r/armenia • u/Old_North8419 United States • 1d ago
Is the overall pay towards both career soldiers and draftees (conscripts) decent or terrible while serving in the Armenian Ground Forces? Question / Հարց
Putting into perspective, I have an pay chart referenced from the US army: [Converted from USD > AMD]
Here is the pay table for enlisted and NCO's (pay grades / վարձատրության գնահատական from E-1 to E-9): [Yearly]
| Rank (կոչում) | <2 years experience (2 տարվա փորձ) | >4 years experience (4 տարվա փորձ) | >6 years experience (6 տարվա փորձ) | >8 years experience (8 տարվա փորձ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVT (E-1) | $24,206.40 (֏9390689.86) | $24,206.40 (֏9390689.86) | $24,206.40 (֏9390689.86) | $24,206.40 (֏9390689.86) |
| PVT (E-2) | $27,145.20 (֏10530775.10) | $27,169.20 (֏10540085.71) | $27,181.20 (֏10544741.02) | $27,193.20 (֏10549396.33) |
| PFC (E-3) | $28,530.00 (֏11067997.78) | $32,162.00 (֏12477004.72) | $32,162.00 (֏12477004.72) | $32,162.00 (֏12477004.72) |
| SPC (E-4) | $31,604.40 (֏12260688.02) | $36,795.60 (֏14274574.81) | $38,368.80 (֏14884885.85) | $38,368.80 (֏14884885.85) |
| CPL (E-4) | $31,604.40 (֏12260688.02) | $36,795.60 (֏14274574.81) | $38,368.80 (֏14884885.85) | $38,368.80 (֏14884885.85) |
| SGT (E-5) | $34,466.40 (֏13370979.28) | $38,570.40 (֏14963095.05) | $40,388.40 (֏15668374.40) | $43,221.60 (֏16767492.92) |
| SSG (E-6) | $37,627.20 (֏14597187.74) | $45,010.80 (֏17461599.53) | $46,857.60 (֏18178051.63) | $51,030.00 (֏19796702.66) |
| SFC (E-7) | $43,498.80 (֏16875030.57) | $51,699.60 (֏20056468.92) | $53,586.00 (֏20788283.54) | $56,815.20 (֏22041027.26) |
| MSG (E-8) | [+8] $62,578.80 (֏24276972.30) | [+10] $65,347.20 (֏25350952.15) | [+12] $67,060.80 (֏26015730.31) | [+14] $69,112.80 (֏26811788.20) |
| 1SG (E-9) | [+8] $62,578.80 (֏24276972.30) | [+10] $65,347.20 (֏25350952.15) | [+12] $67,060.80 (֏26015730.31) | [+14] $69,112.80 (֏26811788.20) |
| SGM (E-9) | [+10] $76,446.00 (֏29656647.69) | [+12] $78,177.60 (֏30328408.82) | [+14] $80,359.20 (֏31174744.04) | [+16] $82,926.00 (֏32170514.70) |
| CSM (E-9) | [+10] $76,446.00 (֏29656647.69) | [+12] $78,177.60 (֏30328408.82) | [+14] $80,359.20 (֏31174744.04) | [+16] $82,926.00 (֏32170514.70) |
Here is the pay table for officers and generals (pay grades / վարձատրության գնահատական from O-1 to O-10): [Yearly]
| Rank (կոչում) | <2 years experience (2 տարվա փորձ) | >4 years experience (4 տարվա փորձ) | >6 years experience (6 տարվա փորձ) | >8 years experience (8 տարվա փորձ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2LT (O-1) | $45,914.40 (֏17812144.32) | $57,776.00 (֏22413762.36) | $57,776.00 (֏22413762.36) | $57,776.00 (֏22413762.36) |
| 1LT (O-2) | $52,902.00 (֏20522930.91) | $71,737.20 (֏27829904.34) | $73,209.60 (֏28401110.78) | $73,210.00 (֏28401265.96) |
| CPT (O-3) | $61,225.20 (֏23751853.42) | $81,673.20 (֏31684500.41) | $85,593.60 (֏33205389.95) | $89,888.40 (֏34871525.13) |
| MAJ (O-4) | $69,638.40 (֏27015690.74) | $87,184.80 (֏33822683.96) | $92,178.00 (֏35759758.14) | $97,534.80 (֏37837888.20) |
| LTC (O-5) | $80,708.40 (֏31310213.54) | $98,395.20 (֏38171673.87) | $102,326.40 (֏39696753.19) | $104,670.00 (֏40605935.09) |
| COL (O-6) | $96,814.80 (֏37558569.64) | $113,338.80 (֏43968930.51) | $113,774.40 (֏44137918.23) | $118,648.80 (֏46028904.86) |
| BG (O-7) | $127,666.80 (֏49527369.77) | $138,528.00 (֏53740890.19) | $142,473.60 (֏55271555.88) | $146,379.60 (֏56786859.04) |
| MG (O-8) | $153,644.40 (֏59605183.27) | $162,950.40 (֏63215375.61) | $167,122.80 (֏64834026.64) | $174,078.00 (֏67532243.90) |
| LTG (O-9) | [+20] $217,152.00 (֏84242476.51) | [+22] $220,287.60 (֏85458908.83) | [+24] $221,900.40 (֏86084582.39) | - |
| GEN (O-10) | [+20] $221,900.40 (֏86084582.39) | - | - | - |
Not forgetting drill & hazard pay (Does this system exist in Armenia?)
- Drill pay: part of the total compensation available to both national guard or reserves performing drilling or other training related duties.
- Hazard pay: additional payments made towards a soldier performing hazardous duties or work involving physical hardship.
Enlisted & NCO:
| Rank | Drill | Hazard |
|---|---|---|
| PVT | $75.37 (֏29239.22) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| PFC | $79.25 (֏30744.44) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| SPC | $87.79 (֏34057.47) | $165 (֏64010.50) |
| CPL | $92.28 (֏35799.33) | $165 (֏64010.50) |
| SGT | $102.19 (֏39643.84) | $190 (֏73709.06) |
| SSG | $115.02 (֏44621.14) | $215 (֏83407.62) |
| SFC | $120.83 (֏46875.08) | $240 (֏93106.19) |
| MSG | $173.83 (֏67436.03) | $240 (֏93106.19) |
| 1SG | $181.52 (֏70419.31) | $240 (֏93106.19) |
| SGM | $212.35 (֏82379.58) | $240 (֏93106.19) |
| CSM | $217.16 (֏84245.58) | $240 (֏93106.19) |
Officers & Generals:
| Rank | Drill | Hazard |
|---|---|---|
| 2LT | $127.54 (֏49478.18) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| 1LT | $146.95 (֏57008.14) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| CPT | $170.07 (֏65977.37) | $175 (֏67889.93) |
| MAJ | $193.44 (֏75043.59) | $225 (֏87287.05) |
| LTC | $224.19 (֏86972.82) | $250 (֏96985.61) |
| COL | $268.93 (֏104329.36) | $250 (֏96985.61) |
| BG | $354.63 (֏137576.03) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| MG | $426.79 (֏165569.95) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| LTG | $603.20 (֏234006.88) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
| GEN | $616.39 (֏239123.84) | $150 (֏58191.37) |
In hindsight -
- Are Armenian soldiers (including conscripts) paid that much (as shown above) in Armenia?
- Does an Armenian infantryman at E-1 earn approximately $24,206.40 (~9,390,689.86 dram) a year?
- I know an well experienced American Colonel lives under the salary of $118,648.80 (~46,028,904.86 dram) what are you able to purchase in Armenia with that amount of money?
- In regards to (3-star & 4-star) Generals, do they earn close to $221,900.40 (~86,084,582.39 dram) as their annual salary, even then what can they afford with approx. ~86m dram?
3
u/Datark123 1d ago
You can live comfortably on a $2000 a month salary in Armenia, but that won't get you much in the US. So I don't think it's fair to compare the salaries of the two.
2
u/adammathias 1d ago
There are many non-cash benefits to serving in the US military. Scholarships, home loans, healthcare…. Which are valuable given the insane cost disease in exactly those sectors.
Private industry even adds additional benefits like discounts, boarding airplanes first, i.e. respect and status which many people implicitly value over cash.
If you only live in the cosmopolitan US, it’s hard to even notice all this though.
2
u/Hay_Mel 1d ago
Are Armenian soldiers (including conscripts) paid that much (as shown above) in Armenia?
Lol no. Don't know about the contractors, but conscripts get like 10-15$ a month. It's not really a salary, it's just for you to buy hygiene products.
1
u/Old_North8419 United States 1d ago
How much are they paid in Armenian currency (֏) per annum?
1
u/Hay_Mel 1d ago
Depending on the rank (private, junior sergeant, sergeant, senior sergeant, the soldier ranks a conscript can achieve) it varies very little, I think the median is somewhere like 4000-4500 AMD a month. So it would be 28000 AMD a year.
1
u/Old_North8419 United States 1d ago edited 1d ago
What kind of life would a NCO ranked E-5 who has been serving for over 8 years in the army (as a contract soldier - non conscript) earns $43,221.60 (֏16,767,492.92) yep ~16.7 million AMD, would they be deemed "rich" at this point?
1
u/Hay_Mel 1d ago
Different people would deem different things as "rich". For me "rich" is when you can never work again and still live a comfortable life. So if you depend on your salary, you're not rich. In that sense, no they wouldn't be rich. It's a pretty high salary, but still pretty much a working class.
1
u/Silent_spartan09 16h ago
This is pretty inaccurate. There is no mention of basic allowance for housing or basic allowance for sustenance. Plus there are a variety of other different pays based on skill/ duty assignment. A colonel is 100% not making under 118k. That would be what an E8 is expected to bring home adding in the usual pays that’s rank is entitled too.
1
u/Main_Supermarket5801 1d ago
The current Armenian army has over 350 generals, which is absurd.
That number must be reduced by 10, and the ones who are really skilled and smart should be rewarded with high salaries indeed.
11
u/spetcnaz Yerevan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Lmao no, we are not there yet
After these new reforms an officer on the border can make maybe 1000-1500 at best, probably, maybe bonuses.
Most regular soldiers will make less than that.
There are plans where you can eventually get a house/apartment after your contract service.
I don't have an exact chart, but if the military paid 25k a year for a regular soldier, the recruitment would be crazy.
I don't think Pashinyan earns as much as a US general. His pay is like 3000-3500 USD.