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The Big Story 

Pentagon increases pay for troops in hostile fire for first time in over 20 years

The Pentagon increased the pay for U.S. troops in hostile fire and imminent danger, marking the first rate adjustment for those service members in over 20 years. 

Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press

The update policy bumps the monthly rate for Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) to $450 and the Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) to $275, according to a July Pentagon memo signed by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Timothy Dill. 

 

The IDP will be prorated at $9.16 per day, up to a maximum of $275 per month, based on the number of days the service member is in a designated imminent danger area, the Pentagon said on Thursday. 

 

"Our troops in harm's way deserve compensation that reflects their risk." Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said. 

 

The Hostile Fire Pay and Imminent Danger Pay have been set at a flat monthly rate of $225 since Oct. 2002, the department said, arguing the new "tiered model better reflects the differences between serving in an area where danger is possible and facing hostile fire." 

 

"If an IDP-designated area escalates into active combat, commanders can transition personnel from IDP to HFP immediately. This provides a clear and timely mechanism to acknowledge heightened risk levels," Parnell said. 

 

The service members will not receive both IDP and HFP for the same period of service. 

 

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I’m Filip Timotija — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.

 

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Essential Reads 

How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future:

 

FBI arrests Energy Department employee accused of attempting to support Houthis

The FBI arrested a Department of Energy (DOE) employee Thursday at the Hanford, Wash., nuclear site under suspicion of trying to aid the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen, according to the Justice Department.  Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of Richland, Wash., was charged with “attempting to provide material support or resources to the Houthis” after he tried to help the group improve its communications capabilities, …

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Senators give cold shoulder to Hegseth plan to cut admirals, generals

Defense-focused senators are giving a cool reception to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s proposal to cut by 20 percent the number of nation’s admirals and generals.   Several lawmakers said they had not seen the rationale for Hegseth’s argument, while others clearly wanted to talk about other things. “No, I certainly want to see his rationale in detail, and I don’t have that yet,” Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) said when …

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Pentagon sending more than 4,000 Marines, sailors to Middle East as buildup ramps up

The Pentagon is sending more than 4,000 Marines and sailors aboard three warships to the Middle East as the Navy buildup ramps up in the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) theater.  The USS Makin Island, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, the flagship vessel of the amphibious readiness group, was spotted departing San Diego on Monday.  The group is carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a forward-deployed task force composed …

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UK-Iranian dual national arrested in US airbase RAF Fairford incident, police say

British authorities on Thursday arrested a 27-year-old man with dual United Kingdom and Iranian nationality in connection to the thwarted alleged terrorist attack earlier this week on a U.S.-operated air base owned by the U.K.  The man was arrested in the City of Westminster, London, “on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts” after British police looked into suspicious activity outside RAF Fairford air base late Saturday …

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In Other News 

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On Tap Tomorrow 

Events in and around the defense world: 

  • The Center for Strategic and International Studies will hold a webinar tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. ET on "The Implications of the Hormuz Energy Crisis for Energy Policymaking in Southeast Asia." 
  • The Hudson Institute will hold an event tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET with Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell Vought on "Revitalizing the Shipbuilding Industrial Base." 
  • The Washington Institute for Near East Policy will hold a forum tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET on "Three Years After October 7: A Bridge or Chasm Between Peoples?" 
 

What We’re Reading 

News we’ve flagged from other outlets:

  • Trump’s Finger Gets Closer to Nuclear Button, Ken Klippenstein reports. 
  • Return of the Blackbird? An SR-71 is missing from its retirement spot, Task & Purpose reports. 
  • Can’t start, won’t start: Over 150 new military programs face delay under a CR, Breaking Defense reports. 
 

Trending Today 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

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Rubio ordered Iranians out of US as negotiations stalled

Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered the Iranian delegation to leave the U.S. immediately Monday after the United Nations General Assembly as negotiations … Read more

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Smith’s game-day texts reviewed by Schmitt never referenced basketball team names

Text messages obtained by The Hill show former special counsel Jack Smith’s staff didn’t reference any basketball team names, adding to the confusion … Read more

 

Opinions in The Hill 

Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill:

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You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow! 

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