USCG Pay & Personnel Center             

Introduction

Welcome to PPC's MAS Latest Pay Rates & Benefits - Special Duty Pay (SDP) and Assignment Pay (AP)! 

We hope you find the new format easier to navigate and the historical information better assembled for all your research needs. On this SPECIAL DUTY & ASSIGNMENTS PAY OVERVIEW tab, you will find the most common requested tools and within each FY tab the instruction required during that timeframe.

Authorized Positions/Assignments

Annually, a panel convenes to determine which enlisted positions or duty assignments are designated eligible for SDP/AP, and at what rate.  The results of the panel are published by ALCOAST ACN and implemented by PPC on 1 October of each year. A member is eligible to receive SDP/AP in only one category.  If a member qualifies for two SDP/AP categories, the member will be paid the higher of the two.  If the two categories are equal, the member will receive SDP/AP under the category matching his/her primary position.  For example, a member assigned as an Officer in Charge Afloat who is also a Surfman will receive SDP/AP as an Officer in Charge Afloat since it is a higher rate than Surfman.

Directives and References

The information is provided to help familiarize you with Special Duty Pay entitlement rules and terms. This information is only introductory. Refer to the references list below for official guidance on this entitlement. The CG-2044, Special Duty Pay Worksheet, is the supporting documentation for SDP/AP.

Coast Guard Pay Manual, COMDTINST M7220.29 (series)

Personnel & Pay Procedures Manual, PPCINST M1000.2 (series)

Rates and Days of Entitlement

SDP/AP are special pays intended to encourage officers and enlisted personnel to consider career fields of particular importance to fulfillment of Coast Guard missions. The maximum amount of SDP/AP authorized under the law is $600 per month.  Coast Guard policy currently limits SDP/AP at a maximum of $450 per month.

• There are six SDP/AP rate categories.
• SDP/AP will be prorated at a rate of 1/30^th of the monthly amount for each day that a member is qualified. 
• SDP/AP to members on active duty for 30 days or more is computed on a 30-day month irrespective of the actual number of calendar days in the month. 
• SDP/AP to members on active duty for less than 30 days is computed based on the actual number of calendar days in the month.

(Note: In the case of a reservist ordered to active duty, the travel time from the reservist’s home to the active duty station, and from the active duty station back to the reservist’s home, is considered active duty.)

• SDP/AP to drilling reservists is paid at the rate of 1/30^th of the monthly SDP/AP rate for each single reserve drill (IDT).
• No one may be in concurrent receipt of both SDP and AP. If a member is eligible to receive both SDP or AP payments in any respective category, they may elect which special pay (SDP or AP) they wish to receive. No one may be in concurrent receipt of two categories of SDP.

1. If a member is serving in a billet which is authorized SDP and meets the eligibility standards for another form of SDP, the member is authorized the higher of the two pay amounts.
2.  If a member meets criteria for two categories of SDP with equal pay levels, the member is authorized SDP for the category that best matches his or her primary position at the unit.

Forms:

CG-3307's - Administrative Remarks Entries

CG Forms & Worksheets

CG-2044 Special Duty Pay Worksheet

Guides:

Assignment Pay

Special Duty Pay

Please visit our main DA User Guide page for all instructional resources: DA User Guides 

FY 2025 (1 Oct 24 through 30 Sep 25) Special Duty Pay & Assignment Pay Authorizations, Levels, & Eligibility Criteria

Updated: 25 Sep 2024

ALCOAST 373/24 announced Fiscal Year 2025 Special Duty Pay (SDP) and Assignment Pay (AP) authorizations. P&As and SPOs must process starts and/or stops of SDP or AP for applicable members in accordance with the aforementioned ALCOAST, current Service policies, the below FY25 authorizations, and published Direct Access (DA) user guides.

The monthly SDP and AP levels and payment amounts for FY25 are as follows:

FY 2025 Assignment Pay (AP) Authorizations, Eligibility Criteria, and Direct Access (DA) Codes - Update 10/03/2024

Military members permanently assigned to the following billets, appropriately designated or certified by the Commanding Officer, Officer-in-Charge, or other applicable command level authority (e.g., Sector Commander, Headquarters Director, etc.), and who have completed all required competencies and qualifications are authorized Assignment Pay (AP) in FY25.  AP may be suspended or terminated at command discretion based upon: observed performance, personal conduct, loss of security clearance, lapse in qualifications, or absence from the unit for periods greater than 30 days for reasons other than TDY or approved leave.  Requests for authorization to pay AP to fully qualified members serving in an Acting role for the following billets may be routed thru the chain of command to CG-1M12 for determination.

FY 2025 Special Duty Pay (SDP) Authorizations, Eligibility Criteria, and Direct Access (DA) Codes - Update 10/03/2024

Military members permanently assigned to the following billets or assigned the following duties, appropriately designated or certified by the Commanding Officer, Officer-in-Charge, or other applicable command level authority (e.g., Sector Commander, Headquarters Director, etc.), who have completed all required competencies and qualifications, and are serving in the units watch rotation (if applicable) are authorized Special Duty Pay (SDP) in FY25.  SDP may be suspended or terminated at command discretion based upon: observed performance, personal conduct, loss of security clearance, lapse in qualifications, or absence from the unit for periods greater than 30 days for reasons other than TDY or approved leave.  Requests for authorization to pay SDP to fully qualified members temporarily assigned or serving in an Acting role for the following billets or duties may be routed thru the chain of command to CG-1M12 for determination.

FY 2024 (1 Oct 23 to 30 Sep 24) Special Duty Pay & Assignment Pay Authorizations, Levels, & Eligibility Criteria

UPDATED 16 OCT 2023

ALCOAST 360/23 announced Fiscal Year 2024 Special Duty Pay (SDP) and Assignment Pay (AP) authorizations. P&A's and SPO's must process starts and/or stops of SDP or AP for applicable members in accordance with the aforementioned ALCOAST, current Service policies, the below FY24 authorizations, and published Direct Access (DA) user guides.

The monthly SDP and AP levels and payment amounts for FY24 are as follows:

FY 2024 Assignment Pay (AP) Authorizations, Eligibility Criteria, and Direct Access (DA) Codes

Military members permanently assigned to the following billets, appropriately designated or certified by the Commanding Officer, Officer-in-Charge, or other applicable command level authority (e.g., Sector Commander, Headquarters Director, etc.), and who have completed all required competencies and qualifications are authorized Assignment Pay (AP) in FY24.  AP may be suspended or terminated at command discretion based upon: observed performance, personal conduct, loss of security clearance, lapse in qualifications, or absence from the unit for periods greater than 30 days for reasons other than TDY or approved leave.  Requests for authorization to pay AP to fully qualified members serving in an Acting role for the following billets may be routed thru the chain of command to CG-1M12 for determination.

FY 2024 Special Duty Pay (SDP) Authorizations, Eligibility Criteria, and Direct Access (DA) Codes

Military members permanently assigned to the following billets or assigned the following duties, appropriately designated or certified by the Commanding Officer, Officer-in-Charge, or other applicable command level authority (e.g., Sector Commander, Headquarters Director, etc.), who have completed all required competencies and qualifications, and are serving in the units watch rotation (if applicable) are authorized Special Duty Pay (SDP) in FY24.  SDP may be suspended or terminated at command discretion based upon: observed performance, personal conduct, loss of security clearance, lapse in qualifications, or absence from the unit for periods greater than 30 days for reasons other than TDY or approved leave.  Requests for authorization to pay SDP to fully qualified members temporarily assigned or serving in an Acting role for the following billets or duties may be routed thru the chain of command to CG-1M12 for determination.

FY 2023 (1 Oct 22 to 30 Sep 23) Special Duty Pay & Assignment Pay

ALCOAST 359/22 provides Fiscal Year 2023 Special Duty (SDP) and Assignment Pay (AP) authorizations. SPOs must start SDP or AP for any newly eligible members effective 1 October 2022. Also see: ALCOAST 478/22 - Update 1 - FY23 Special Duty Pay (SPP) And Assignment Pay (AP)​). It provides numerous changes to FY23 SDP and AP originally authorized in ALCOAST 359/22. Effects SDP for AST Instructors, PSU Tactical Coxswains, Independent Duty Food Service Officers, Food Service Officers, and Precision Marksman-Aviation. The monthly SDP and AP levels (unchanged from FY 2023) are shown below:

The monthly SDP and AP levels are shown below:

Please use the following links to access FY23 AP and SDP codes and information:

FY 2023 AP Designations and Direct-Access Codes 

FY 2023 SDP Designations and Direct-Access Codes

FY 2022 (1 Oct 21 to 30 Sep 22) Special Duty Pay & Assignment Pay

ALCOAST 365/21 provides Fiscal Year 2022 Special Duty (SDP) and Assignment Pay (AP) authorizations. SPOs must start SDP or AP for any newly eligible members effective 1 October 2021. 

The monthly SDP and AP levels are shown below:

Please use the following links to access FY22 AP and SDP codes and information:

FY 2022 AP Designations and Direct-Access Codes 

FY 2022 SDP Designations and Direct-Access Codes