Army Secretary John McHugh has approved a policy change that doubles the top-tier payout for "on-the-spot cash awards" to $500.
Under the new payment levels approved by McHugh, OTS awards can range from $50 to $500, up from the $25 to $250 levels previously authorized under the service's Incentive Awards Program.
OTSs are small cash incentives that may be given by supervisors for the day-to-day accomplishments of subordinate employees. The governing regulation, AR 672-20, encourages supervisors to process these awards "as expeditiously as possible."
The eligible population includes career Army civilians, including Senior Executive Service members, direct-hire foreign nationals, and non-career Army civilians, including presidential appointees.
While soldiers are not eligible for OTS awards, officers and noncommissioned officers frequently supervise civilians, and can recommend spot-cash awards.
The Incentive Awards Program does authorize soldiers to receive scientific achievement awards, invention awards related to the filing of patents and certain non-federal awards sponsored by private organizations.
