Combat Act HR 4440

No Sea and Sub Pay Increase for 2011?

January 26th, 2010

Congressman Jerry McNerney (D)(CA-11) introduced H.R. 4440, Combat Operations and Medical Benefit Authorization for our Troops (COMBAT) Act, on Jan. 13, 2010. The bill is to amend title 37, United States Code, to increase the maximum amount for the military special pays known as hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay, hazardous duty pay, family separation allowance, and “to increase other special and incentive pays to recognize the service of members of the Armed Forces and encourage recruitment and retention.”

Currently, the bill has one cosponsor:
Rep Hall, John J. (D)(NY-19)

The pay increases proposed are monthly amounts unless otherwise stated.

Rep. McNerney’s bill increases eight types of military specialty pay, many of which have not been increased for several years.  They are:

1.    Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger

• Hostile Fire Pay is for service members exposed to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines.  Increases from $225 to $600 per month.
• Imminent Danger Pay is for service members serving in specifically designated places deemed to pose a threat of physical harm or imminent danger due to insurrection, war, or terrorism.  Increases from $225 to $350 per month.

Note: Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger pay cannot be collected simultaneously.

2.    Family Separation Pay
Partial reimbursement for those involuntarily separated from their dependents for extra expenses that result from such separation.  Increases from $250 to $450 per month.

3.    Special Warfare Officer Continuation Pay
A service member may be paid a retention bonus of up to $20,000, an increase from $15,000, for each year of retention of that service member.

4.    Hazardous duty pay
This specialty pay is available to service members who encounter particularly hazardous types of duty, including:

• frequent and regular participation in aerial flight as a crew member;
• parachute jumping as an essential part of military duty;
• explosive demolition as a primary duty, including training for that duty;
• the testing of aircraft or missile systems (or components of such systems) during which highly toxic fuels or propellants are used, or the handling of chemical munitions (or components of such munitions);

Hazardous duty pays range from $150 to $450 per month of which service members can receive up to three per month.  Rep. McNerney’s legislation raises each type of hazardous duty pay by $50.

5.    Combat-Related Injury & Rehabilitation Pay
Service members who were medically evacuated out of a combat zone and considered “hospitalized” are entitled this type of pay.  Increases from $430 to $600 per month.

6.    Psychologists and Non-physician health care provider specialty pay
Pay for psychologists and other types of medical professionals who treat members of the military.  The same RAND study referenced above found that DoD salaries for civilian psychologists and social workers are not competitive with rates provided in the civilian market, or the VA system, which increases the “likelihood that DoD will lose civilian providers to the VA system as they learn that they can earn substantially higher salaries for performing essentially the same job.”  Given the concern about retention of psychologists and medical professionals, Rep. McNerney’s bill doubles the amount of psychologist and non-physician health care provider specialty pay.  Current pay in this category ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per year.

7.    Service as member of Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team
The term “Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team” means a team of members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces in support of emergency preparedness programs to prepare for or to respond to any emergency involving the use of a weapon of mass destruction.  Increases from $150 to $300 per month.

8.    Members extending duty at designated locations overseas
Pay for a service member who has completed a tour of duty at a location outside the continental United States who, at the end of that tour of duty, executes an agreement to extend that tour for a period of not less than one year.  Increased from $80 month or $2,000 lump sum per year to $200 per month or $3,000 lump sum yearly payment.

Speaking of special pays that haven’t been reviewed or increased for quite a while, the current Navy sea pay amounts became effective on October 1, 2001, and submarine pay October 1, 2004. Are those special pays not addressed in this bill because the Navy has been exceeding retention and recruitment goals? More than likely so.

Read Comments (0)