Richard Nixon actually said...
This Executive order complies with section 8 of Public Law 90-207 (81 Stat. 654), which provides that whenever the rates of the General Schedule of compensation for Federal classified employees are adjusted upwards, there shall immediately be placed into effect a comparable upward adjustment in the basic pay of members of the uniformed services.
Context
Message to the Congress on Federal Civilian and Military Pay Increases.
12/14/1972