- Joined
- Mar 5, 2007
- Messages
- 45
- Reaction score
- 0
Sure things
2008 pay raise
What: A 3.5 percent pay raise for all ranks is included in the House and Senate versions of the bill. This is 0.5 percentage points more than the administration had sought and 0.5 percentage points more than last years increase in average private-sector pay. The bigger raise is intended to reduce the estimated 3.9 percent gap between average military and civilian wages.
Who: Applies to all service members, active and reserve.
When: Effective Jan. 1, 2008, and first appearing in mid-January pay checks.
Future pay raises
What: Military pay increases for 2009 through 2012 would be 0.5 percentage points greater than average private-sector pay hikes under the House bill.
Based on current economic forecasts, the 2009 raise would be 3.4 percent, and raises for 2010 through 2012 would be about 3.3 percent. The Senate has no similar proposal, although an amendment might be offered later this year to make the same change in law. When combined with the 2008 raise, the proposal, which is strongly opposed by the Bush administration, would reduce the current 3.9 percent pay gap measured by comparing military and private sector raises since 1982 to about 1.4 percent by Jan. 1, 2012.
Who: Applies to all active and reserve members.
When: Effective each Jan. 1 through 2012.
Medical bonuses
What: The House and Senate bills present similar plans to boost bonuses for medical skills. The maximum special pay for dental officers now $4,000 or $6,000, depending on length of service would rise to $10,000 for those with up to three years of service and up to $12,000 for those with three to 10 years of service.
The maximum special pay for medical officers, which is currently paid to three specialties but could be applied more widely, would jump by $25,000, to a new cap of $75,000.
Also in both bills is a proposed $20,000 accession bonus for students in Health Professional Scholarship and Financial Assistance Programs, on top of other scholarship benefits.
Who: About 1,350 dentists, 300 neurologists, radiologists or anesthesiologists, 750 medical students.
When: Effective as early as Oct. 1, but probably not until the bill becomes law.
Vehicle shipment
What: Service members accompanied by dependents who are of driving age would be allowed to ship an additional vehicle at government expense to duty stations in Alaska, Hawaii and Guam, under provisions in the House and Senate bills.
Who: About 10,000 families a year would benefit.
When: Applies to movement orders received after the bill is signed.
Leave carry-over
What: The Senate bill would let service members carry up to 90 days of leave from one year to the next and allow them to sell accumulated leave in excess of 120 days back to the government.
Each day of leave would be worth (on average) $155 per person per day. Current law allows carry-over of 120 days of leave for those who have recently served on a contingency operation and allows 60 days for all others.
Current law allows up to 60 days of leave to be sold back to the government either when re-enlisting or separating from service.
Who: About 150,000 personnel sell back leave each year.
When: Effective when the bill becomes law. Not likely.
Bonus consolidation
What: The House bill includes a Pentagon proposal to combine more than 60 bonuses and special and incentive pays into eight categories and increase maximum possible payments.
The idea is to give the services more flexibility to tailor bonuses and to raise and lower amounts without needing congressional approval.
The Senate has no similar provision.
Who: The majority of service members receive some bonus or incentive, including everyone deployed to a combat zone.
When: Would take effect in 2009. Unlikely.
2008 pay raise
What: A 3.5 percent pay raise for all ranks is included in the House and Senate versions of the bill. This is 0.5 percentage points more than the administration had sought and 0.5 percentage points more than last years increase in average private-sector pay. The bigger raise is intended to reduce the estimated 3.9 percent gap between average military and civilian wages.
Who: Applies to all service members, active and reserve.
When: Effective Jan. 1, 2008, and first appearing in mid-January pay checks.
Future pay raises
What: Military pay increases for 2009 through 2012 would be 0.5 percentage points greater than average private-sector pay hikes under the House bill.
Based on current economic forecasts, the 2009 raise would be 3.4 percent, and raises for 2010 through 2012 would be about 3.3 percent. The Senate has no similar proposal, although an amendment might be offered later this year to make the same change in law. When combined with the 2008 raise, the proposal, which is strongly opposed by the Bush administration, would reduce the current 3.9 percent pay gap measured by comparing military and private sector raises since 1982 to about 1.4 percent by Jan. 1, 2012.
Who: Applies to all active and reserve members.
When: Effective each Jan. 1 through 2012.
Medical bonuses
What: The House and Senate bills present similar plans to boost bonuses for medical skills. The maximum special pay for dental officers now $4,000 or $6,000, depending on length of service would rise to $10,000 for those with up to three years of service and up to $12,000 for those with three to 10 years of service.
The maximum special pay for medical officers, which is currently paid to three specialties but could be applied more widely, would jump by $25,000, to a new cap of $75,000.
Also in both bills is a proposed $20,000 accession bonus for students in Health Professional Scholarship and Financial Assistance Programs, on top of other scholarship benefits.
Who: About 1,350 dentists, 300 neurologists, radiologists or anesthesiologists, 750 medical students.
When: Effective as early as Oct. 1, but probably not until the bill becomes law.
Vehicle shipment
What: Service members accompanied by dependents who are of driving age would be allowed to ship an additional vehicle at government expense to duty stations in Alaska, Hawaii and Guam, under provisions in the House and Senate bills.
Who: About 10,000 families a year would benefit.
When: Applies to movement orders received after the bill is signed.
Leave carry-over
What: The Senate bill would let service members carry up to 90 days of leave from one year to the next and allow them to sell accumulated leave in excess of 120 days back to the government.
Each day of leave would be worth (on average) $155 per person per day. Current law allows carry-over of 120 days of leave for those who have recently served on a contingency operation and allows 60 days for all others.
Current law allows up to 60 days of leave to be sold back to the government either when re-enlisting or separating from service.
Who: About 150,000 personnel sell back leave each year.
When: Effective when the bill becomes law. Not likely.
Bonus consolidation
What: The House bill includes a Pentagon proposal to combine more than 60 bonuses and special and incentive pays into eight categories and increase maximum possible payments.
The idea is to give the services more flexibility to tailor bonuses and to raise and lower amounts without needing congressional approval.
The Senate has no similar provision.
Who: The majority of service members receive some bonus or incentive, including everyone deployed to a combat zone.
When: Would take effect in 2009. Unlikely.
