To readjust the pay and allowances of personnel of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Coast and Geodetic Survey, and Public Health Service .
Public Law 77-607 as Written [1]
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, for the purpose of computing the annual pay of the commissioned officers of the Regular Army and Marine Corps below the grade of brigadier general; of the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the Coast and Geodetic Survey below the grade of rear admiral; and of the Public Health Service below the grade of assistant to the Surgeon General, pay periods are prescribed, and the base pay for each is fixed as follows:
The first period, $1,800; the second period, $2,000; the third period, $2,400; the fourth period, $3,000; the fifth period, $3,500; and the sixth period, $4,000.
The pay of the sixth period shall be paid to colonels of the Army, captains of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade; to lieutenant colonels of the Army, commanders of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade, and lieutenant commanders of the line and engineer Corps of the Coast Guard, who have completed thirty years' service; and to the Chief of Chaplains of the Army when not holding rank above that of colonel.
The pay of the fifth period shall be paid to lieutenant colonels of the Army, commanders of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade who are not entitled to the pay of the sixth period; and to majors of the Army, lieutenant commanders of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade, who have completed twenty-three years' service.
The pay of the fourth period shall be paid to majors of the Army, lieutenant commanders of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade who are not entitled to the pay of the fifth period; to captains of the Army, lieutenants of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade, who have completed seventeen years' service.
The pay of the third period shall be paid to captains of the Army, lieutenants of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade who are not entitled to the pay of the fourth period; to first lieutenants of the Army, lieutenants (junior grade) of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade, who have completed ten years' service.
The pay of the second period shall be paid to first lieutenants of the Army, lieutenants (junior grade) of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade who are not entitled to the pay of the third period; and to second lieutenants of the Army, ensigns of the Navy, and officers of corresponding grade, who have completed five years' service; and to contract surgeons serving full time.
The pay of the first period shall be paid to all other officers whose pay is provided for in this section.
Officers of any of the services mentioned in the title of this Act temporarily appointed to higher grades or ranks shall, for the purposes of this Act, be considered officers of such grades or ranks while holding such temporary appointments.
Every officer paid under the provisions of this section shall receive an increase of 5 per centum of the base pay of his period for each three years of service up to thirty years.
For officers appointed on and after July 1, 1922, no service shall be counted for purposes of pay except active commissioned service under a Federal appointment and commissioned service in the National Guard when called out by order of the President and service authorized in section 2 (b) of the Act of January 19, 1942 (Public Law 402, Seventy-seventh Congress). For officers in the service on June 30,1922, there shall be included in the computation all service which was then counted in computing longevity pay, and service as a contract surgeon serving full time; and also 75 per centum of all other periods of time during which they have held commissions as officers of the Organized Militia between January 21, 1903; and July 1, 1916, or of the National Guard, the Naval Militia, or the National Naval Volunteers since June 3, 1916, shall be included in the computation. Longevity pay for officers in any of the services mentioned in the title of this Act shall be based on the total of all service in any or all of said services which is authorized to he counted for longevity pay purposes under the provisions of this Act or as may otherwise be provided by law.
The provisions of this Act shall apply equally to those persons serving, not as commissioned officers in the Army or in the other services mentioned in the title of this Act, but whose pay under existing law is an amount equivalent to that of a commissioned officer of one of the above grades, those receiving the pay of colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, first lieutenant, and second lieutenant, being classified as in the sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second, and first periods, respectively.