Obama gives military largest raise in 5 years, GOP refuses to give credit

As the Federal Times pointed out, Democrats in the House and Senate had originally proposed a 3.8 percent increase for federal workers, but the proposal died in the Republican controlled House. While pay for members of the military increases depending on length of service and rank, PayScale.com notes that the average salary for a solider is just over $40,000 a year, a number that most people agree is too low.