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ArmyService SupportRank #97 of 101 by 4-year cost
88H

Cargo Specialist

9-week pipeline · BCT + AIT · Fort Gregg-Adams, VA
Training Pipeline
$19K
9 weeks
Annual MILPERS
$63K
E-4, 3 years service
Equipment Burden
$3K
per year (amortized)
4-Year Total Cost
$285K
DoD investment
4-Year Cost Breakdown
Training Pipeline
$19K7%
Military Personnel (MILPERS × 4yr)
$254K89%
Equipment Burden (× 4yr)
$12K4%
Training: 7% · MILPERS: 89% · Equipment: 4%= $285K
By the Numbers

The Army cannot deploy without cargo specialists. They move tanks, ammunition, and fuel — and the paperwork that tracks it all. Logistical failure is strategic failure, and 88Hs are the frontline of logistics.

Training Pipeline
Duration
9 weeks
Type
BCT + AIT
Location
Fort Gregg-Adams, VA
Pipeline Cost
$19K

88Hs manage military cargo movements worth billions — a single SPOE (Sea Port of Embarkation) operation can process $500M in equipment in 72 hours. The soldier doing the paperwork earns $32K a year.

Equipment & Annual Burden
Assigned Equipment
  • ·Forklift / Material Handling Equipment
  • ·RFID/Tracking Systems
  • ·Cargo Documentation Systems
  • ·Personal Protective Equipment
Annual Equipment Burden
$3K/yr
MHE share + logistics IT systems amortized
Military Personnel Cost (Annual)
Grade BenchmarkE-4, 3 years service
Base MILPERS$63K/yr
Total Annual MILPERS$63K/yr
Force Structure Context
Annual Accessions~2,200
Avg Career Length5 years
Annual Training Bill$41.8M
Total Force 4yr Cost$625.9M
Other Army Profiles

Cost estimates derived from DoD Comptroller per-soldier analysis, RAND Corporation military personnel studies, CBO military compensation reports, service-specific training cost testimony, and published equipment unit costs. Error margin ±15%. Individual costs vary by duty station, assignment, and deployment tempo. This is Phase 3 of the Honest MOS DoD Budget Intelligence Roadmap.