ALCOAST 265/24 - JUL 2024 TRANSITION OF FLIGHT PAY FOR AIR CREW MEMBERS

R 081418Z JUL 24   MID120001272219U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 265/24
SSIC 7220
SUBJ: TRANSITION OF FLIGHT PAY FOR AIR CREW MEMBERS
A. 37 U.S.C. Section 351 - Hazardous duty pay
B. 37 U.S.C. Section 352 - Assignment pay or special duty pay
C. 37 U.S.C. Section 204 - Entitlement
D. Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP) and Bonus (AvB) Program, COMDTINST
7220.20A
E. Coast Guard Pay Manual, COMDTINST M7220.29D
1. Under the authority of REFs (A) and (B), this ALCOAST announces a
change to how the Coast Guard authorizes Flight Pay for air crew
members. Specifically, this is a transition from Flight Duty
Hazardous Duty Pay for Air Crew Members, authorized under REF (A),
to Flight Pay, a special pay, authorized under REF (B). Flight Duty
Hazardous Duty Pay for Air Crew Members is suspended indefinitely.
By authorizing Flight Pay for enlisted and chief warrant officers
under REF (B), the requirement for crew members to complete a
minimum number of flight hours to qualify for Flight Pay is
eliminated, thereby reducing administrative requirements for air
station personnel. Specific requirements for Flight Pay under
REF (B) are described in this message and will be included in the
next revision to REF (E). This transition is determined to be
cost-neutral and has no impact to AvIP or AvB, authorized under
REF (D), for pilots.
2. Effective 16 Feb 2024, Flight Pay is authorized and may be paid
to active duty members entitled to Basic Pay under REF (C),
including reservists on active duty, who are under permanent or
temporary flight orders requiring regular and frequent aerial
flights as a crew member, regardless of the number of flight hours
performed.
    a. Air crew members include those members who are permanently or
temporarily assigned to an aviation coded billet.
    b. To be eligible for Flight Pay, air crew members must:
        (1) be fully qualified and current as air crew member; and
        (2) have received flight orders currently in effect.
    c. Officers qualified for aviation service are not authorized
Flight Pay, but may be authorized Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP) in
accordance with REF (D).
3. Effective 16 Feb 2024, Flight Duty Hazardous Duty Pay for
Air Crew Members, as authorized by Section 5.B. of REF (E) is
suspended. Flight Duty Hazardous Duty Pay for Non-crew Members
remains in effect.
4. Interim Procedures for Payment. Due to the lead time for
execution of the change request (CRQ) to establish Flight Pay in
Direct Access (DA), and to facilitate timely payment to members,
the following interim procedures are in effect until further notice:
    a. Effective 16 Feb 2024, air crew members eligible for
Flight Pay IAW paragraph 2 above will receive Flight Pay via
Flight Duty Hazardous Duty Pay in Direct Access, pending
completion of the requisite CRQ to establish Flight Pay as a
distinct pay in DA.
    b. Procedures for payment of Flight Duty Hazardous Duty Pay
to non-crew members will remain the same.
    c. Upon completion of the CRQ to establish Flight Pay in DA,
an appropriate DA User Guide will be published on the Pay and
Personnel Center (PPC) website, and the field will be notified of
the procedural transition via PPC E-mail All Servicing Pay Offices
(ALSPO) message.
5. In relation to other pays, Flight Pay is:
    a. Payable in addition to any pay, allowance, special pay,
incentive pay, any other monetary benefit to which the member might
otherwise be entitled;
    b. Taxable income for federal and state tax purposes, but is not
subject to Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) Tax; and
    c. Not included in the computation of sale or settlement of
unused accrued leave, Retired Pay, reenlistment bonus, Continuation
Pay, Separation Pay, or Disability Severance Pay.
6. Flight Pay starts upon reporting for eligible duty or on the date
a member becomes fully qualified, whichever is later, but no earlier
than 16 Feb 2024. Flight Pay may not be paid retroactively.
7. Flight Pay stops on the date a member is no longer fully
qualified and current as an air crew member, or the date prior to
the date a member:
    a. Is discharged or released from active duty;
    b. Is confined as a result of a court-martial sentence;
    c. Is absent without leave, with Flight Pay restarted upon return
from such absence;
    d. Departs on a permanent change of station (PCS) order to an
assignment where Flight Pay is not authorized; or
    e. Departs the vicinity of a unit for which Flight Pay is
authorized, with no expectation of return prior to separation or
retirement.
8. Crew members in a temporary medical hold status will be
considered qualified for Flight Pay unless such status continues for
more than 60 days. After 60 days of temporary medical hold status, a
crew member will be disqualified from Flight Pay and will not be
requalified until the condition resulting in the medical hold status
is corrected or is subject to an approved waiver. A competent
medical authority must certify the crew member is medically
qualified or has a reasonable expectation to be medically qualified
for flight status. This guidance is only for the purpose of Flight
Pay and does not otherwise restrict the Coast Guard's authority to
place a crew member in an applicable flight status.
9. Members permanently disqualified for flying duty or otherwise
determined no longer eligible for flying duty are ineligible for
Flight Pay.
10. Flight Pay Governance. Flight Pay is a special pay intended to
encourage active duty members to volunteer for and remain in
assignments involving flying duty as air crew members.
11. Rates Payable. The monthly amount of Flight Pay is based upon
paygrade. The portion of the month in which Flight Pay starts or
stops will be prorated. The 31st day of a month is not countable
under any circumstances. COMDT (CG-1M) may adjust payment levels
based on Service needs. Changes to monthly payment rates will be
announced via ALCOAST. Effective 16 Feb 2024, Flight Pay is
authorized in the identical amounts as Flight Pay Hazardous Duty Pay
established in Table 5-1 of REF (E).
12. The contents of this message will be incorporated into the next
revision to REF (E), which will be released within the next year.
13. POC: Questions regarding this ALCOAST may be directed to Office
of Military Personnel Policy, Compensation Division (CG-1M12) at:
SMB-COMDT-COMPENSATION@uscg.mil.
14. COs of air stations, as well as the servicing P&As and SPOs
must bring the contents of this ALCOAST to the attention of
all personnel.
15. This message will be cancelled on 07 JUL 2025.
16. RADM M. W. Raymond, Assistant Commandant for Military Personnel
(CG-1M), sends.
17. Internet release is authorized.