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Military Personnel: DOD Has Not Implemented the High Deployment Allowance That Could Compensate Servicemembers Deployed Frequently for Short Periods

GAO-04-805 Published: Jun 25, 2004. Publicly Released: Jun 25, 2004.
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Highlights

The fiscal year 2004 National Defense Authorization Act directed GAO to assess the special pays and allowances for servicemembers who are frequently deployed for less than 30 days, and to specifically review the family separation allowance. GAO's objectives were to assess (1) the rationale for the family separation allowance eligibility requirements, including the required duration of more than 30 consecutive days away from a member's duty station; (2) the extent to which DOD has identified short-term deployments as a family separation allowance issue; and (3) what special pays and allowances, in addition to basic military compensation, are available to compensate members deployed for less than 30 days.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), in concert with the Service Secretaries and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, to set a timetable for establishing criteria to implement the high deployment allowance.
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD has not established a timetable to establish criteria to implement the high deployment allowance. In fact, DOD has indicated that it does not intend to implement the high deployment allowance authority, which the department views as a "peacetime" authority. Rather, DOD and the Services report that they have worked in unison over the past two years to develop a deployment tempo pay program utilizing hardship duty pay (HDP). According to USD(P&R), modifications to HDP to address high deployments were partially achieved by the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which increased the maximum monthly amount payable in HDP from $750 to $1,500. DOD reports that it currently has a legislative proposal under review by the Senate and House Armed Service Committee staffs that would provide greater flexibility in the management of servicemember deployment, redefines deployment, and authorizes the Secretary of the Military Department to develop deployment tempo pay tables consistent with Service deployment patterns. DOD expects that this proposal will be part of the FY2009 NDAA.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), in concert with the Service Secretaries and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, to define, as part of the criteria, what constitutes frequent short-term deployments within the context of the cumulative day requirement as stated in the high deployment allowance legislation.
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD has indicated that they do not intend to implement the high deployment allowance authority and will seek its elimination. Currently, implementation of the high deployment allowance remains suspended under a 2001 National Security Waiver. According to USD(P&R), the Department's goal is to replace the high deployment allowance authority in section 436, title 37 with a more flexible high deployment compensation mechanism. In line with that goal, DOD and services have developed a deployment tempo pay program that utilizes the hardship duty pay (HDP) program contained in section 305, title 37. According to USD(P&R), the goal of improving hardship duty pay was partially achieved by the FY2008 NDAA which doubled the maximum monthly amount payable in HDP from $750 to $1500. At this time, OSD(P&R) reports that a legislative proposal which is under review by the House and Senate Armed Services committees would redefine deployment and authorize the Secretary of each Military Department to develop tempo pay tables consistent with their deployment patterns and "ethos."
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should direct the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), in concert with the Service Secretaries and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, to determine, as part of the criteria, eligibility requirements targeting the high deployment allowance to selected occupational specialties.
Closed – Not Implemented
DoD, in effect, dismissed the portion of the recommendation that addressed the targeting of special pay or allowance to selected occupational specialities. It stated that regardless of the occupation in which a member serves, serving in a personal tempo situation beyond the established norm results in an arduousness for the member that the Department believes should be financially recognized.

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Topics

Eligibility criteriaMilitary compensationMilitary expense allowancesMilitary payMilitary personnel deploymentMilitary personnelMilitary policiesPer diem allowancesPolicy evaluationSubsistence allowances