 Most young people joining today's workforce will not be offered a company retirement plan. They'll travel through their career looking toward their own savings and social security to pay for their retirement. But members of the US military have a funded retirement system. They earn 2% of their pay times the number of years they serve and are eligible to collect after 20 years. That adds up to 40% of their basic pay every month for the rest of their life. And that's not all. Members who take part in the Thrift Savings Plan get matching funds from the government, up to 5% of their salary. So even members who only serve 4 years earn money they take with them for retirement. That's the US military's retirement plan.