Uniformed services pay grades of the United States
Overview of U.S. uniformed services' pay grades
Pay grades are used by the eight structurally organized uniformed services of the United States (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps), as well as the Maritime Service, to determine wages and benefits based on the corresponding military rank of a member of the services. While different ranks may be used among the eight uniformed services, pay grades are uniform and equivalent between the services and can be used to quickly determine seniority among a group of members from different services. They are also essential when determining a member's entitlements such as basic pay and allowances.
Structure
Pay grades are divided into three groups: enlisted (E), warrant officer (W), and officer (O). Enlisted pay grades begin at E-1 and end at E-9; warrant officer pay grades originate at W-1 and terminate at W-5; and officer pay grades start at O-1 and finish at O-10. Not all of the uniformed services use all of the grades; for example, the Coast Guard does not use the grades of W-1 and W-5, though it has the authority to.
Although authorized to do so, neither the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps) nor the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps use any of the enlisted or warrant officer grades. Additionally, while not officially part of the uniformed services as defined by U.S. law, the Maritime Service (which provides officers serving in the Maritime Administration and as administrators and instructors at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), and the six state-operated maritime academies) is also authorized, but does not currently employ, enlisted or warrant officer grades.
Officers in pay grades O-1, O-2, and O-3 with more than four years of prior cumulative service (creditable toward both length of service and retirement) in an enlisted or warrant officer grade are paid "... the special rate of basic pay for pay grade O-1E, O-2E, or O-3E," respectively.
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