§910 Replacement of Lost Income: Involuntarily Mobilized Reserve Component Members and Members of the Space Force Subject to Extended and Frequent Active Duty Service

Summary

The Secretary in charge of the member’s service must pay eligible reserve or Space Force members a monthly amount when their military pay is less than their average civilian pay. Payments are made for each full month the member is on involuntary active duty once the member meets one of these tests: 547 continuous days on such active duty; 730 total days on such active duty within the previous 1,826 days; or being involuntarily mobilized for 180 days or more within 180 days after leaving a previous 180‑day (or longer) active‑duty period. The payment also starts or continues if the member meets those day tests and is kept on duty because of an injury or illness suffered while serving where special pay is available. Federal civilian employees who already get a federal civilian differential or a similar administrative benefit are not eligible. The monthly payment equals the difference between the member’s average monthly civilian income and the member’s total monthly military pay. A payment is made only if that difference is more than $50 and it cannot exceed $3,000 in any month. Average monthly civilian income means the member’s earned income for either the 12 months before mobilization or the 12 months covered by the most recent federal tax return, divided by 12. Total monthly military pay means the member’s regular monthly military pay plus any monthly special or incentive pay and monthly allowances (except allowances counted as regular pay). The Secretary of Defense will write the rules to run this program. No payments are allowed for months that start after December 31, 2026, unless the member’s right to payments began on or before that date.