Another Consequence of the NDAA – Soldiers in imminent danger are now paid only for days actually spent in hazardous areas

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The National Defense Authorization Act’s latest consequence is the “modification” of the conditions for receiving imminent danger pay. How much money will this save the government? No figures have been released but the cost to the moral of our soldiers fighting and dying on the front lines is immeasurable.

Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger Pay

The rules for Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger Pay have changed. Service members will now  receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas. This change went in effect on February 1, 2012.

A member of a uniformed service may be entitled to Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger pay at the rate of $225 for any month in which he/she was entitled to basic pay and in which he/she was:

• Subject to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines;
• On duty in an area in which he was in imminent danger of being exposed to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines and in which, during the period he was on duty in that area, other members of the uniformed services were subject to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines;
• Killed, injured, or wounded by hostile fire, explosion of a hostile mine, or any other hostile action; or
• On duty in a foreign area in which he was subject to the threat of physical harm or imminent danger on the basis of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism, or wartime conditions.

Note: Reserve members are also eligible for Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger Pay.

Would a Republican president support this kind of action against our soldiers in harm’s way? Here are Mitt Romney’s views on the NDAA legislation:

This is the section from the NDAA “modifying” the conditions for hostile fire and imminent danger special pay and hazardous duty special pay:

SEC. 616. MODIFICATION OF QUALIFYING PERIOD FOR PAYMENT OF HOSTILE FIRE AND IMMINENT DANGER SPECIAL PAY AND HAZARDOUS DUTY SPECIAL PAY.

(a) HOSTILE FIRE AND IMMINENT DANGER PAY.—Section 310 of title 37, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘for any month or portion of a month’’ and inserting ‘‘for any day or portion of a day’’;

(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following new subsection (b):

‘‘(b) SPECIAL PAY AMOUNT.—

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amount of special pay authorized by subsection

(a) for qualifying service during a day or portion of a day shall be the amount equal to 1/30th of the maximum monthly amount of special pay payable to a member as specified in paragraph (3).

‘‘(2) In the case of a member who is exposed to hostile fire or a hostile mine explosion event in or for a day or portion of a day, the Secretary concerned may, at the election of the Secretary, pay the member special pay under subsection (a) for such service in an amount not to exceed the maximum monthly amount of special pay payable to a member as specified in paragraph (3).

‘‘(3) The maximum monthly amount of special pay payable to a member under this subsection for any month is $225.’’.

(3) in subsection (c)(1), by inserting ‘‘for any day (or portion of a day) of’’ before ‘‘not more than three additional months’’; and

(4) in subsection (d)(2), by striking ‘‘any month’’ and inserting ‘‘any day’’.

(b) HAZARDOUS DUTY PAY.—Section 351(c)(2) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘receipt of hazardous duty pay,’’ and all that follows and inserting ‘‘receipt of hazardous duty pay—

‘‘(A) in the case of hazardous duty pay payable under paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the Secretary concerned—

‘‘(i) shall prorate the payment amount to reflect the duration of the member’s actual qualifying service during the month; or

‘‘(ii) in the case of a member who is exposed to hostile fire or an explosion of a hostile explosive device in or for a day or portion of a day, may, at the election of the Secretary, pay the member hazardous duty pay in an amount not to exceed the entire amount of hazardous duty pay that would be payable to the member under such paragraph (1) for the month in which the duty concerned occurs (with the total amount of hazardous duty pay paid the member under this clause in any given month not to exceed such entire amount);

and

‘‘(B) in the case of hazardous duty pay payable under paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a), the Secretary concerned may prorate the payment amount to reflect the duration of the member’s actual qualifying service during the month.’’.

Are these the actions of a moral society? 

David DeGerolamo

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