Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed ServicesRelease 119-110

§302f Special Pay: Reserve, Recalled, or Retained Health Care Officers

Title 37 › CHAPTER 5 — SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › SUBCHAPTER I — EXISTING SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORITIES › § 302f

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets certain health care officers get special pay even if they are not on active duty for one year and even if they did not sign a one‑year agreement. This applies to officers who would otherwise qualify for special pay under sections 302, 302a, 302b, 302c, 302e, or 303 and who are: reserve officers on active duty (not for training) for more than 30 days but less than one year; involuntarily kept or recalled to duty under 10 U.S.C. 12305 or 688 for more than 30 days; or who voluntarily stay on duty for less than one year when others are involuntarily retained under 12305 or when the Secretary of Defense finds special circumstances. Special pay can be paid monthly. Any money paid for time not actually served must be paid back under the rules in section 303a(e). A reserve medical or dental officer who gets pay under this rule through section 302 or 302b cannot also get the special pay found at 302(h) or 302b(h).

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §302f

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

(a)Eligible for Special Pay.—
A health care officer described in subsection (b) shall be eligible for special pay under section 302, 302a, 302b, 302c, 302e, or 303 of this title (whichever applies) notwithstanding any requirement in those sections that—
(1)the call or order of the officer to active duty be for a period of not less than one year; or
(2)the officer execute a written agreement to remain on active duty for a period of not less than one year.
(b)Health Care Officers Described.—
A health care officer referred to in subsection (a) is an officer of the armed forces who is otherwise eligible for special pay under section 302, 302a, 302b, 302c, 302e, or 303 of this title and who—
(1)is a reserve officer on active duty (other than for training) under a call or order to active duty for a period of more than 30 days but less than one year;
(2)is involuntarily retained on active duty under section 12305 of title 10, or is recalled to active duty under section 688 of title 10 for a period of more than 30 days; or
(3)voluntarily agrees to remain on active duty for a period of less than one year at a time when—
(A)officers are involuntarily retained on active duty under section 12305 of title 10; or
(B)the Secretary of Defense determines (pursuant to regulations prescribed by the Secretary) that special circumstances justify the payment of special pay under this section.
(c)Monthly Payments.—
Payment of special pay pursuant to this section may be made on a monthly basis. The officer shall repay in the manner provided in section 303a(e) of this title any amount received under this section in excess of the amount that corresponds to the actual period of active duty served by the officer.
(d)Special Rule for Reserve Medical and Dental Officers.—
While a reserve medical or dental officer receives a special pay under section 302 or 302b of this title by reason of subsection (a), the officer shall not be entitled to special pay under section 302(h) or 302b(h) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “repay in the manner provided in section 303a(e) of this title” for “refund”. 2000—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106–398 amended heading and text of subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “While a reserve medical officer receives a special pay under section 302 of this title by reason of subsection (a), the officer shall not be entitled to special pay under subsection (h) of that section.” 1996—Subsec. (b)(2), (3)(A). Pub. L. 104–106 substituted “section 12305 of title 10” for “section 673c of title 10”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–106 effective as if included in the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act, title XVI of Pub. L. 103–337, as enacted on Oct. 5, 1994, see section 1501(f)(3) of Pub. L. 104–106, set out as a note under section 113 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Savings Provision

For

Savings Provision

relating to payment or repayment of any bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar pay obligated to be paid before Apr. 1, 2006, under a provision of this section amended by section 687(b) of Pub. L. 109–163, see section 687(f) of Pub. L. 109–163, set out as a note under section 510 of Title 10, Armed Forces. Active Duty in Connection With Operation Desert Storm Pub. L. 102–25, title III, § 304, Apr. 25, 1991, 105 Stat. 81, as amended by Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title VI, § 656, Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1393, provided that: “(a) Eligible for Special Pay.—A health care officer described in subsection (b) shall be eligible for special pay under section 302, 302a, 302b, 302e, or 303 of title 37, United States Code (whichever applies), notwithstanding any requirement in those sections that—“(1) the call or order of the officer to active duty be for a period of not less than one year; or “(2) the officer execute a written agreement to remain on active duty for a period of not less than one year. “(b) Health Care Officers Described.—A health care officer referred to in subsection (a) is an officer of the Armed Forces who is otherwise eligible for special pay under section 302, 302a, 302b, 302e, or 303 of title 37, United States Code, and who—“(1) is a reserve officer on active duty under a call or order to active duty for a period of less than one year in connection with Operation Desert Storm; “(2) is involuntarily retained on active duty under section 673c [now 12305] of title 10, United States Code, or is recalled to active duty under section 688 of that title, in connection with Operation Desert Storm; or “(3) voluntarily agrees to remain on active duty for a period of less than one year in connection with Operation Desert Storm. “(c) Monthly Payments.—Payment of special pay pursuant to this section may be made on a monthly basis. If the service on active duty of an officer described in subsection (b) is terminated before the end of the period for which a payment is made to the officer under subsection (a), the officer is entitled to special pay under section 302, 302a, 302b, 302e, or 303 of title 37, United States Code (whichever applies), only for the portion of that period that the officer actually served on active duty. The officer shall refund any amount received in excess of the amount that corresponds to the period of active duty of the officer. “(d) Special Rule for Reserve Medical Officer.—While a reserve medical officer receives a special pay under section 302 of title 37, United States Code, by operation of subsection (a), the officer shall not be entitled to special pay under subsection (h) of that section. “(e) Period of Applicability.—Subsection (a) shall apply during the period beginning on August 1, 1990, and ending on the first day of the first month beginning on or after the date 180 days after the end of the Persian Gulf conflict.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

37 U.S.C. § 302f

Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110