Before taxes and deductions, and also including per diem (since I pack food and consider most of the per diem as actual income, at least for the first year when it counts for 15-25% of my paycheck), I end up looking at about $2.8k/month. Figure you hold a line right out of training, 10 months at that puts you short of $30k. Splitting hairs though...first year pay is miserable from any angle you look at it.