Army Pay Overview
Currently, the military compensation system has over 70 separate types of pay and allowances — Learn more below:
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH)
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS)
Military Pay Exclusion – Combat Zone Service
Foreign Language Proficiency Pay
Whether you’re active duty or reserve, an Army career can be a challenge and an adventure, and like any other job it comes with a salary, benefits, incentives and bonuses, not to mention automatic annual pay raises.
Annual Army pay raises are linked to the increase in civilian wages. Current laws governing annual pay raises guarantee that Army pay will be at least one-half percent above civilian average pay increases, as measured by the Employment Cost Index (ECI), through 2006. Army pay raises may exceed these automatic levels if authorized and funded by Congress.
There are several factors that effect your pay besides getting advanced or promoted. These include:
- An Annual Pay Raise (based in large part on the ECI mentioned above).
- Longevity raises virtually every 2 years (based on the number years in service).
- Basic Allowance for Housing Increases BAH (based on location)..
- Basic Allowance for Subsistence BAS Increase.
- Cost of Living Allowance COLA Increase (based on location).
- And Special Pay(s) (based on occupations: Combat, Flight, Hazardous Duty).
Questions About Pay
Please contact DFAS about any questions you may have about your Army pay.
Defense Finance and Accounting Service Cleveland Center/ROCAD
P.O. Box 99191
Cleveland, OH 44199-2058
Telephone numbers (toll free):
1-888-332-7411 general information
1-800-269-5170 (casualty reporting only)
1-800-469-6559 (fax)
Website: www.dod.mil/dfas
