program has been overflowing with funds for the past couple years. Millions of dollars. This is because a Soldier’s commanding officer needs to sign the paper work, and it usually involves disclosing a lot of personal business and jumping through hoops that Soldiers don’t want to go through. So all of this money that is available to help Soldiers in financial crisis goes unused. However, this money is available to those in need. No family of any Soldier is going to go hungry. At least not at the fault of the government. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2011, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/16 "2011-08-01T17:05:34Z")
Well, I’ve seen several articles in which both major parties agree that _whatever_ happens, they will pay the troops, because nobody wants to be the politician who stiffed the troops. So I’d say the odds of the troops going unpaid are low, if only because nobody wants the stigma. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2011, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/17 "2011-08-02T06:27:20Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > The Army’s Emergency Relief program has been overflowing with funds for the past couple years. Millions of dollars. This is because a Soldier’s commanding officer needs to sign the paper work, and it usually involves disclosing a lot of personal business and jumping through hoops that Soldiers don’t want to go through. So all of this money that is available to help Soldiers in financial crisis goes unused. However, this money is available to those in need. No family of any Soldier is going to go hungry. At least not at the fault of the government. Fair enough, I had no idea that even existed. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/18 "2011-08-03T06:41:53Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Several Roman emperors were killed when they couldn’t pay their armies. Should have borrowed from their sleevies. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/19 "2011-08-03T07:48:24Z")
And yet, we have money to fund Obama’s lavish vacations-he soon will show up at Marthas Vineyard, with his 6 suvs, hundreds of SS personnel, etc.! ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2011, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-soldiers-in-afghanistan-may-not-be-paid/590821/20 "2011-08-03T08:18:44Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > And yet, we have money to fund Obama’s lavish vacations-he soon will show up at Marthas Vineyard, with his 6 suvs, hundreds of SS personnel, etc.! I’m pretty sure it’s not in anyone’s best interests to evaluate the Secret Service as “nonessential personnel.”