Cadet pay
From USAFA Folklore
Cadets are paid a stipend every month. At times (when?) this pay has been tied to a certain percentage of a second lieutenant's pay. Regular services such as laundry, haricuts, computers and uniforms are deducted from cadet pay. Some deductions, such as the mandatory deductions for athletic event passes, are often criticized by cadets. Because of the high initial cost of computers (first issued to the Class of '89), uniforms and other items, those deductions are pro-rated over the first two years. Thus, a fourth class cadet's pay is currently about $115 per month, rising to $220 a month as a third class cadet, and up to full pay (currently $846/month, minus deductions) once the initial layout is paid off.
In addition to deductions, every month a certain amount of the pay is held in a special account known as Magic Money to help cover certain expenses that regularly arise, such as Class Rings, officer uniforms prior to graduation, and small increases before leave periods to help cover travel costs.
[edit] Cadet Pay Through the Ages
| Class | Downpayment at Inprocessing | Take home pay per month | Link to 2Lt Pay | Base Pay | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4º Pay | 3º Pay | 2º Pay | 1º Pay | |||||
| 1959 | ||||||||
| 1960 | ||||||||
| 1961 | $300 | $15 | $27 | $30 | $36 | 50% | $222.30 | |
| 1962 | ||||||||
| 1963 | ||||||||
| 1964 | ||||||||
| 1965 | $10 | $10 | $10 | $35 | 50% | |||
| 1966 | ||||||||
| 1967 | ||||||||
| 1968 | ||||||||
| 1969 | ||||||||
| 1970 | ||||||||
| 1971 | ||||||||
| 1972 | ||||||||
| 1973 | ||||||||
| 1974 | ||||||||
| 1975 | ||||||||
| 1976 | ||||||||
| 1977 | ||||||||
| 1978 | ||||||||
| 1979 | ||||||||
| 1980 | $300 | $ | $ | 50% | $361.50 | |||
| 1981 | $300 | $35 | None | |||||
| 1982 | ||||||||
| 1983 | ||||||||
| 1984 | ||||||||
| 1985 | ||||||||
| 1986 | $60 (the standard $2/day) | |||||||
| 1987 | $500 | $60 | None | $480 ($494.20 after Jan 1987) | ||||
| 1988 | $500 | $60 (until payback complete) | ? | ? | $250 | None | $480 ($494.20 after Jan 1987) | |
| 1989 | (Started tradition of having to pay for issued PCs.) | |||||||
| 1990 | $1000 | $60 | ||||||
| 1991 | ||||||||
| 1992 | $1000 | $60 | $150 | $360 | $430 | None | $543.90 | |
| 1993 | ||||||||
| 1994 | ||||||||
| 1995 | ||||||||
| 1996 | ||||||||
| 1997 | ||||||||
| 1998 | ||||||||
| 1999 | ||||||||
| 2000 | ||||||||
| 2001 | $5000 | $65 | $150 | $280 | $390 | |||
| 2002 | ||||||||
| 2003 | ||||||||
| 2004 | ||||||||
| 2005 | None | $80, $100 | $220 | $330 | $760 | |||
| 2006 | ||||||||
| 2007 | ||||||||
| 2008 | ||||||||
| 2009 | $100 | $100 | $200 | $700 | ||||
| 2010 | $100 | $225 | ||||||
| 2011 | $115 | |||||||
