Major Pay Raise For Troops Proposed In 2024 Budget
An early draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) from the House Armed Services Committee includes a significant pay raise for those in uniform.
The first draft of the national defense budget for 2024 includes the President’s recommendation for a 5.25% military pay raise for military members, an amount that would match federal calculations for keeping military pay at similar levels for those who work in the private sector. The bill would also include expanded guidelines for the Basic Needs Allowance.
Read more: More Troops Qualify for Basic Needs Allowance
How Much Would a 5.2% Military Pay Raise Be?
Some enlisted service members could see between $1,500 and $1,700 added to their income in 2024 if the 5.2% pay increase survives the approval process for the NDAA overall. But this is an early draft of the bill and this amount may not survive to the final draft. Some wonder why.
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Will the 5.2% Military Pay Raise Survive the NDAA Process?
On more than one occasion, pay increases and more benefits for troops proposed in early versions of the Defense Authorization Act were cut from later versions.
In December 2022, Military.com reported on a similar issue: “Some of the lowest-paid service members will not get a special bonus to help cope with inflation under a compromise defense bill” because the Senate version of the bill dropped or didn’t include the provision.
The article also notes, “…bipartisan, compromise language that is expected to become law by the end of the month left the inflation bonuses on the cutting room floor.”
We mention that here because it’s easy to read headlines about military pay increases and assume they are a done deal. In this case, there is much negotiation before any final numbers are approved.
The House and Senate must draft their own final versions of the NDAA for 2024 and then have the final version sent to the President’s desk for signature or veto.
What Is the National Defense Authorization Act?
The 2024 pay increase for troops is mentioned as part of the larger National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense budget approved yearly by the House, Senate, and the President. It is a vast bill representing trillions of dollars of government spending on defense.
Over the long history of the NDAA, in recent decades, most lawmakers either met or exceeded the Executive Branch’s request for military pay increases.
Related: Better Job Opportunities for Military Spouses
About the author
Editor-in-Chief Joe Wallace is a 13-year veteran of the United States Air Force and a former reporter/editor for Air Force Television News and the Pentagon Channel. His freelance work includes contract work for Motorola, VALoans.com, and Credit Karma. He is co-founder of Dim Art House in Springfield, Illinois, and spends his non-writing time as an abstract painter, independent publisher, and occasional filmmaker.
