---
kind: "section"
citation: "37 U.S.C. § 320"
title: "37"
title_heading: "Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services"
number: "320"
heading: "Incentive pay: career enlisted flyers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/37/320"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Special and Incentive Pays"
  - "Subchapter I — Existing Special Pay, Incentive Pay, and Bonus Authorities"
---

# §320. Incentive pay: career enlisted flyers

- (a) **Eligible Career Enlisted Flyer Defined.—** In this section, the term “eligible career enlisted flyer” means an [enlisted member](/usc/37/101.md?p=14) of the [armed forces](/usc/37/101.md?p=4) who—
  - (1) is entitled to basic [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under [section 204 of this title](/usc/37/204.md), or is entitled to [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under [section 206 of this title](/usc/37/206.md) as described in [subsection (e)](#e) of this section;
  - (2) holds an enlisted military occupational specialty or enlisted military [rating](/usc/37/101.md?p=17) designated as a career enlisted flyer specialty or [rating](/usc/37/101.md?p=17) by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5), performs duty as a dropsonde system operator, or is in training leading to qualification and designation of such a specialty or [rating](/usc/37/101.md?p=17) or the performance of such duty;
  - (3) is qualified for aviation service under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5); and
  - (4) satisfies the operational flying duty requirements applicable under [subsection (c)](#c).
- (b) **Incentive Pay Authorized.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5) may [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) to an eligible career enlisted flyer in an amount not to exceed the monthly maximum amounts specified in [subsection (d)](#d). The incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) may be paid as continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) or on a month-to-month basis, dependent upon the operational flying duty performed by the eligible career enlisted flyer as prescribed in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (2) Continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) may not be paid to an eligible career enlisted flyer after the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) completes 25 years of aviation service. Thereafter, an eligible career enlisted flyer may still receive incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) on a month-to-month basis under [subsection (c)(4)](#c-4) for the frequent and regular performance of operational flying duty.
- (c) **Operational Flying Duty Requirements.—**
  - (1) An eligible career enlisted flyer must perform operational flying duties for 6 of the first 10, 9 of the first 15, and 14 of the first 20 years of aviation service, to be eligible for continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under this section.
  - (2) Upon completion of 10, 15, or 20 years of aviation service, an [enlisted member](/usc/37/101.md?p=14) who has not performed the minimum required operational flying duties specified in [paragraph (1)](#c-1) during the prescribed period, although otherwise meeting the definition in [subsection (a)](#a), may no longer be paid continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) except as provided in [paragraph (3)](#c-3). Payment of continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) may be resumed if the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) meets the minimum operational flying duty requirement upon completion of the next established period of aviation service.
  - (3) For the needs of the service, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5) may permit, on a case-by-case basis, a [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) to continue to receive continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) despite the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23)’s failure to perform the operational flying duty required during the first 10, 15, or 20 years of aviation service, but only if the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) otherwise meets the definition in [subsection (a)](#a) and has performed at least 5 years of operational flying duties during the first 10 years of aviation service, 8 years of operational flying duties during the first 15 years of aviation service, or 12 years of operational flying duty during the first 20 years of aviation service. The authority of the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5) under this paragraph may not be delegated below the level of the Service Personnel Chief.
  - (4) If the eligibility of an eligible career enlisted flyer to continuous monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) ceases under [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2) or [paragraph (2)](#c-2), the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) may still receive month-to-month incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) for subsequent frequent and regular performance of operational flying duty. The rate payable is the same rate authorized by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5) under [subsection (d)](#d) for a [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) of corresponding years of aviation service.
- (d) **Monthly Maximum Rates.—** The monthly rate of any career enlisted flyer incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) paid under this section to a [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) on [active duty](/usc/37/101.md?p=18) shall be prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5), but may not exceed the following:

  | Years of aviation service | Monthly rate |
  | --- | --- |
  | 4 or less | $150 |
  | Over 4 | $225 |
  | Over 8 | $350 |
  | Over 14 | $400. |

- (e) **Eligibility of Reserve Component Members When Performing Inactive Duty Training.—** Under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5), when a [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) of a [reserve component](/usc/37/101.md?p=24) or the [National Guard](/usc/37/101.md?p=6), who is entitled to compensation under [section 206 of this title](/usc/37/206.md), meets the definition of eligible career enlisted flyer, the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5) may increase the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23)’s compensation by an amount equal to <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>30</sub> of the monthly incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) authorized by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5) under [subsection (d)](#d) for a [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) of corresponding years of aviation service who is entitled to basic [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under [section 204 of this title](/usc/37/204.md). The [reserve component](/usc/37/101.md?p=24) [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) may receive the increase for as long as the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) is qualified for it, for each regular period of instruction or period of appropriate duty, at which the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) is engaged for at least two hours, or for the performance of such other equivalent training, instruction, duty or appropriate duties, as the Secretary may prescribe under [section 206(a) of this title](/usc/37/206.md?p=a).
- (f) **Relation to Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay or Diving Duty Special Pay.—** A [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) receiving incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under [section 301(a) of this title](/usc/37/301.md?p=a) or special [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under [section 304 of this title](/usc/37/304.md) may not be paid special [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under this section for the same period of service.
- (g) **Save Pay Provision.—** If, immediately before a [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) receives incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under this section, the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) was entitled to incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under [section 301(a) of this title](/usc/37/301.md?p=a), the rate at which the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) is paid incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) under this section shall be equal to the higher of the monthly amount applicable under [subsection (d)](#d) or the rate of incentive [pay](/usc/37/101.md?p=21) the [member](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) was receiving under subsection (b) or (c)(2)(A) of [section 301 of this title](/usc/37/301.md).
- (h) **Specialty Code of Dropsonde System Operators.—** Within the Air Force, the Secretary of the Air Force shall assign to [members](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) who are dropsonde system operators a specialty code that identifies such [members](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) as serving in a weather specialty.
- (i) **Definitions.—** In this section:
  - (1) The term “aviation service” means participation in aerial flight performed, under regulations prescribed by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5), by an eligible career enlisted flyer.
  - (2) The term “operational flying duty” means flying performed under competent orders while serving in assignments, including an assignment as a dropsonde system operator, in which basic flying skills normally are maintained in the performance of assigned duties as determined by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5), and flying duty performed by [members](/usc/37/101.md?p=23) in training that leads to the award of an enlisted aviation [rating](/usc/37/101.md?p=17) or military occupational specialty designated as a career enlisted flyer [rating](/usc/37/101.md?p=17) or specialty by the [Secretary concerned](/usc/37/101.md?p=5).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title VI, § 628(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 657.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title VI, § 628(b), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 659, provided that: “The amendments made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on October 1, 1999.”