Rates Change for Foreign Language Proficiency Pay

The Defense Department recently approved new Foreign Language Proficiency Pay rates that will increase entitlements for eligible and qualified military members beginning June 1, while eliminating FLPP for others. The highest maximum pay rate for a single-language proficiency rises from $200 to $500 per month and the maximum pay rate for multiple-language proficiency jumps from $300 to $1,000 per month. Incentive payments will no longer be limited to two languages. An individual who is proficient in more than two DoD-approved languages may receive FLPP for all languages up to the $1,000 monthly cap. DoD also has identified the following languages as “abundant or surplus” for which sufficient strategic capability already exists: Spanish, Tagalog, Portuguese, German, Italian, Russian, Korean and French. Service members may not be paid for proficiency in those languages unless they are performing language duties in an authorized language-designated slot.