Thousands more to receive Navy special duty pay

This summer, more sailors will be seeing some extra cash every month — but only while serving in specific critical billets

Instructors at Afloat Training Groups, naval military instructors at Training Support Center Great Lakes, Ill. and qualified non-nuclear sailors in carrier reactor departments are among the estimated 1,700 sailors added to the Special Duty Assignment Pay list.

E-6 Mercury flight engineers will see a raise in their SDAP, but nearly all recruiters will see a cut in theirs for the first time.

This year, the Navy is slated to spend $83.5 million on SDAP. With the new additions, nearly 28,000 sailors working roughly 562 specialties will now collect some level of the pay.

SDAP comes at six levels of pay, ranging between $75 and $450 extra per month in $75 increments. The new levels go into effect immediately, the one reduction won’t be in affect until July 24.

The additions

Sailors filling any of the 1,603 instructor billets at any of the seven Afloat Training Groups worldwide now qualify for an extra $75 each month.

Sailors must hold either the 9501 Anti-terrorism Training Supervisor Navy Enlisted Classification or the basic 9502 Instructor NEC.

“The billets are special assignments which are difficult to keep manned with high quality volunteers, said Capt. Bruce Deshotel, head enlisted community manager “The duties are more arduous than that expected in a normal shore duty assignment at the member's pay grade and experience level, requiring special qualifications and extra training above and beyond the normal qualifications."

Also added to the list at $150 per month are the 146 naval military instructor billets at Training Support Center Great Lakes. Known as NMTIs, these sailors provide military training and supervision to 'A' school students, building on what was taught by recruit division commanders across the street at Recruit Training Command.

“SDAP was approved for NMTIs at TSC Great Lakes to mitigate a chronic low-manning situation,” Deshotel said. “NMTIs have a high degree of responsibility and additionally, Great Lakes is known to be a hard-to-fill location.”

Deshotel hopes the extra monthly pay will entice top-notch sailors into the billets, which aren’t as well known as RDC duty.

Meanwhile at sea, officials will now pay $75 extra per month to conventional machinist’s mates and enginemen assigned to one of 123 billets in each aircraft carrier reactor departments.

To get the bucks, sailors must qualify on the job for the 3374 NEC, newly created to encourage conventional engineering sailors to acquire advanced technical qualifications while serving on the nuclear-powered flattops.

For MMs, the sailor gets the NEC and the pay once qualified to stand Shaft Alley patrol watch and engine room lower level watch; or Shaft Alley patrol watch and Cold Iron watch.

With ENs, the NEC and pay require being qualified as emergency diesel rover and engine room lower level watch, or as the emergency diesel rover and Cold Iron watch.

Sailors will only get the SDAP while qualified and in a carrier billet, but the NEC will stay with them for their entire career, Deshotel said.

Ups and downs

Good news for sailors with the 8235 TACAMO E-6B flight Engineer NECs at one of the Navy’s three Take Charge and Move Out emergency relay squadrons based at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.

“Manning has been improving from a low point one to two years ago," Deshotel said. “The increase in SDAP is designed to ensure we have a steady supply of sailors willing to take on this challenging duty in support of the Navy's strategic nuclear deterrence mission.”

But some bad news for recruiters, who've long gotten the maximum SDAP of $450 each month. Starting July 24, they'll only see $375 a month.

The move will impact 4,284 sailors in jobs at recruiting districts who hold the recruiting NECs of 9585 and 9587, according to Sharon Anderson, spokeswoman for the chief of naval personnel.

“SDAP for recruiters has never been adjusted and this redistribution of resources will help Navy meet other priorities,” Anderson said. “Leadership will continue to evaluate the program to see if future adjustments are needed to encourage sailors to take these special duty assignments.”