Could a 'sub-minimum wage' actually benefit minimum wage workers in the US?

# <br>Imagine this - a 'sub-minimum wage' for jobs that include huge benefits, e.g, health & dental insurance, paid training, room & board, food, etc. The wage would be below legal minimum wage - clearly, they'd have to be below the minimum wage or else an employer would have no incentive to offer the 'sub-minimum wage'.<br><br># <br>For example, in the US Army, you get room & board, food, medical care, dental care, a gym, etc. and only after taxes you get paid $1798/month, which is well below minimum wage when you consider that an active duty soldier works upwards of 50-60 hours/week. Clearly the Army is able to pay its soldiers far, far better than it is now.<br><br># <br>Imagine other jobs that could be done in this way, e.g., a mining camp in Alaska. A mining company could pay sub-minimum wage but provide food, medical care, dental care, room & board, etc. All of these things would be provided tax free, I assume. Maybe there'd even be a gym and certain other perk benefits, idk.<br><br>Is this something that could actually work?<br><br># <br>Please assume that the 'sub-minimum wage' plus benefits would be far, far greater than even a high minimum wage.