Army may create ‘deployment pay’ incentive, 10 percent of force is non-deployable

In lieu of legions of non-deployable troops and a possible need for numbers boosts by the end of the year, the US Army is considering a deployment pay system to keep soldiers deployable.

With over 100,000 soldiers currently unable to fill their position or perform the task they enlisted to perform, the Army is considering creating “deployment pay” as incentive to keep soldiers deployable.

One such person left to explain the idea is Sergeant Major of the Army Dan Dailey, the top enlisted official in the US Army, who recently spoke with Federal News Radio.

“We have to stimulate their responsibility. It’s a soldier’s responsibility to maintain deployability. They all raised their hands, including me, and swore they will defend the Constitution of the United States of America. That didn’t mean back in the U.S. That means wherever the Constitution needs to be defended. We have to encourage soldiers,” Dailey said. “We should tie all incentives to deployability. Soldiers that deploy should make more money. We should have a deployment pay and that’s something we are working on right now.”

Opinions on global application of Constitutional defense notwithstanding, Dailey claims the deployment pay is a “privilege” and shows appreciation for just how much it costs the US taxpayer to keep such an Army rolling along.

“The great gifts we get from the American taxpayers should all be applied to deployability. Things like tuition assistance. You should not be able to use tuition assistance unless you are deployable. It is for a readiness requirement. It is to support our soldiers and retain our soldiers over time. It is not a right,” Dailey said.

Service members are already given extra pay for being in a combat zone (which is tax-exempt), on special assignments (such as recruiting) or maintain special skill-sets (such as jump pay or foreign languages). However, the idea of deployment pay seems- a bit “out there.”

Still, Dailey seemingly stands by the idea that “something is better than nothing,” particularly in an Army that suffers from mass numbers of non-deployable soldiers- especially with 10 percent of the service being overweight.

“If you will not or cannot fight and win, then there’s no place for you in the Army,” Dailey said. “We have to become unemotional about this. We have a job to do.”

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