Military Pay

United States Military Basic Pay

Basic Pay for the U. S. military is established by grade and years of service. Longevity raises are based on your creditable cumulative service in any and all branches of the armed forces* (there are statutory periods when service in a particular component may not be counted). Pay Grade or rank is computed from the official date of advancement - you will not receive the pay of an advanced rank when you are in a "frocked" status.

For most members who enter and serve on active duty without a break in service, the basic pay date is the date they enter active or inactive service. If, however, there is a break in service, the time between periods of service usually is not included. Your personnel office is responsible for providing the basic pay date, total active federal military service date, total commissioned federal military service date, and a variety of other dates, depending on the nature of the individual member’s service.

Basic Pay Charts for Active & Reserve - Officer and Enlisted

• 2006 Military Basic Pay Chart - reflects 3.1 percent pay raise
• 2007 Military Basic Pay Chart - reflects 2.2% to 4.6% pay raise
• 2008 Military Basic Pay Chart - reflects 3.5% pay raise
• 2009 Military Basic Pay Chart - reflects 3.9% Pay Raise
• 2010 Projected Military Basic Pay Chart - President Obama proposed 2.9%
• 2010 Projected Military Basic Pay Chart - 3.4% proposed by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees

2009 Special Military Pay

Navy/Marine Career Sea Pay - Career sea pay is special pay for recognition of the greater than normal rigors of assignment to sea duty. Sea Pay Chart

Navy Submarine Duty Pay - Sub Duty Pay Chart

Aviator and Aircrew Member Pay - Flight and Aircrew Pay Chart

Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) - $75.00 to $450.00 (Billet specific, Enlisted Members Only). A duty assignment characterized by extremely demanding duties or duties demanding an unusual degree of responsibility. Current Navy SDAP NAVADMIN is here

Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (Non-Crew Member) - All pay grades, $150.00. Hazardous duty includes duty involving; parachute jumping as an essential part of military duty, frequent and regular participation in flight operation on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier or ship other than aircraft carrier from which aircraft are launched, the demolition of explosives as a primary duty, including training for such duty - duty inside a high or low-pressure chamber - duty as a human acceleration or deceleration experimental subject, duty as a human test subject in thermal stress experiments, duty involving the servicing of aircraft or missiles with highly toxic fuels or propellants, fumigation tasks utilizing highly toxic pesticides, laboratory work utilizing live dangerous viruses or bacteria, handling of chemical munitions, maritime visit, board, search and seizure operations and duty involving use of ski-equipped aircraft on the ground in Antarctica or on the Arctic ice-pack.

Imminent Danger Pay/Hostile Fire Pay (Combat Pay) - All pay grades, $225.00

Diving Pay (Dive Pay) - Officers, $240.00(Max). Enlisted, $340.00(Max)

Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) $45,000, $60,000 or $75,000 cap depending on rating/classification and time in service. SRB is calculated by multiplying your basic pay (times) number of SRB eligible months reenlisting for (divided by 12) then multiplied by the SRB award level for your zone. Zone A is 2 to 6 years, Zone B is 6 to 10 years and Zone C is 10 to 14 years of active service. For the latest eligible SRB Zone award levels and caps - (Current Navy SRB NAVADMIN Effective June 10, 2009 ALL Navy SRB suspended until FY-2010)

2009 Military Allowances

Allowances make up a good bulk of one's military pay. There are a wide range of allowances, most of which are non-taxable. Various allowances exist and they have a wide range of requirements (i.e. pay grade held, location, marital status, etc.)

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) - BAH is paid to uniformed service members to provide housing compensation based on pay grade, zip code, and dependency status. Housing allowance is payable when government quarters are not provided or when temporarily residing in barracks. (view current rates here)

Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) - BAS is a rate based on the service member only and is not intended to cover spouses and/or family members’ food/subsistance costs. As of January 1, 2009, all enlisted military members in a proper status draw a full BAS monthly rate of $323.87 and $223.04 for Officers. Service members who draw BAS are required to pay for their own meals, even if provided by the government.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) - COLA is a cash allowance intended to compensate for high cost of living areas. COLA is not assigned to areas where the cost of living is less than of meets the average of that in the United Sates. A service member must be permanently assigned to the area to receive COLA.

• Check the COLA Rate in the Continental United States (here)
• Check the COLA Rate for Overseas Locations, including Alaska and Hawaii (here)

Clothing Allowance - A clothing allowance is given to Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers to help pay for uniforms and other clothing costs. Note: For SELRES personnel clothing rates check with your local Navy Operational Support Center. (view active Navy rates)

Family Separation Allowance (FSA) - All pay grades, $250.00. FSA provides compensation for added expenses incurred because of an enforced family separation. FSA is payable to qualified members serving inside or outside the United States.