SDAP Paying Off for More Sailors - increase in salaries - Brief Article

All Hands, March, 2001 by Kim Brasel

Twenty-three Navy Enlisted Codes (NECs)/categories were added to the latest Special Duty Assignment Pay Award Level Plan (SDAP) that went into effect Dec. 15, 2000.

Twenty existing SDAP skills/categories will receive an increase in award level. No categories were eliminated from the plan.

"Increasing the levels of SDAP and adding more billets to the list is one more indication of Navy leadership's resolve to show Sailors we are committed to them and listening to their needs," said Chief of Naval Personnel VADM Norb Ryan.

New SDAP skills include air traffic controllers, arduous Military Sealift Command units, surface propulsion plant managers and command master chiefs (CMC).

SDAP is awarded in graduated increments of $55, $75, $100, $110, $150, $165, $175, $220, $275, $350 and $375. For example, command master chiefs in a billet designated as such, NEC 9580, will receive a minimum of $110 per month, with the amount graduated up depending on the level of the CMC billet.

Other Sailors affected by the changes are those serving as Recruit Division Commanders (RDC). Historically, RDCs received $275 in SDAP and neutral duty credit. But, since neutral duty was eliminated earlier this year, new RDCs will no longer receive that credit. To compensate, SDAP for new RDCs was increased to $350. Those RDCs receiving neutral duty credit before it was eliminated will continue to receive the credit and $275 in SDAP.

There are approximately 25,000 billets in the Navy that have an assigned SDAP level. Each year, SDAP is reviewed to determine if new billets should be added, old ones eliminated or changes made in the amount of money associated with a particular billet.

Surface Rescue Swimmers will see the biggest increase, with their SDAP doubled from last year's amount.

"This is all in line with rewarding our Sailors, knowing that they go an extra step in fulfilling their duty," Ryan said.

For more information, see NAVADMIN 3 18/00 (two parts) on the BUPERS web site www.bupers.navy.mil.

Story by LTJG Kim Brasel who is assigned to Chief of Naval Personnel's public affairs office, Washington, D.C.