Almost none of the junior enlisted were married and/or had kids when I was in, but I hear that has all changed now. It seemed that people waited until E-5 (promotable) or E-6 to start a family back then.
I don’t even recall seeing any woman at any base I was on except at the Hospital. I think I knew maybe a dozen guys that were married that were below E5
When I was in what amazed me was the rapid increase in single parenting, using the military as another form of “welfare” to provide for families without a baby daddy....
Yes, they go to work but with daycare centers, easy medical access, lower commissary prices, etc., “single moms” have plenty of resources at their disposal...a trend I noticed while serving.
Very few married E.M. below E-4 or E-5 when I was in too, those few were in poverty then too. 1963-1967.
P.S. Unless their wives had very good jobs or parents who helped support them.
It seemed that people waited until E-5 (promotable) or E-6 to start a family back then.
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I was in 56-64 and one needed permission to get married under E5 but even then you needed permission inasmuch as if you weren’t getting married ‘overnight’ you had to put in a leave chit and give them a reason for leave.
Like we used to say ‘If they wanted us to have a wife she would have been included in the Sea Bag’.
Had a few married under E5 but was definitely NOT the norm.
On the permission thing, you may have gotten away with getting married under E5 BUT you still had to go through your command to get an allotment etc.
Also, the Draft was in effect but I think if you had ‘under age’ children you were pretty much exempt - at least during peace time.
Two things ‘happened’ in my family that you would NEVER see today...when I turned 16 ‘State Farm’ dropped my Mothers automobile policy because I was 16 (without a drivers license) and living at home AND the same period she tried to join the AF (she was a Registered Nurse) and she was a ‘single’ Mother (Divorced) with me and a sister (14) to support - granted, she was probably between 35-40 and that may have had something to do with it also.