Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110
§1596c Programming Language Proficiency: Special Pay for Proficiency Beneficial for National Security Interests
Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART II — PERSONNEL › CHAPTER 81 — CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES › § 1596c
Summary
The Secretary of Defense alone may pay extra money to a Department of Defense employee who the Secretary certifies can use a computer or digital programming language the Secretary says is needed for national security, and who has a job that needs that skill. The Secretary sets the pay amount but it cannot be more than 20 percent of the employee’s basic pay. This extra pay is on top of any other pay or allowances. The Secretary must write rules to run the program.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §1596c
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Authority.—
The Secretary of Defense, under the sole and exclusive discretion of the Secretary, may pay special pay under this section to an employee of the Department of Defense who—
(1)has been certified by the Secretary to be proficient in a computer or digital programming language identified by the Secretary as being a language in which proficiency by civilian personnel of the Department is necessary because of national security interests; and
(2)is assigned duties requiring proficiency in that programming language.
(b)Rate.—
The rate of special pay for an employee under this section shall be prescribed by the Secretary, but may not exceed 20 percent of the employee’s rate of basic pay.
(c)Relationship to Other Pay and Allowances.—
Special pay under this section is in addition to any other pay or allowances to which the employee is entitled.
(d)Regulations.—
The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 1596c
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110