Title 37Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed ServicesRelease 119-73

§302c Special pay: psychologists and nonphysician health care providers

Title 37 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - EXISTING SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORITIES › § 302c

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Pays extra yearly money to certain military and Public Health Service health officers who are psychologists with a Diplomate in Psychology diploma from the American Board of Professional Psychology. The amount depends on years of creditable service: $2,000 if under 10 years; $2,500 if at least 10 but under 12; $3,000 if at least 12 but under 14; $4,000 if at least 14 but under 18; and $5,000 if 18 or more years. The Secretary of Defense may give those same amounts to Army, Navy, or Air Force medical officers who meet the psychologist and diploma rules. The appropriate service secretary may also approve these same pay rates for other health care providers (not psychologists) in specified Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Public Health Service corps, so long as the officer has a postbaccalaureate degree and board certification in the officer’s specialty.

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §302c

Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A member who is—
(1)an officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps 11 See Change of Name note below. of the Public Health Service and is designated as a psychologist; and
(2)has been awarded a diploma as a Diplomate in Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology,
(b)The rate of special pay to which an officer is entitled pursuant to subsection (a) shall be—
(1)$2,000 per year, if the officer has less than 10 years of creditable service;
(2)$2,500 per year, if the officer has at least 10 but less than 12 years of creditable service;
(3)$3,000 per year, if the officer has at least 12 but less than 14 years of creditable service;
(4)$4,000 per year, if the officer has at least 14 but less than 18 years of creditable service; or
(5)$5,000 per year, if the officer has 18 or more years of creditable service.
(c)The Secretary of Defense may provide special pay at the rates specified in subsection (b) to an officer who—
(1)is an officer in the Medical Service Corps of the Army or Navy or a biomedical sciences officer in the Air Force;
(2)is designated as a psychologist; and
(3)has been awarded a diploma as a Diplomate in Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
(d)The Secretary concerned may authorize the payment of special pay at the rates specified in subsection (b) to an officer who—
(1)is an officer in the Medical Service Corps of the Army or Navy, a biomedical sciences officer in the Air Force, an officer in the Army Medical Specialist Corps, an officer of the Nurse Corps of the Army or Navy, an officer of the Air Force designated as a nurse, an officer of the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Reserve designated as a physician assistant, or an officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps 1 of the Public Health Service;
(2)is a health care provider (other than a psychologist);
(3)has a postbaccalaureate degree; and
(4)is certified by a professional board in the officer’s specialty.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 302c, added Pub. L. 96–284, § 3(a)(1), June 28, 1980, 94 Stat. 589, related to special pay for medical officers of the Public Health Service, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 96–513, title IV, § 414(a), Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2906, eff. Sept. 15, 1981.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 110–181 substituted “Service Corps” for “Services Corps”. 2000—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 106–398 inserted “an officer of the Coast Guard or Coast Guard Reserve designated as a physician assistant,” after “nurse,”. 1997—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 105–85 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 104–201, § 614(b)(2)(B). See 1996 Amendment note below. 1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–201, § 614(b)(1), substituted “Secretary concerned” for “Secretary of Defense” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 104–201, § 614(b)(2)(B), as amended by Pub. L. 105–85, inserted before semicolon at end “, or an officer in the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service”. Pub. L. 104–201, § 614(b)(2)(A), struck out “or” after “Nurse Corps of the Army or Navy,”. Pub. L. 104–106 struck out “or” after “Air Force,” and inserted “, an officer of the Nurse Corps of the Army or Navy, or an officer of the Air Force designated as a nurse” before semicolon at end. 1992—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 102–484 substituted “Navy,” for “Navy or” and inserted before semicolon at end “, or an officer in the Army Medical Specialist Corps”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–25 amended section catchline generally. 1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–510 added subsec. (d). 1989—Pub. L. 101–189, § 704(b)(1), struck out “in the Public Health Service Corps” after “psychologists” in section catchline. Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 101–189, § 704(c), inserted headings. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–189, § 704(a), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Reference to Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service deemed to be a reference to the Ready Reserve Corps, see section 204(c)(3) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

Effective Date

of 1997 Amendment Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title X, § 1073(c), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1904, provided that the amendment made by that section is effective as of Sept. 23, 1996, and as if included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1997, Pub. L. 104–201, as enacted.

Effective Date

Pub. L. 100–140, § 2(c), Oct. 26, 1987, 101 Stat. 831, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [enacting this section and amending section 303a of this title] shall take effect on October 1, 1987 or on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 26, 1987], whichever is later, and shall apply with respect to pay periods beginning on or after that

Effective Date

.”

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. Implementation of Subsection (d)Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title VI, § 618(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1579, provided that: “The Secretary of Defense may not implement subsection (d) of section 302c of title 37, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), unless the Secretary submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report— “(1) justifying the need of the military departments for the authority provided in such subsection; and “(2) describing the manner in which that authority will be implemented.” [Report submitted to Committees on Apr. 29, 1994.] Implementation of Special Pay for Army, Navy, and Air Force Psychologists Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VII, § 704(d), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1471, provided that: “The Secretary of Defense may not implement subsection (c) of section 302c of title 37, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), unless the Secretary submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and House of Representatives a report— “(1) justifying the need of the military departments for the authority provided in such subsection; and “(2) describing the manner in which that authority will be implemented.” [Report submitted to Committees on Apr. 20, 1994.]

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

37 U.S.C. § 302c

Title 37Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73