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I’m confused; Coast Guard’s Special Duty Pay

Posted on 14 August 2009 by Ryan Erickson | Comments

Yesterday on the public CGMS board the newly revised Special Duty Assignment Pay chart came out via ALCOAST 462/09. Last week in our Open Discussion area a user commented the following-

Quick question for the masses…Has the job of being a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer become less dangerous now? Why has the SDAP for 2010 gone from level 4 to 3 for Rescue Swimmers? Does the CG really think that a Surfman is more at risk of being hurt on the job than an operational Rescue Swimmer? Whoever thought that was a good idea, I dare to get on the hook themselves at night with a brand new pilot in the right seat, and tell me Rescue Swimmers deserve less…

The [] number cruncher who thought a reduction in pay is justified, should go ask the people who have been rescued on the dark and stormy if the life saving services they received where substandard…

begin rant

Now as a former C-130 type I can’t speak for the Swimmer community. However, I too am wondering how someone came upon these numbers? Looking at the message you’ll note that a HITRON Aerial Gunner is only considered an SD1 which makes a whooping $75 extra per month… Hold up- so the person who is holding the rifle that is shooting at drug runners (or rather their vessels) is getting almost nothing extra? Oh I get it, nobody has shot back at the helo’s flying overhead… yet!

It’s not my place to say why a Canine Officer (explosive), a D17 ATON worker, or a DOG Response Member are only getting an extra $75 but the Cape May Company Commander is getting $375 (SD5). Someone once told me that those who get paid the most do the most travel- and though I agree that the MCPOCG, Master Chief Bowen (SD5), does indeed travel a lot and in fact (in my opinion) is clearly entitle to such as a perk of his job- I find it odd that on OIC Afloat would also receive the same. Do they travel a lot? Maybe it’s for their uniforms? I don’t know.

I guess it comes down to the fact that as a member of the Response Community it’s hard to swallow that someone would consider our Honor Guard members a higher “level” than that of a DOG boarding team member… isn’t the DOG member the one who may be looking down the barrel of a “real” weapon? Don’t get me wrong, I have the utmost respect for our Honor Guard members for what they do is no easy task.

I’m sure there is a logical reason behind all of the number crouching but I don’t know what it is.

Anyone else have a thought on this?

end rant

Category: Opinion, Pay, People | Comments
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  • robertbell
    I must also reiterate something that was said before. Special Duty Pay is not Hazardous Duty Pay. So it's not an apples (Honor Guard) to apples (Response) comparison.

    OSC Bell
  • Name
    Special Duty Assignment Pay is a retention system. I have lobbied at the panel and it does come across as silly and skewed. We don't need to retain the MCPOCG by offering the incentive frankly, as a workforce tool--someone will take the job! And if they leave it's not going to be about the pay. Similary I don't believe in recruiter SDAP -- no retention problem if you have a panel and turn most applicants away. These are examples of SDAPs that maintain a parity with the other services SDAPs (compare them and you'll see what I mean). As for the others, each year, these get represented to a panel, and the choices get made. Mostly they stay the same.
  • SemperFarr
    One of the reason's why Honor Guard members (only applies to petty officers, not the officer staff or non-rates) get SDAP is because it is a 4-year tour, that is out of rate which doesn't help towards advancement like an operational job would. Although this assignment is "high" profile, many applicants don't meet the basic Honor Guard requirements nor have the desire to "perform" in the sense of being the model Guardian in exceeding our standards in customs and courtesies and military bearing on a daily basis with perfection. It's merely an incentive to encourage our petty officers to take on a very challenging yet less desirable mission. - LT Farr, CG Honor Guardsman 2004-2006.
  • Thanks Scott for providing an answer to the question- as I noted there isn't any real explanation as to why the numbers are the way they are. So far as the Honor Guard goes- recruiting PO's for a tour that long out of rate would be a challenge and so the SDAP for this is justifiable. So that only leaves about 20 other's to explain. ;)
  • Not cool. I never understand how these are decided. But, I feel that being a engineer on a 378 warrants SDAP. In only 53 days underway, I personally combated 7 fires and one flood....plus one massive fire in drydock. Given the current state of these ships, it truly is a dangerous job also. But, i'm just a cranky MK. I also think that we should have a ball pit in the bottom of the Plenum Chamber with a slide that drops you in from the weather deck. Wheeeeeeee!
  • Special Duty Assignment Pay as stated in the Pay Manual as:
    37 USC 307 authorizes SDAP to enlisted members entitled to basic pay and performing duties which are designated as requiring special skills.

    That being said what is the special skill required of a Rescue Swimmer, aren't all AST required to be a swimmer (If am wrong about this I am sorry). But if you look at the rest of list, baring a few of the skills (FSO on a Patrol Boat) these are special skills. Which in turn require that member to preform beyond there rating.

    I don't think it is the money in the end that drives members to these jobs but the desire to do above and beyond what a normal Guardian would do.
  • sarwarrior
    I'm an AST. I'd like to say first of all we are aviation survival technicians first. We do maintenance on aircraft, de-watering pumps, pack parachutes, maintain oxygen equipment and trouble shoot oxygen equipment, inspect and maintain all rescue and inflatable equipment. We also maintain our EMT-B abilities. After all that we get to be helicopter rescue swimmers, thats and being a n EMT is our special skill. We deserve what we had received before. There is less than 300 hundred of us and advancement is slow, if not at all. Obviously we don't do it for the money or I wouldn't even be in the CG. Point is, we are the ones doing the dirty work day in and day out using those special skills. It's a punch in the face. Hey but those recruiters are doing awesome right? Probably have a picture on the wall with some swimmer hangin from a helo, funny is SDAP hasn't changed..........
  • AS a former rescue swimmer i agree that an RS should get the higher level 4 pay grade. The reasoning in this is beyond me! In any storm or hazardous sea conditions RS are the difference between life and death for many unfortunate . While the "Oscars" look nice in their honor guard attire, besides ceremonial duties and 3 hots and a nice billet why do they also get paid more?
  • SparkyWD
    Perhaps SDAP is not a 'reward' for hazardous (a separate category of pay if I remember correctly) duty but is something to entice people to fill hard to fill billets combined with a stipend for those that travel a lot. Just a thought. I see it more in line with a recurring version of a re-enlistment bonus than a reward for doing a hard job. Surely it's not hard to fill OIC jobs, but I'm not a detailer, so what do I know?
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