Cole’s bill would provide equal hazardous duty incentive pay across Armed Forces

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) on Feb. 13 introduced a bipartisan bill to standardize payment of hazardous duty incentive pay for members of the reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces.

“I am proud to join in introducing bipartisan legislation that would ensure all of our dedicated service members are compensated for the risks they undertake, whether that’s in training exercises at home or during deployments abroad,” Rep. Cole said. “Pay parity is simply commonsense.”

Rep. Cole is the lead original cosponsor of H.R. 5887 with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) to create pay equity on hazard duty incentive pay for all National Guard and Army Reserve service members.

“It is the right thing to do for our service members, who are always training to remain ready and prepared to defend the United States when called upon, and for their families, who make tremendous sacrifices every day in supporting their loved ones,” said Rep. Cole, whose Oklahoma district includes Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City; Fort Sill Army Post in Lawton; the Armed Forces Reserve Centers in Norman and Mustang; the Guard Readiness Center in Ardmore; the 2-245th Aviation Battalion in Lexington; and the 345th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in Ada.

Under current law, service members in the U.S. reserves receive 3.33 percent of the hazard-duty incentive pay of their active duty counterparts although they take on the same level of risk, according to information provided by Rep. Cole’s office.

If enacted, H.R. 5887 would ensure all members of the Armed Forces received the same hazard-duty incentive pay.

H.R. 5887 has been endorsed by several organizations, including the National Guard Association of the United States, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, the Reserve Officers Association, and the Military Officers Association of America.