---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 1596c"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "1596c"
heading: "Programming language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for national security interests"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/1596c"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part II — Personnel"
  - "Chapter 81 — Civilian Employees"
---

# §1596c. Programming language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for national security interests

- (a) **Authority.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense, under the sole and exclusive discretion of the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3), may [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) special [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) under this section to an employee of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense who—
  - (1) has been certified by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) to be proficient in a computer or digital programming language identified by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) as being a language in which proficiency by civilian personnel of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) is necessary because of [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) interests; and
  - (2) is assigned duties requiring proficiency in that programming language.
- (b) **Rate.—** The [rate](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9) of special [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) for an employee under this section shall be prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3), but may not exceed 20 percent of the employee’s [rate](/usc/10/101.md?p=b-9) of basic [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15).
- (c) **Relationship to Other Pay and Allowances.—** Special [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) under this section is in addition to any other [pay](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-15) or allowances to which the employee is entitled.
- (d) **Regulations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title II, § 241(c)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3487.)