PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Pays extra monthly money to certain enlisted aircrew members who meet service rules. To get it, a member must be on active pay or certain reserve pay, hold a career enlisted flyer job (or be a dropsonde operator) or be training for one, be cleared for aviation service, and meet flying-time rules. The pay can be paid continuously or month-to-month. To keep continuous pay a member must do operational flying for 6 of the first 10 years, 9 of the first 15, and 14 of the first 20 years of aviation service. Continuous pay stops after 25 years of aviation service, but month-to-month pay can continue. The service secretary can allow a member to keep continuous pay in special cases if the member did at least 5, 8, or 12 years of operational flying in the first 10, 15, or 20 years. If continuous pay stops, month-to-month pay uses the same rate for the member’s years of aviation service. Monthly maximums are: $150 for 4 or fewer years, $225 for over 4 years, $350 for over 8 years, and $400 for over 14 years. Reservists doing inactive-duty training may get 1/30 of the monthly amount for qualifying drills of two hours or more. Members cannot get this pay at the same time as hazardous-duty or diving special pay. If a member was getting another pilot incentive right before switching, they keep the higher rate. Definitions: “Eligible career enlisted flyer” — an enlisted aircrew member who meets the listed conditions. “Aviation service” — taking part in aerial flight under the service rules. “Operational flying duty” — flying under orders in jobs that keep basic flying skills, including dropsonde system operator work or qualifying training.

Title 37, §320

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

(a)Eligible Career Enlisted Flyer Defined.—

In this section, the term “eligible career enlisted flyer” means an enlisted member of the armed forces who—

(1)is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title, or is entitled to pay under section 206 of this title as described in subsection (e) of this section;

(2)holds an enlisted military occupational specialty or enlisted military rating designated as a career enlisted flyer specialty or rating by the Secretary concerned, performs duty as a dropsonde system operator, or is in training leading to qualification and designation of such a specialty or rating or the performance of such duty;

(3)is qualified for aviation service under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned; and

(4)satisfies the operational flying duty requirements applicable under subsection (c).

(b)Incentive Pay Authorized.—

(1)The Secretary concerned may pay monthly incentive pay to an eligible career enlisted flyer in an amount not to exceed the monthly maximum amounts specified in subsection (d). The incentive pay may be paid as continuous monthly incentive pay or on a month-to-month basis, dependent upon the operational flying duty performed by the eligible career enlisted flyer as prescribed in subsection (c).

(2)Continuous monthly incentive pay may not be paid to an eligible career enlisted flyer after the member completes 25 years of aviation service. Thereafter, an eligible career enlisted flyer may still receive incentive pay on a month-to-month basis under subsection (c)(4) for the frequent and regular performance of operational flying duty.

(c)Operational Flying Duty Requirements.—

(1)An eligible career enlisted flyer must perform operational flying duties for 6 of the first 10, 9 of the first 15, and 14 of the first 20 years of aviation service, to be eligible for continuous monthly incentive pay under this section.

(2)Upon completion of 10, 15, or 20 years of aviation service, an enlisted member who has not performed the minimum required operational flying duties specified in paragraph (1) during the prescribed period, although otherwise meeting the definition in subsection (a), may no longer be paid continuous monthly incentive pay except as provided in paragraph (3). Payment of continuous monthly incentive pay may be resumed if the member meets the minimum operational flying duty requirement upon completion of the next established period of aviation service.

(3)For the needs of the service, the Secretary concerned may permit, on a case-by-case basis, a member to continue to receive continuous monthly incentive pay despite the member’s failure to perform the operational flying duty required during the first 10, 15, or 20 years of aviation service, but only if the member otherwise meets the definition in subsection (a) and has performed at least 5 years of operational flying duties during the first 10 years of aviation service, 8 years of operational flying duties during the first 15 years of aviation service, or 12 years of operational flying duty during the first 20 years of aviation service. The authority of the Secretary concerned under this paragraph may not be delegated below the level of the Service Personnel Chief.

(4)If the eligibility of an eligible career enlisted flyer to continuous monthly incentive pay ceases under subsection (b)(2) or paragraph (2), the member may still receive month-to-month incentive pay for subsequent frequent and regular performance of operational flying duty. The rate payable is the same rate authorized by the Secretary concerned under subsection (d) for a member of corresponding years of aviation service.

(d)Monthly Maximum Rates.—

The monthly rate of any career enlisted flyer incentive pay paid under this section to a member on active duty shall be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, but may not exceed the following:

Years of aviation service | Monthly rate

4 or less | $150

Over 4 | $225

Over 8 | $350

Over 14 | $400.

(e)Eligibility of Reserve Component Members When Performing Inactive Duty Training.—

Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, when a member of a reserve component or the National Guard, who is entitled to compensation under section 206 of this title, meets the definition of eligible career enlisted flyer, the Secretary concerned may increase the member’s compensation by an amount equal to 1⁄30 of the monthly incentive pay authorized by the Secretary concerned under subsection (d) for a member of corresponding years of aviation service who is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title. The reserve component member may receive the increase for as long as the member is qualified for it, for each regular period of instruction or period of appropriate duty, at which the member is engaged for at least two hours, or for the performance of such other equivalent training, instruction, duty or appropriate duties, as the Secretary may prescribe under section 206(a) of this title.

(f)Relation to Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay or Diving Duty Special Pay.—

A member receiving incentive pay under section 301(a) of this title or special pay under section 304 of this title may not be paid special pay under this section for the same period of service.

(g)Save Pay Provision.—

If, immediately before a member receives incentive pay under this section, the member was entitled to incentive pay under section 301(a) of this title, the rate at which the member is paid incentive pay under this section shall be equal to the higher of the monthly amount applicable under subsection (d) or the rate of incentive pay the member was receiving under subsection (b) or (c)(2)(A) of section 301 of this title.

(h)Specialty Code of Dropsonde System Operators.—

Within the Air Force, the Secretary of the Air Force shall assign to members who are dropsonde system operators a specialty code that identifies such members as serving in a weather specialty.

(i)Definitions.—

In this section: (1)

(2)The term “operational flying duty” means flying performed under competent orders while serving in assignments, including an assignment as a dropsonde system operator, in which basic flying skills normally are maintained in the performance of assigned duties as determined by the Secretary concerned, and flying duty performed by members in training that leads to the award of an enlisted aviation rating or military occupational specialty designated as a career enlisted flyer rating or specialty by the Secretary concerned.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title VI, § 628(b), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 659, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on October 1, 1999.”

§320 Incentive Pay: Career Enlisted Flyers

Summary

Title 37, §320

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Amendments

Citations & Metadata