St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-07-12
JOINING The ARMY
Opportunities That are Open to
the Enlisted Man.
HIS PAY AND HIS PROSPECTS.

Even ~ . Private He Can Hum His
Salary Up TO SIS Month, and ne q
"Nencom" He Can Double That and
I'm Time Retire Rich and Pensioned.
There are many opportunities open
20 the man who enlists in the United
States army and wears the uniform
of Uncle Sam with honor to himself
and his country. The pay Is good. the
food is good. and the chances for adj
vancement are numerous. 1t is up TO
the individual man himself to make
good and to take advantage Of the
situation.
Writing in the Columbian Magazine
on army affairs. Edward Marshall in
discussing the status of the enlisted
man says:
Summarized. this Is what a man
who thinks of marching for his Uncle
Samuel as an enlisted man has to con-
slider:
On first enlistment the soldier for
Old Glory nowadays gets $15 month.
far better pay. for instance, than the
average clerks, for board. lodging and
clothing are furnished by the govern
ment. If he qualities as marksman
he adds 50 to his pay; If as a sharp
shooter he gets s. in addition; If as
an expert rifleman a full third more.
Thus he may at once get $50 monthly
cash and found If he is able and keeps
busy.
II he enlists as a musician he gets
$21 monthly to start off with, the
highest rockies pay. In the signal
corps. the hospital corps and the en-
gineers' corps first class privates get
$1S monthly, and second class privates
get SIS.
Upon enlistment every man is allow
ed $3.50 for his uniforms. etc., and
afterward $13.54 twice annually. At
least one-half the men save money on
their clothing allowance, which is more
than ample. Privates' pay increases
So a month for each three year en-
istment. An expert rifeman who
never gets to be a petty officer, there
fore, can run his pay up, with good
conduct and intelligence. to $35
month and all his necessaries found
In five enlistments covering fifteen
years.
Noncommissioned officers are taken
from the ranks on recommendation OF
their company or troop commanders
and are often given their posts upon
their first enlistments. These men are
really well paid. A sergeant major is
allotted to each regiment. He receives
$45 monthly when he is appointed and
81 additional per month each time he
oil fSS, <,e,vs
geants, regimental quartermaster's SER
geants and the three battalion SER
geants in each regiment get the same
high pay. Each company has a first
sergeant at $40. with an increase of
81 upon -enlistments; second SER
geant at $50. with So increase for each
re-enlistment; a corporal at SIS, with
So each for re-enlistments. The gov
eminent acts as banker for the sol
diers, too. If they desire to. have it, and
officers have left the
service with as much as $4,000 saved
mot one, but many. If he sticks tight
to the service for full thirty years
noncommissioned officer Is entitled to
retirement on pay ranging from one
half to three-Quarters of his service
pay. Seventy dollars monthly is not
unusual pay for "noncom" to retire
on And every year OF service seen
outside the United States counts as
two years at a home post. A man,
therefore. after fifteen years Of service
in the islands may retire on his half
pay.
The food the 'snoncoms'' and the
other enlisted men are given is whole
some and well cooked. the medical at
tendance free and able. post and gar
rison schools have been provided at
all posts for the primary branches,
and at several posts trade schools
have been established. A worthy
man, no matter where he may be sta
toned, is almost certain to get trans
fer TO school post if he asks for
it Cooking, baking. blacksmithing.
veterinary surgery, electrical and sta
uonary engineering, all are taught at
these trade schools. as well as many
other things. Thus a boy who has
had little chance to get an education
may. after he has Joined the army.
get very good one.
There seems to be but one thing
which army life does not offer to the
enlisted man. But that one thing is
home.
In its degree indeed the life of the
enlisted man now offers more induce
ments than the life of the West Point
err. The commissioned officers pay 10
small when his expenses and the eff
fort he must make to get commission
ed are considered. and, furthermore,
the noncommissioned officer Is not so
subject to political influences as the
West Pointer, who gives him his COM