ARMY RESERVE PAY

 

 

 

 

 

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Expand List item 3178Collapse List item 3178  PAY PROCESS FOR TROOP PROGRAM UNIT (TPU) SOLDIERS:
The Unit Administrator (UA) is responsible for initiating pay actions for TPU Soldiers. The exception is units supported by a Reserve Personnel Action Center (RPAC). RPACs initiate pay actions for all units in their location.   

Army Reserve Soldiers perform Inactive (IDT) and Active Duty (AD) training. IDT includes Battle Assemblies (BA), Rescheduled Training (RST), Equivalent Training (ET), Additional Training Assemblies (ATA), Electronic Based Distributed Learning (EBDL), Funeral Honors Duty (FHD), Medical/Dental Readiness Periods (MDRP), and Readiness Management Assemblies (RMA).   

AD includes Annual Training (AT), Active Duty for Training (ADT), Active Duty for Training-School (ADTS), Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS), Contingency Operations-Active Duty Operational Support (CO-ADOS), and Mobilization (MOB).   

IDT pay actions and pay actions for AD of 1-29 days and MOB are initiated by the UA or RPAC using the Regional Level Application System. Pay actions for AD of 30 days or more are processed by the installation Defense Military Pay Office (DMPO) or the USAR Pay Center (UPC) when the AD is not performed on an Army installation. Retroactive adjustments to pay and actions to update administrative information are processed by the UPC.


Expand List item 3179Collapse List item 3179  PAY and ALLOWANCES:

There are several factors that determine a Soldier’s pay entitlements. Some of these factors are type, length, and location of the duty. For all types of IDT, Soldiers are only entitled to Basic Pay and some incentive and special pays, if qualified and authorized.  Most IDT is performed in 4 hour blocks, performance of each block entitling the Soldier to one day of Basic Pay.  However, some IDT periods such as RMAs and EBDLs are only authorized one day of Basic Pay regardless of the number of hours performed during the day.   

For AD periods, Soldiers always receive Basic Pay, Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) (with the exception of Initial Entry Training). BAH have different rates depending on whether the AD period is 30 days or less or 31 days or more.   

Soldiers on AD may qualify for additional entitlements such as Family separation Allowances (FSA), Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), special and incentive pay, Clothing Monetary Allowance (CMA), Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA), Hostile Fire Pay (HFP), Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) or Hardship Duty Pay (HDP).

» Basic Allowances & Entitlements for Reserve Components on Active Duty (.pdf)

» Military Pay vs. VA Pay (.xlsx)

Expand List item 3180Collapse List item 3180  BONUSES:
Army Reserve Soldiers may qualify for a bonus their affiliating, enlisting or reenlisting in the Army Reserve. Each bonus has specific eligibility and payment rules. Bonuses are paid either in lump sum or by installments. Failure to fulfill the service requirements for the bonus may result in termination of the bonus and collection of unearned portions.


Expand List item 3181Collapse List item 3181  ACCRUED LEAVE:
Army Reserve Soldiers performing AD of 30 or more days accrue 2.5 days of leave each 30 days (or ½ day for every 6 days of duty). Soldiers may request payment of unused leave upon release from AD or elect to carryover the leave to a future AD period of 30 or more days. Soldiers may elect to carryover all or a portion of accrued leave and receive payment for the remainder. All leave earned by Army Reserve Soldiers on AD orders of 365 days or less is exempt from the 60-day career limit on payment for accrued leave.


Expand List item 3182Collapse List item 3182  PAYMENT TIMELINES:

IDT and AD payments initiated in RLAS generally result in payment to the Soldier within 10 days. Units and RPACs are to initiate payment for Battle Assemblies within 24 hrs of completion, all other IDT should be process no later than 72hrs after the UA or RPAC receives the DA 1380.   

AD orders of 7 days or less are paid after duty performance. The unit or RPAC can initiate payment for AD orders of 8-29 days in advance so that the Soldier receives pay on or about the last day of duty. AD orders of more than 30 days are paid on the 1st and 15th of each month.   

Soldiers must provide certification of AD performance to the appropriate personnel.  Failure to provide certification will result in collection of any payments made for the AD period or stoppage of pay.  To certify, the Soldier must provide a copy of the orders or a USAR Form 25-R with his/her signature and the signature of someone with knowledge of duty performance as follows:                 
• For orders of 1-7 days, the Soldier must provide certification to the UA or RPAC to initiate pay.   
• For orders of 8-29 days, the Soldier must provide certification to the UA or RPAC within 45 days of duty completion.
• For AD of 30 days or more not performed on an Army Installation, the Soldiers must provide certification to the unit or RPAC at the end of each month and at duty completion.


Expand List item 3183Collapse List item 3183  VA DISABILITY COMPENSATION (VA DC):
VA DC is paid to Soldiers with service-connected disabilities. Soldiers cannot receive VA DC and military pay for the same day, they must elect payment of one or the other.  In almost all cases, it is to the Soldier’s advantage to elect military pay as it is normally a higher rate per day than VA DC.  

Soldiers in receipt of VA DC must make an election regarding their VA DC at the end of each fiscal year (30 Sep). Election is made by completing VA Form 21-8951-2 and mailing a copy to the address on the form. The VA will stop DC payments for Soldiers who do not provide a VA 21-8951-2. Soldiers must waive either VA Disability Compensation or Military Pay and Allowances for the number of Inactive and Active duty days performed during the Fiscal Year. 

If Soldier elects to waive VA DC for periods of duty, the VA will reduce the Soldier’s DC for the next year by the number of duty days performed during the previous FY. Soldiers electing to waive military pay will incur a debt for the number of duty days performed during the previous FY.

More information on VA Compensation can be found on VA website.


Expand List item 3184Collapse List item 3184  DEBTS:
Soldiers with a new debt on their Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) should read the LES remarks carefully. These remarks should identify the source of the debt. The most common causes of debt are collection of bonuses and AD that was not performed. 

Other common causes are unpaid SGLI/FSGLI premiums for Soldiers who didn’t perform duty during the previous month(s), Tuition Assistance, travel overpayments and debts to AAFES. AAFES debts will list a phone number to call with inquiries. 

All other debts should be self-explanatory but Soldiers should contact their UA or RPAC if they have questions.


Expand List item 3185Collapse List item 3185  W-2 FORMS:
W-2s are available in January each year. All Soldiers who performed any type of duty or received a bonus will receive a W2 for military pay compensation. Special W2s or other tax statements are also produced for certain income such as loan repayment or savings deposit program and personally procured move travel reimbursement. 

Most tax statements are available via myPay. Some, such as Student or Health Professional Loan Repayment Program W2s are mailed to the address in your myPay profile. Soldiers have myPay access for a year after separating from the Selected Reserve. 

Keep your email and other information up to date in myPay. Soldiers needing a replacement W-2 should use myPay. Soldiers without access to myPay can contact DFAS at: 1-888-332-7411.  

Soldiers with errors in their W2 can email a request for a corrected W-2 to DFAS at: DFAS RC/NG@DFAS.MIL.

• Include name, SSN, mailing address, telephone number and attach documents demonstrating the error.


Expand List item 3186Collapse List item 3186  MILITARY PAY INQUIRIES:

 

The UA or RPAC should be able to resolve most pay problems experienced by USAR Soldiers. Units and RPACs will contact their respective Regional Support Command (RSC) Finance Division for pay issues they cannot resolve.  

Soldiers may contact the RSC Finance Division when they feel that their unit or RPAC has not taken appropriate action to resolve their pay problem.  
63rd Readiness Division -  usarmy.usarc.63-rd.mbx.special-pay-inquiry@army.mil
81st Readiness Division-  usarmy.usarc.81-rd.mbx.financed@army.mil
88th Readiness Division -  usarmy.usarc.88-rd.mbx.finance-inquiries@army.mil
99th Readiness Division -  usarmy.usarc.99-rd.mbx.pay-support@army.mil

Expand List item 3187Collapse List item 3187  TRAVEL INQUIRIES:
Refer inquiries concerning travel performed on a Defense Travel System (DTS) authorization to your unit’s Command Defense Travel Administrator (DTA).   

For travel inquiries regarding DD 1351-2 submitted to DFAS, contact DFAS travel customer service at 1-888-332-7366.  Temporary Duty (TDY) travel information, submission of travel voucher and other pertinent TDY information may be found at http://www.dfas.mil/tdytravel.html.

Army Reserve Soldiers on Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders will process their travel settlement with the local Defense Military Pay Office (DMPO). For additional information regarding PCS travel visit http://www.dfas.mil/pcstravel.html. 
  • *Active Duty for Training (ADT) or Active Duty for Training-School (ADTS) orders of 140 days or more in one location is a Permanent Change of Station (PCS).
  • Active Duty Operational Support-Reserve Component (ADOS-RC) orders of 181 days or more in one location are a Permanent Change of Station (PCS).  

Pay Tables for Military, Retired Military & Annuitants, and Civilian Employees

The pay tables provided are for reference use only and not for official purposes. The effective dates of certain pay rates may differ from dates for various allotments and other pay entitlements.