The maximum monthly pay for active-duty service members who are proficient in another language will jump from $300 to $1,000 effective June 1. For National Guard and reserve members, a $6,000-per-year bonus will be offered. This increase will be focused on languages that are strategically important to the Defense Department, such as Middle Eastern languages and Chinese Mandarin, said Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a Pentagon spokeswoman.
The goal is to identify already qualified service members whose skills are untapped, and to motivate members to study languages, so the military can develop a strong corps of language professionals, Krenke said. “This will encourage them to self-identify so we can get a better handle on what we have,” she said. According to DoD figures, about 247,000 service members have some language proficiency, but only about 20,000 have had their skill certified and receive proficiency pay.
