Special Duty Assignment Pay is a This category of special pay is a monthly incentive of $75 to $450 for enlisted soldiers, privates first class and above, who perform certain duties that are unusually demanding, or that require a high degree of responsibility, and typically involve long hours of daily commitment.
Under budget-driven cuts to the program in 2014, hundreds of soldiers serving in certain recruiting positions, or as drill sergeants, career counselors, air traffic controllers and cadre with Warrior Transition Units had their SDAP reduced or eliminated.
However, the Army also added some new categories and pay increases to the SDAP in 2014 that remain in effect.
More recently it has approved three levels of SDAP for privates and above assigned to the Army's growing cyber mission force. The payments are $150 monthly for apprentices, $225 for journeymen and $300 for masters.
Among the changes in 2014, the Army added Ranger-qualified sergeants and above to the SDAP program if they are serving as Ranger or Reconnaissance and Surveillance Course instructors, as well as nominative sergeants major who are rated by general officers.
The SDAP for the sergeant major of the Army also was increased one level to SD-6.
Positions and specialties on the revised eligibility list include NCOs with special mission units, Special Forces soldiers, soldiers assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, Rangers and explosive ordnance disposal specialists and command sergeants major.
Army budget documents recently submitted to Congress indicate that in 2015 the Army will spend $113 million on SDAP for nearly 24,300 soldiers.
The budget for SDAP in 2016 is projected to be cut by $5.8 million, and some 1,270 soldiers, primarily because of the drawdown.
Pay levels and qualifying duties now in effect for SDAP are:
- SD-1: $75
- SD-2: 150
- SD-3: $225
- SD-4: $300
- SD-5: $375
- SD-6: $450
Who's eligible:
SD-1:Soldiers assigned to Level I positions with the White House Situation Room, as coordinators with the White House Transportation Agency, or RL-2 and RL-3 air traffic control positions.
SD-2:Command sergeants major and sergeants major serving in two-star nominative positions, cyber mission force soldiers, technicians with the White House Communications Agency, Shelter Complex, Facilities Maintenance Unit, Level II positions with the White House Situation Room, supervisors with the White House Transportation Agency and soldiers serving in RL-1 positions as air traffic controllers.
Also, soldiers assigned to the White House Presidential Emergency Operations Center, special agents with the Army Criminal Investigation Command, the Army Technical Escort Unit, soldiers serving as attaché NCOs, Ranger-qualified sergeants and above serving with the Military Information Support Operations Command, or as Ranger or Reconnaissance and Surveillance Course instructors.
SD-3: Squad leaders and platoon sergeants with Warrior Transition Units, command sergeants major and sergeants major assigned to three-star nominative positions, cyber mission force soldiers, soldiers assigned to supervisory positions with the White House Communications Agency, Shelter Complex or Facilities Maintenance Unit, and soldiers in leadership positions with the White House Situation Room.
SD-4:
Soldiers assigned to special mission units, the cyber mission force, Ranger-qualified sergeants and above with the 75th Ranger Regiment, soldiers with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, production recruiters, master sergeants and below serving as recruiting guidance counselors, recruiting battalion master trainers, recruiting company first sergeants, drill sergeants, command sergeants major and sergeants major serving in four-star nominative positions, and soldiers assigned to management positions with the White House Communications Agency, Shelter Complex or Facilities Maintenance Unit.
SD-5: Soldiers assigned to special mission units, CMF-18 Major Force Program-11 billets, and explosive ordnance disposal soldiers performing EOD duties.
SD-6: Soldiers assigned to special mission units, and the sergeant major of the Army.
