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

§372 Continuation of Pays During Hospitalization and Rehabilitation Resulting From Wounds, Injury, or Illness Incurred While on Duty in a Hostile Fire Area or Exposed to an Event of Hostile Fire or Other Hostile Action

Title 37 › CHAPTER 5 — SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › SUBCHAPTER III — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 372

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows the Secretary to keep paying a service member all pay and allowances, including bonuses and special or incentive pay, if the member was wounded, injured, or became ill in the line of duty while serving in combat, a combat zone, a hostile-fire area, or after exposure to hostile fire, and is hospitalized for treatment. Payments can continue through the end of the first month after the earliest of these dates: the member returns to non-medical duty or is found fit for duty; one year after the first hospitalization (the Secretary can extend this in six-month steps); or the member is discharged, separated, or retired. “Bonus, incentive pay, or similar benefit” means bonuses, incentive pay, special pay, or similar military pay.

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §372

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

(a)Continuation of Pays.—
If a member of a uniformed service incurs a wound, injury, or illness in the line of duty while serving in a combat operation or a combat zone, while serving in a hostile fire area, or while exposed to a hostile fire event, as described under section 351 of this title, and is hospitalized for treatment of the wound, injury, or illness, the Secretary concerned may continue to pay to the member, notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, all pay and allowances (including any bonus, incentive pay, or similar benefit) that were being paid to the member at the time the member incurred the wound, injury, or illness.
(b)Duration.—
The payment of pay and allowances to a member under subsection (a) may continue until the end of the first month beginning after the earliest of the following dates:
(1)The date on which the member is returned for assignment to other than a medical or patient unit for duty; however, in the case of a member under the jurisdiction of a Secretary of a military department, the date on which the member is determined fit for duty.
(2)One year after the date on which the member is first hospitalized for the treatment of the wound, injury, or illness, except that the Secretary concerned may extend the termination date in six-month increments.
(3)The date on which the member is discharged, separated, or retired (including temporary disability retirement) from the uniformed services.
(c)Bonus, Incentive Pay, or Similar Benefit Defined.—
In this section, the term “bonus, incentive pay, or similar benefit” means a bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar payment paid to a member of the uniformed services under this title or title 10.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 struck out “of a regular or reserve component” after “If a member”. 2019—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–92 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “The date on which the member is returned for assignment to other than a medical or patient unit for duty.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

37 U.S.C. § 372

Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110