January 26, 2006: One attraction of the American military, especially for those looking to make a career out of it, are "the benefits." A recent government study has found that the average pay and benefits for people in the active duty military is $112,000 a year. Half of that is for health care and other benefits. While compensation (basic pay and add-ons for combat, bonuses and the like) has gone up about 30 percent in the past six years, health care has gone up some 70 percent. Reservists become aware of this when they are called to active duty. A government survey found that 72 percent of reservists made more, often 50 percent or more, as soldiers than they did as civilians. This took some of the sting out of being activated and sent to Iraq for a year.