Army to increase special duty pay for drill sergeants, recruiters

Some soldiers – including drill sergeants and recruiters – will see an increase in Special Duty Assignment Pay beginning Jan. 1, the Army announced Wednesday.

The Army also has authorized extra pay for soldiers serving in the Old Guard’s Caisson Platoon and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“These updates to incentive pay allow us to target and recognize those soldiers who simply have difficult assignments,” said Larry Lock, chief of the 2016 Special Pay Panel, in a statement.

SDAP is a discretionary incentive pay that eligible enlisted soldiers in the grade of E-3 or higher may receive based on their duty assignment, according to information from the Army.

Army officials on Wednesday evening could not provide specifics on which assignments or jobs now qualify for SDAP, which soldiers might see a bump in special pay, or how much eligible soldiers might receive every month.

Typically, SDAP ranges from $75 a month to $450 a month, depending on the assignment.

As an example, drill sergeants had been receiving $300 a month; before January 2014, they had been receiving $375 a month.