[ims]

Lower compensation than private sector is not specific to the military. It is true of most government positions.

Typical offsetting factors that rational agents weigh include pensions, education subsidies and other benefits, job stability, and perceived upward mobility.

[dmoy]

True - and for some areas of government it can be crazy. Someone working tech on GS really needs to want to work in government, because they're making 3-5x less.

What is really crazy to me is financial regulators on GS schedule.

And federal government pays well compared to a lot of local stuff.