According to a recent report byTodd Harrison of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a majority of troops would rather have a small (as little as 1%) raise and push off retirement benefits to age 50.

For soldiers under the age of 29, the increased pay would be at least $250/year, for soldiers 30-39, the amount is $520/year, and for soldiers aged 40-49 the amount is $650/year. Officers usually retire at age 47, and the three years of retirement pay they would give up under this new plan amount to around $190,000, while enlisted men, who retire around age 43 would give up about $277,000 over the seven years of retirement pay.

The survey also found that soldiers young and old prefer the current 20 years of service for full retirement benefits, versus plans with both shorter and longer times of service.