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Hazardous duty pay rises to $200 monthly for qualified jumpers; jumpmasters receive additional $150 special duty pay

FORT BRAGG — Paratroopers across the 82nd Airborne Division and other Fort Bragg airborne units began receiving increased hazardous duty pay in October, marking the first adjustment to parachute incentive pay since 1998.

Qualified airborne soldiers now receive $200 per month for static line jumps—a $50 increase from the previous rate—while certified jumpmasters receive an additional $150 monthly through special duty assignment pay (SDAP). The increase was implemented Army-wide effective October 1, 2025.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth first announced the pay increase during the 82nd Airborne Division’s All-American Week celebration at Fort Bragg last May, acknowledging the unique demands and risks inherent to airborne operations. “Here’s to our paratroopers, our jumpmasters, who do the difficult things in difficult places that most Americans can never imagine,” Hegseth stated during the announcement.

The pay adjustment recognizes both the physical dangers and specialized training required of airborne personnel. Parachute duty involves significant risks including jump-related injuries, exposure to extreme weather conditions, and the cumulative physical toll of rigorous training exercises.

Lt. Gen. Brian Eifler, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, noted the long overdue nature of the increase: “Parachutists’ incentive pay hadn’t been adjusted since 1998. This increase reinforces the value of this hazardous duty, and the vital contributions paratroopers make to Army readiness.”

Eligibility for the increased pay requires soldiers to maintain qualification as parachutists, be in training for parachute certification, or be assigned to positions requiring parachute jumps. Jumpmasters must perform jumpmaster duties in authorized positions to qualify for the additional SDAP.

The Army worked closely with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) and airborne units to ensure accurate implementation of the new pay rates, which align parachute duty compensation with other hazardous military specialties like military free-fall operations.

Fort Bragg paratroopers with questions about eligibility or payment should contact their unit pay officials. For more information on military compensation changes, visit the Defense Finance and Accounting Service website at www.dfas.mil.