Short answer: Yes. They’re conscripts, not slaves.
Long Answer: It was confirmed in Halo: Silent Storm that the Spartan-II’s had been banking recruit pay from the day they were conscripted. In fact, >!their commander for that Op, despite being lied to about their ages, gets hold of their paystubs and deduces that they are child soldiers!<
Little is known about what exactly they do with their money, but Linda was confirmed to buy special ammunition and custom rifles.
Interestingly enough, based off their service length and rank, if they were paid equal to their modern US military equivalent, they’d all be millionaires.
The Spartan-III’s, while not explicitly confirmed to have been paid, were almost certainly paid. Ackerson was a bastard, but he believed he was morally superior to Halsey, and definitely wouldn’t have employed slave soldiers.
Spartan-IVs are drawn from regular UNSC forces, them being paid is pretty much a given.
Paystubs? Man, I was in the Army starting in 1997, and even then, I was paid by direct deposit. I imagine the UNSC and Unified Earth Government had efficient ways to get their personnel the cR "credaroos" they deserved.
Your employers' HR department still makes a report of your pay each time direct deposit hits your bank account. You can usually get it on PDF.
It's just called a "paystub" for cultural reasons.
I wonder if ONI automatically invests the Spartans' pay into stuff like index funds or Roth IRAs (or whatever the future equivalent of those are).
Imagine retiring from being a Spartan after 50 years of service, checking your assets, and seeing you're worth tens of millions and have dozens of properties across four separate planets, or maybe you own a controlling share in a decently big shipping company.
Wake up from cryo sleep, review your portfolio, and accounts, realising you don't have to worry about money anymore. Just like Forrest Gump, "nice, one less thing".
Makes me wonder if they were taught how to do their taxes. It would be hilarious if Chief can do complex math in his head but struggles with whatever space-T4s the UNSC gives out.
That, or because it’s the year 2560 and not in North America, the space-CRA/space-IRS calculates their taxes for them and sends them space-mail showing their return/amount owing.
That might be too hopeful though.
Since none are ever listed as KIA - do those twice-monthly pay drops still go into their accounts and then quietly get sent to next-of-kin after a defined number of years?
...or...ONI being ONI...they just seize it through UNSC Asset Forfeiture?
I’d like to imagine they had some special fund for the families that they took the kids from. Paid the hospital bills for the flash clones when they got sick and died, paid for siblings education, or just sent an anonymous suitcase of cash
Halsey isn’t that nice though so maybe not
Nah - it's not that Halsey isn't that nice. It's that she schemes wheels-within-wheels deeper than a thousand year old Aes Sedai or Bene Gesserit. Halsey would not have wanted a single thread tying her/ONI/UNSC to those kids for as long as possible.
From a moral perspective - sure.
From a mission perspective - nice doesn't win wars.
In their respective universes, Bene Gesserit had their Kwisatz Haderach ultimate destination as their focus. Aes Sedai all had their different approaches to Tarmon Gaidon plans. Halsey knew that there was a threat coming for humanity that morality would only get in the way of.
Yep they aren’t slaves they do have their rights as conscripted soldiers. So they get paid and from some dialogue in Halo 5 they can take breaks if they need to for things like medical or mental issues. I’d assume they can retire I think I’ve even heard the chief was offered retirement and could become a Spartan 4 trainer but he denied the offer. So they must also get a retirement fund for when they are no longer fit for combat or are given permission to retire. They would likely get fake identities when they retire so ONI can keep their classified documents on the Spartan 2s, and 3s classified. I suppose that is what was hinted at in the Halo 3 trailer when the veteran said there was a memorial service for the Chief. It was ONI having his death faked so he could live as a different person in retirement.
Whenever I think about the one who had a kid I always imagine the kid getting in a fight or being bullied and the other kids dad comes in yelling and Maria literally picks up the bullies dad and yeets him like a ragdoll.
That would be great. Did they ever say if the kid got strength or speed because of the chemical augmentations she got. I know it didnt get the height and stuff cause that was different. I could have seore the kid got something.
II’s Yes
III’s probably, but 3’s were meant for suicide missions so it’s a grey area.
IV’s Yes
Spartan 3’s were made for suicide missions [halo wiki](https://www.halopedia.org/SPARTAN-III_program) post war any survivor were most likely payed
The Spartan-IIIs were designed to be cheap and expendable. Trained in companies of around 300 at a time with a training regimen tougher than that of the SPARTAN-II program,[5] they were ultimately sent on high-risk missions that the UNSC could not accomplish even with the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.[6] Though the casualty rates of the Spartan-IIIs stood at 100 percent on some missions, to ONI, all the operations were strategic successes. They were trading lives for time against the larger and technologically superior Covenant. ONI hoped that in time, enough Spartans would survive to train progressively more future Spartans, swelling the ranks of available supersoldiers from only 30 Spartan-IIs in 2531 to roughly 100,000 Spartan-IIIs within two decades.[1] However, this ultimately never came to pass due to budgetary restrictions and the SPARTAN-III augmentations being compatible with only a small percentage of the population.[7]
The operational history of the SPARTAN-III program has been marked by success and tragedy. Many of the operations undertaken by the soldiers were suicide missions, but were regarded as successes by the UNSC.[1]
The operational history of the SPARTAN-III program has been marked by success and tragedy. Many of the operations undertaken by the soldiers were suicide missions, but were regarded as successes by the UNSC.[1]
[halo wiki](https://www.halopedia.org/SPARTAN-III_program)
The Spartan-IIIs were designed to be cheap and expendable. Trained in companies of around 300 at a time with a training regimen tougher than that of the SPARTAN-II program,[5] they were ultimately sent on high-risk missions that the UNSC could not accomplish even with the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.[6] Though the casualty rates of the Spartan-IIIs stood at 100 percent on some missions, to ONI, all the operations were strategic successes. They were trading lives for time against the larger and technologically superior Covenant. ONI hoped that in time, enough Spartans would survive to train progressively more future Spartans, swelling the ranks of available supersoldiers from only 30 Spartan-IIs in 2531 to roughly 100,000 Spartan-IIIs within two decades.[1] However, this ultimately never came to pass due to budgetary restrictions and the SPARTAN-III augmentations being compatible with only a small percentage of the population.[7]
That first quote is made in retrospect so it has no bearing on their purpose. They were made for high risk missions, your quotes even prove that. The only (that I know of) mission they were sent to that was knowingly a suicide mission was operation torpedo, but even that was decades after they were created so it has no bearing on their purpose.
They were made because Spartans are cool and fun, they are good at high risk and are a huge morale boost.
*a decade not decades
Even Torpedo wasn't intended to be a suicide mission. It only went bad because long range recon mistook docked ships as part of the orbiting facility so what should have been a relatively simple demolition mission got sidetracked immediately because the III's were attacked as soon as they hit the ground then had seven cruisers square off with them directly.
You’re right I was misremembering. Prometheus was a suicide mission. Deep winter alludes to him and a few in the know knew the risk but still did the operation.
Short answer: Yes. They’re conscripts, not slaves. Long Answer: It was confirmed in Halo: Silent Storm that the Spartan-II’s had been banking recruit pay from the day they were conscripted. In fact, >!their commander for that Op, despite being lied to about their ages, gets hold of their paystubs and deduces that they are child soldiers!< Little is known about what exactly they do with their money, but Linda was confirmed to buy special ammunition and custom rifles. Interestingly enough, based off their service length and rank, if they were paid equal to their modern US military equivalent, they’d all be millionaires. The Spartan-III’s, while not explicitly confirmed to have been paid, were almost certainly paid. Ackerson was a bastard, but he believed he was morally superior to Halsey, and definitely wouldn’t have employed slave soldiers. Spartan-IVs are drawn from regular UNSC forces, them being paid is pretty much a given.
I hear Chief enjoys a mean Klondike bar
Paystubs? Man, I was in the Army starting in 1997, and even then, I was paid by direct deposit. I imagine the UNSC and Unified Earth Government had efficient ways to get their personnel the cR "credaroos" they deserved.
Your employers' HR department still makes a report of your pay each time direct deposit hits your bank account. You can usually get it on PDF. It's just called a "paystub" for cultural reasons.
We called them LES in the military, Leave Earnings Statements
I wonder if ONI automatically invests the Spartans' pay into stuff like index funds or Roth IRAs (or whatever the future equivalent of those are). Imagine retiring from being a Spartan after 50 years of service, checking your assets, and seeing you're worth tens of millions and have dozens of properties across four separate planets, or maybe you own a controlling share in a decently big shipping company.
Wake up from cryo sleep, review your portfolio, and accounts, realising you don't have to worry about money anymore. Just like Forrest Gump, "nice, one less thing".
Makes me wonder if they were taught how to do their taxes. It would be hilarious if Chief can do complex math in his head but struggles with whatever space-T4s the UNSC gives out.
God those forms must be the 3rd circle of hell type of paperwork.
That, or because it’s the year 2560 and not in North America, the space-CRA/space-IRS calculates their taxes for them and sends them space-mail showing their return/amount owing. That might be too hopeful though.
Doesn’t seem to be that type of sci-fi
Man I hope they get a sweet 457 retirement plan
They’re holograms instead of paper.
Do you think that Master Chief, Grey Team, and Red Team will finally get their backpay from their years in cryo listed as MIA?
Since none are ever listed as KIA - do those twice-monthly pay drops still go into their accounts and then quietly get sent to next-of-kin after a defined number of years? ...or...ONI being ONI...they just seize it through UNSC Asset Forfeiture?
I’d like to imagine they had some special fund for the families that they took the kids from. Paid the hospital bills for the flash clones when they got sick and died, paid for siblings education, or just sent an anonymous suitcase of cash Halsey isn’t that nice though so maybe not
Nah - it's not that Halsey isn't that nice. It's that she schemes wheels-within-wheels deeper than a thousand year old Aes Sedai or Bene Gesserit. Halsey would not have wanted a single thread tying her/ONI/UNSC to those kids for as long as possible.
Which is not a nice thing to do
From a moral perspective - sure. From a mission perspective - nice doesn't win wars. In their respective universes, Bene Gesserit had their Kwisatz Haderach ultimate destination as their focus. Aes Sedai all had their different approaches to Tarmon Gaidon plans. Halsey knew that there was a threat coming for humanity that morality would only get in the way of.
I know it’s just funny to summarize her as “not nice” as if she’s a Christmas movie villain lol
Dress her up in a green fuzzy suit and have her [laugh](https://youtu.be/VU-tIu5zCK4) like this? I can get with that headcanon...
Which makes Keyes max the dog lol Chief is obviously Cindy Lou who
Ackerson: I don’t have to pay them if they’re all dead
He probably told alpha company they would all get their paychecks after operation Prometheus
Having not read Silent Storm, that's brilliant. I love when things are figured out through entirely mundane things like pay stubs. That's wonderful.
Yep they aren’t slaves they do have their rights as conscripted soldiers. So they get paid and from some dialogue in Halo 5 they can take breaks if they need to for things like medical or mental issues. I’d assume they can retire I think I’ve even heard the chief was offered retirement and could become a Spartan 4 trainer but he denied the offer. So they must also get a retirement fund for when they are no longer fit for combat or are given permission to retire. They would likely get fake identities when they retire so ONI can keep their classified documents on the Spartan 2s, and 3s classified. I suppose that is what was hinted at in the Halo 3 trailer when the veteran said there was a memorial service for the Chief. It was ONI having his death faked so he could live as a different person in retirement.
Yeah there were a few that retired
Whenever I think about the one who had a kid I always imagine the kid getting in a fight or being bullied and the other kids dad comes in yelling and Maria literally picks up the bullies dad and yeets him like a ragdoll.
Has Maria ever been mentioned outside the one comic she appears in?
Was Maria ever confirmed to be a parent? I know Aiken was but I thought that Maria just wanted to, and then she stopped appearing.
That would be great. Did they ever say if the kid got strength or speed because of the chemical augmentations she got. I know it didnt get the height and stuff cause that was different. I could have seore the kid got something.
They can in fact retire at least Jun did.
Dutch and his wife did too before coming back out of retirement to help Buck.
Locke retires
Wait, is he retired? When the fuck did that happen?
Upon further research I was misremembering I was think of Jorge I cannot believe I got these two mixed up
Jorge died.
Whoa the wiki is on a roll today isn’t it You’re right and I have been misinformed Randall For god’s sake it was fucking Randall
Yes
Yes, how else would chief have bought the special "shlock shlock" attachment for his mjolnir armor?
Oh STOP 🤣
II’s Yes III’s probably, but 3’s were meant for suicide missions so it’s a grey area. IV’s Yes Spartan 3’s were made for suicide missions [halo wiki](https://www.halopedia.org/SPARTAN-III_program) post war any survivor were most likely payed The Spartan-IIIs were designed to be cheap and expendable. Trained in companies of around 300 at a time with a training regimen tougher than that of the SPARTAN-II program,[5] they were ultimately sent on high-risk missions that the UNSC could not accomplish even with the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.[6] Though the casualty rates of the Spartan-IIIs stood at 100 percent on some missions, to ONI, all the operations were strategic successes. They were trading lives for time against the larger and technologically superior Covenant. ONI hoped that in time, enough Spartans would survive to train progressively more future Spartans, swelling the ranks of available supersoldiers from only 30 Spartan-IIs in 2531 to roughly 100,000 Spartan-IIIs within two decades.[1] However, this ultimately never came to pass due to budgetary restrictions and the SPARTAN-III augmentations being compatible with only a small percentage of the population.[7] The operational history of the SPARTAN-III program has been marked by success and tragedy. Many of the operations undertaken by the soldiers were suicide missions, but were regarded as successes by the UNSC.[1]
There's at least one notable example of a S III in retirement and that's Jun.
3 weren’t meant for suicide missions. They were meant for stealth missions that no one knew about.
The operational history of the SPARTAN-III program has been marked by success and tragedy. Many of the operations undertaken by the soldiers were suicide missions, but were regarded as successes by the UNSC.[1] [halo wiki](https://www.halopedia.org/SPARTAN-III_program) The Spartan-IIIs were designed to be cheap and expendable. Trained in companies of around 300 at a time with a training regimen tougher than that of the SPARTAN-II program,[5] they were ultimately sent on high-risk missions that the UNSC could not accomplish even with the elite Orbital Drop Shock Troopers.[6] Though the casualty rates of the Spartan-IIIs stood at 100 percent on some missions, to ONI, all the operations were strategic successes. They were trading lives for time against the larger and technologically superior Covenant. ONI hoped that in time, enough Spartans would survive to train progressively more future Spartans, swelling the ranks of available supersoldiers from only 30 Spartan-IIs in 2531 to roughly 100,000 Spartan-IIIs within two decades.[1] However, this ultimately never came to pass due to budgetary restrictions and the SPARTAN-III augmentations being compatible with only a small percentage of the population.[7]
That first quote is made in retrospect so it has no bearing on their purpose. They were made for high risk missions, your quotes even prove that. The only (that I know of) mission they were sent to that was knowingly a suicide mission was operation torpedo, but even that was decades after they were created so it has no bearing on their purpose. They were made because Spartans are cool and fun, they are good at high risk and are a huge morale boost. *a decade not decades
Even Torpedo wasn't intended to be a suicide mission. It only went bad because long range recon mistook docked ships as part of the orbiting facility so what should have been a relatively simple demolition mission got sidetracked immediately because the III's were attacked as soon as they hit the ground then had seven cruisers square off with them directly.
You’re right I was misremembering. Prometheus was a suicide mission. Deep winter alludes to him and a few in the know knew the risk but still did the operation.
What I want to know is do they get paid for time spent in cryo? Any survivors from spirit of fire would be loaded