Whether you’re Active duty or Reserve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard or National Guard, a Military career can be a challenge and an adventure. Like any other job it comes with a salary, benefits, incentives and bonuses, not to mention automatic annual pay raises.
Annual pay raises are linked to the increase in civilian wages, which is measured by the Employment Cost Index (ECI). Pay raises may exceed these automatic levels if authorized by Congress. In December 2015, the President approved a military pay raise of 1.3%.
The budget request for fiscal year 2017, which begins October 2016, included a request for a 1.6% pay raise. But, that would fall below the official uptick in civilian-sector wages, marking the fourth consecutive year that the DoD has sought to cut long-term costs by slowing the growth in basic pay.
The 1.6 percent raise in basic pay, if approved by Congress, would take effect in January 2017. It falls a half percentage point below the default raise of 2.1 percent, which is pegged to the most recent ECI for private-sector pay.
You can view the 2016 Military Pay Charts in PDF format for more specific information.
There are several factors that effect your pay besides getting advanced or promoted. These include:
- An Annual Pay Raise (based in large part on the ECI mentioned above).
- Longevity raises virtually every 2 years (based on the number years in service).
- Basic Allowance for Housing Increases BAH (based on location).
- Basic Allowance for Subsistence BAS Increase.
- Cost of Living Allowance COLA Increase (based on location).
- And Special Pay(s) (based on occupations: Combat, Flight, Hazardous Duty).
Currently, the military compensation system has over 70 separate types of pay and allowances — Learn more below:
- Military Pay Rates
- Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
- Variable Housing Allowances (VHA)
- Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
- Military Clothing Allowance
- Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS)
- Military Pay Exclusion – Combat Zone Service
- Foreign Language Proficiency Pay
- Hardship Duty Pay (Enlisted)
- Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay
- Special Duty Assignment Pay
Questions About Pay
Please contact DFAS about any questions you may have about your Military pay.
Defense Finance and Accounting Service Cleveland Center/ROCAD
P.O. Box 99191
Cleveland, OH 44199-2058
Telephone numbers (toll free):
1-888-332-7411
1-800-269-5170 (casualty reporting only)
1-800-469-6559 (fax)
Website: www.dod.mil/dfas
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