Quadrennial Review of Military Pay and Military Incentives

In May 2010, the Defense Department officials announced the 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation, a review of military compensation in many areas, as mandated by congress. The Quadrennial Review is expected to take two years to be fully completed and its findings put into effect on military pay.

According to officials, the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation will focus on reviewing on combat pay; Reserve pay; compensation for wounded military, their caregivers, and military family survivors; as well as military pay for important military career fields.

COMBAT-RELATED MILITARY PAY AND MORE

The previous 2008 Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation was comprised of two volumes, focusing on Basic Allowance for Housing, military retirement pay, TRICARE health premiums, pay incentives for health care professionals, and quality of life issues.

The focus of the 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation takes a somewhat different angle by responding to the issues of financial relief for combat zones and hostile fire areas; Reserve and National Guard compensation; benefits to wounded soldiers and families of deceased soldiers.

Military mental health is another focus of the 11th Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation, creating pay incentives for mental health professionals, translators, and other special operations officers providing essential services for soldiers returning from war.

MILITARY PAY VS. CIVILIAN SALARIES

The first issue for any Quadrennial Compensation Review board is how military pay supports service members compared to benefits received by their civilian peers.

Is military pay comparable to civilian salaries in the private sector? Are military service members receiving enough pay to maintain not only military morale but also the efficiency of our military force?

According to a testimony given before a Senate subcommittee by Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel Policy, William J. Carr, military pay is highly competitive to private sector salaries. Evidence supporting this statement is often seen in high rates of military recruitment and retention.

The good news for those in the military: comparing military pay to civilian salaries using total military compensation including basic pay, military allowances, and military tax breaks, military personnel are shown to receive salaries 70 percent higher than their civilian peers with similar education and job qualifications. Considering high risks and a wide variety of military life challenges, higher job compensation for the military is a vital investment.