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2w ago

Pentagon Raises Hostile Fire and Imminent Danger Pay

Pentagon officials say the increase will better match pay to operational risk, prompting coordination with DFAS on payroll and eligibility.

ZABOL PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN - MARCH 29: U.S. Special Forces soldiers with Task Force 31 stop their convoy on the way to conduct joint village searches with the Afghan National Army March 29, 2004 in southeast Afghanistan. U.S. Special Forces and the Afghan National Army, trained by special forces and U.S. Marines, are together stepping up the hunt for Taliban and al Qaeda forces. The deployment of the ANA to the southeast marks the first time the army has been seen by locals in this region. (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon, Thursday, April 16, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)
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Overview

  • The department-wide pay changes took effect at the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2026, following a July memorandum from Assistant Secretary Tim Dill.
  • Hostile Fire Pay will be paid at $450 per month for service members exposed to hostile fire or placed in grave danger, and Imminent Danger Pay will be $9.16 per day up to $275 per month for troops in designated risky locations.
  • The two pays are mutually exclusive so service members cannot receive both for the same period and commanders may reclassify personnel from Imminent Danger Pay to Hostile Fire Pay when an area escalates into active combat.
  • Implementation details include coordination with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which currently lists 58 eligible locations (18 added since February with Operation Epic Fury), and an administrative cut to hardship duty pay-location from $150 to $100 to stay within statutory limits.
  • The increase, authorized under 37 U.S.C. § 351 and described by Pentagon officials as the first change to these stipends since 2002, is intended to boost compensation for troops serving in higher-risk areas and will affect how pay appears on leave-and-earnings statements and local finance processing.