One of the benefits in serving in the United States Military is qualifying for Special Duty Pay. Special Duty pay is for Servicemembers who are at special risk, who are work in dangerous or hazardous jobs, or in jobs that require extreme conditions. Because of their service, the military recognizes them and their service with special duty pay and benefits. There are several types of Special Duty pay. The specific nature of special duty pay means that they will encounter risks and hardships concurrent with their jobs, and that their jobs by their definition will require special skills, ability or hazards. Sometimes they will require all three.
Flight Duty Pay- This is the type of benefits and pay awarded to those who work in aviation, flight operations or otherwise deal with aviation and the risks of aviation service. Navigators, Pilots, and aircrew members qualify for this type of pay. People who work on the fight decks on carriers also qualify for flight duty pay. This type of pay yields typically around $240 dollars extra a month. In special situations this type of pay can equal nearly $840 dollars a month, depending on the circumstances.
Special Duty Pay-This pay is for Servicemembers that work in a job that deals with a lot of extra responsibility. It meant they have to put in effort and time, above and beyond what is normal or regular, and for this they are compensated. Examples are fuel specialists, combat air controllers, parachute instructors, and other types of special duty. The pay for these types of jobs for special duty range from an additional $55 dollars a month to around $370 dollars a month on the high end. This is quite lucrative for some Servicemembers.
Hardship Duty Pay- This is for Servicemembers that have to serve in remote locations that are especially hard or where the cost of living is extremely high. To qualify for hardship duty pay the conditions for living have to be a lot below that which is normally found in the United States. The amount of Hardship duty pay varies, but is typically about $50, $100, or $150 dollars a month. It all depends on the conditions in the area and the situation.
Special Skill Pay- The best example of pay for special skills is foreign language proficiency pay. It can vary, and depends on the demands and the needs of the service, but it can amount to several hundred dollars a month.