Special Pay and Incentive Pay for the Military
Military Special Pays and Incentive Pays
As a service member, you will receive different types of pay during the course of your military career. There is your base military pay, BAH for your housing, and BAS for food. There are also different special and incentive pays, over 60 of them which you may or may not qualify over the course of your military career.
Some of these pays are only for certain branches, and others you might never qualify for. Many of these pays are to help induce service members into the types of duty involved.
Accession Pay
Enlistment Bonus (EB)
When you enlist in the armed forces. This is a discretionary bonus. The maximum amount by law is $40,000.
Nuclear Officer Accession Bonus
To encourage people to join the Navy’s nuclear power officer community. This is for the Navy. The maximum amount, by law, is $30,000.
Accession Bonus for New Officers in Critical Skills
For an individual who agrees to accept a commission and serve on active duty in designated critical skills for the period specified in the agreement. This is discretionary pay. Service Secretaries have the authority to offer up to $60,000.
Arduous Duty
Hardship Duty Pay
For those serving in areas that are designated as a hardship by the Secretary of Defence. There are two types; Quality of Life (QoL) Hardship Locations (HDP-L), and for those in designated hardship missions (HDP-M.) Locations are designated as hardship duty locations if the QoL in the area is substantially below the standard most service members would generally experience in the United States. This is discretionary pay. The maximum payable by law is $1,500 a month. Monthly rates are $50, $100, and $150 for HDP-L, and $150 for HDP-M.
Assignment Pay
Assignment Incentive Pay
Incentive pay to service members that perform service while entitled to basic pay in an assignment designated by the Secretary concerned. For difficult-to-fill jobs or assignments in less desirable locations. This is discretionary pay. The monthly statutory maximum pay is $3,000.
Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Pay (OTEIP)
For service members that are in certain critical skill classifications that extend their tour overseas for the convenience of the Government. The law authorizes payment monthly, or pay up to $80 as well as an annual bonus not to exceed $2,000 per year.
Career Incentive Pay
Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP)
Incentive pay for officers to serve as military aviators throughout a military career. This is entitlement pay. $125-$400 a month, depending on the years of aviation service as an officer.
Career Sea Pay (CSP)
Career Sea Pay is for active duty enlisted service members or commissioned officers on sea duty. There is also Career Sea Pay Premium which is for those who have served more than 36 consecutive months of sea duty. This is entitlement pay. Between $50-$730 for the Navy, and other amounts for other branches.
Career Enlisted Flyer Incentive Pay (CEFIP)
Incentive pay to serve throughout your military career as an enlisted flyer. This is discretionary pay, for only the Air Force and Navy. Monthly maximums are $150-$400 dependent on years of aviation service.
Diving Duty Pay
An incentive for diving duty and to compensate divers for the more than normal dangerous character of this type of duty. This is entitlement pay, and rates are set by Services with statutory caps. Up to $340 a month for enlisted and $240 a month for officers.
Submarine Duty Incentive Pay (SUBPAY)
Incentive pay for submarine duty and to compensate for the more than normal arduous character of this type of duty. This is entitlement pay. The Secretary of the Navy may set the SUBPAY rates within a statutory cap of $1,000 a month. The current rates are $98-950 a month.
Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP)
These are entitlement pays, payable to enlisted members and officers.
Flight Deck Duty Pay
For more than normal dangerous flight deck duty. $150 per month.
Flying Duty, Crew Members
For performing a hazardous duty that involves frequent and regular aerial flight as a crew member. $110 to $250 per month and is determined by grade.
Flying Duty, Non-Crew Members
For performing a hazardous duty that involves frequent and regular aerial flight as a non-crew member. $150 per month.
Parachute Duty Pay
For performing a hazardous duty that involves jumping and parachute duty. $150 a month, except for High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jumps which are $225 a month.
Pressure Chamber Duty Pay, Acceleration and Deceleration Duty Pay, and Thermal Stress Duty Pay
Hazardous duty pay is related to participation as a human test subject in low and high pressure, acceleration or deceleration, or thermal stress chambers. $150 a month.
Toxic Pesticides Personal Exposure
Hazardous duty involving frequent and regular exposure to highly toxic pesticides. $150 a month.
Toxic Fuel/Propellants and Chemical Munitions Exposure Duty Pay
For more than normal dangerous duty which entails exposure to toxic fuels or propellants, or chemical munitions. $150 a month.
Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) – Maritime Interdiction Operations
Hazardous duty that involves regular participation as a member of a team conducting VBSS operations aboard vessels that are in support of maritime interdiction operations. Only Navy service members perform this time of duty. $150 a month.
Proficiency
Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus (FLPB)
An incentive for service members to become proficient, to increase their proficiency in foreign languages that will enhance the foreign language capabilities of the armed forces. This is discretionary pay. The law authorizes a bonus of up to $100-$500.
Retention
Aviation Continuation Pay (ACP)
To help retain experienced officer aviators that have completed their Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) to remain on active duty for a specified period of additional service. For aviators in grade O-6. This is discretionary pay. Up to $25,000 for each year of service agreement, through 25 years of aviation service.
Critical Skills Retention Bonus (CSRB) or Bonus for Assignment to High Priority Unit
To help address skill-specific retention problems. This is discretionary pay. Up to $200,000 total, $100,000 for the reserve component is payable to an eligible member during their career.
Judge Advocate Continuation Pay (JACP)
For military Judge Advocates to continue on active duty upon completion of their ADSO. This is discretionary pay. This is for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The Marine Corps pays a Law School Education Debt Subsidy (LSEDS) under the JACP statutory authority. Up to $60,000 pay over the Judge Advocate’s career.
Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB)
When qualified enlisted service members reenlist in designated critical military specialties where the retention levels are insufficient to sustain a steady readiness posture to complete the mission. This is discretionary pay. Maximum payable is $90,000 for a minimum three-year reenlistment.
Nuclear Officers Extending Period of Active Duty
For Nuclear-qualified Navy officers to continue on active duty upon completion of obligated service. For the Navy. The maximum pay per law is $30,000 for each year of a minimum 3-year active service agreement.
Nuclear Career Annual Incentive Bonus
Incentive for Nuclear-qualified Navy officers to continue on active duty upon completion of obligated service. For the Navy. The maximum pay is $22,000 to commissioned officers, and $14,000 to Limited Duty officers (LDOs.)
Special Warfare Officer Continuation Pay
For qualified, experienced Special Warfare Officers to remain on active duty beyond their initial ADSO. This is discretionary pay. For the Navy. Up to $15,000 per year to eligible officers.
Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) Continuation Pay
For SWOs that are selected for Department Head (DH) and agree to remain on active duty to complete that tour. This is discretionary pay. For the Navy. Up to $50,000 to eligible officers.
Responsibility
Officers Holding Positions of Unusual Responsibility
To financially recognize officers executing the duties of a position the Service Secretary has designated as: 1) carrying unusual responsibilities above those normal for officers of the same grade, and 2) critical to the operations of the Service concerned. This is discretionary pay and only for the Navy. The current range is $50-$150/month.
Special Duty Assignment Pay for Enlisted Members
For enlisted members who qualify for, volunteer to serve in, or remain in, designated positions with duties that are extremely difficult, or that carry an unusual degree of responsibility when compared to the typical jobs of service members of the same grade level. This is discretionary pay. The maximum amount by law is $600 a month. The current range being paid in SDAP is between $75 and $450 a month.
Skill Conversion
Incentive Bonus for Conversion to Military Occupational Specialty to Ease Personnel Shortage
For service members to convert to and serve for a period of not less than three years in a military occupational specialty that has a shortage of trained and qualified personnel. This is discretionary pay. For the Army.
Transfer between services
Incentive Bonus for Transfer Between Armed Forces
Incentive pay for transferring from one armed force to another and serving at least three years in the new component. This is discretionary pay. For the Army. $10,000.
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