Dan, here I am going to have to disagree with you.

I believe our service personell do need a pay raise. The average frontline soldier makes less than a lot of McDonald's Store Supervisors.
And has a little more difficult job.
No, don't put them at the upper end of the medium income. But, yes, give them a living wage. For instance my nephew USAF Married with two children, in school. His wife is employed, if she were not, they would qualify for a large number of social services, including food stamps. That isn't right Dan

While they are supplied with a number of benifits any civilain would not have, they should be able to do their job without worrying about getting the rent paid every month, or that little Susan gets new shoes.