Military Cash Incentives: DOD Should Coordinate and Monitor Its Efforts to Achieve Cost-Effective Bonuses and Special Pays

Abstract

The Department of Defense (DOD) spent about $5.6 billion in fiscal year 2010 on special and incentive pays and bonuses for active-duty servicemembers. Of that amount, about $1.2 billion was contracted for enlistment and reenlistment bonuses. DOD uses these incentives and bonuses as tools in its compensation system to help ensure that military pay is sufficient to field a high-quality, all-volunteer force, including those in hard-to-fill or critical specialties. Special pays and bonuses comprise about 5 percent of DOD's budget for cash compensation and less than 1 percent of its overall budget. In addition to cash compensation, which includes bonuses and basic pay, the department provides active-duty personnel with a comprehensive compensation package that includes noncash benefits, such as health care, and deferred compensation, such as retirement pensions.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA545306

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Attrition
  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Employment
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Law
  • Management Personnel
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Personnel
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Recruiting
  • Recruits
  • United States
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Military Mobilization and Reserve Forces Studies.
  • Naval Personnel Management