Submarine Duty Pay

Validated May 2026

Chapter 23 of DoD FMR Volume 7A governs two related but distinct entitlements for Navy submariners: Operational Submarine Duty Incentive Pay, which covers any Navy member performing active submarine duty; and CONSUBPAY (Continuous Submarine Duty Skill Incentive Pay), a career retention pay for designated career submariners. Both pays use the same rate tables — the distinction is which eligibility track the member is on.

CONSUBPAY and operational submarine duty incentive pay cannot be paid simultaneously. A member receiving CONSUBPAY is ineligible for operational submarine duty incentive pay for the same period, and vice versa. (§2.9.2)

2026 Rates

Rates effective October 1, 2021. YOS columns represent Years of Service under 37 U.S.C. § 205 — total military service, not submarine service years.

Source: DFAS Submarine Duty Pay Tables

Commissioned Officers (eff. Oct. 1, 2021)

Warrant Officers (eff. Oct. 1, 2021)

All warrant grades (W-1 through W-5) receive the same rates.

Enlisted (eff. Oct. 1, 2021)

Eligibility

Operational Submarine Duty Incentive Pay (§2.0)

• Navy only — submarine duty pay is not authorized for other branches (§1.1)
• Member must be entitled to basic pay and performing operational submarine duty as defined in §2.4, which includes:
  • Assigned under competent orders to a submarine (§2.4.1.1)
  • Serving as operator or crew member of an operational submersible, including undersea exploration or research vehicles (§2.4.1.2)
  • Undergoing initial submarine training prior to assignment to a nuclear-powered submarine (§2.4.1.3)
  • Undergoing rehabilitation training after assignment to a nuclear-powered submarine (§2.4.1.4)
  • Submarine operational command staff members: must log 48 hours underway in a calendar month (with carryover of unused hours from the prior 5 months; 96 hours in 2 consecutive months; 144 hours in 3 consecutive months) (§2.4.1.5)
  • Receiving training for a submarine of advanced design or for a position of increased responsibility (§2.4.1.6–2.4.1.7)
• "Years of submarine service" begin on the effective date of the initial order to perform submarine service (§2.4.2)
• An officer who fails selection for, or declines, assignment as XO or CO of a submarine may only receive operational incentive pay while actually underway on a submarine (§2.9.1)

CONSUBPAY — Continuous Submarine Duty Skill Incentive Pay (§3.0)

• Active-duty Navy members who volunteer to serve in the submarine service on a career basis (§3.1)
• Must hold a submarine duty designation or designator, or be in training to receive one (§3.2.1)
• Must have a valid submarine service entry date with prescribed Total Operational Submarine Service (TOSS):
  • At least 6 years of TOSS within the first 12 years of submarine service, AND
  • At least 10 years of TOSS within the first 18 years of submarine service
  • Exception: 8–9 years of TOSS by 18 years → eligible through 22 YOS only (§3.3.1)
• Enlisted members serving ashore: must maintain obligated service per OPNAVINST 7220.15 (§3.2.3)
• Officers: must remain qualified for follow-on submarine service while serving ashore (§3.2.3)
• Must maintain physical qualifications for submarine service (§3.2.4)
• Must have fewer than 26 years of total service (§3.2.5)
• For officers: enlisted service before initial officer appointment is excluded from TOSS calculations (§3.3 note)

Pay Limits

What This Means for Your Pay

Both pays use the same rate table — YOS means total service, not submarine years. The YOS columns in the rate tables above are computed under 37 U.S.C. § 205, which is total military service from date of initial entry. A member with 12 total years of service who has spent 5 years in submarines uses the ">12" YOS column, not the ">5" column.

CONSUBPAY and operational incentive pay are mutually exclusive — one per period. A career CONSUBPAY recipient is ineligible for operational submarine duty incentive pay for the same service period. When CONSUBPAY eligibility ceases — at 26 YOS, or after failing a TOSS checkpoint — the member may become eligible for operational incentive pay for periods attached under orders to submarine duty. (§2.9.2)

TOSS checkpoints at 12 and 18 years are career-defining gates for CONSUBPAY. Failing the minimum TOSS requirement at the 12-year checkpoint ends CONSUBPAY eligibility. A second chance exists at 18 years — but only if the 12-year failure was remedied. Failing at 26 years is final with no path back to CONSUBPAY. Members should track their TOSS accumulation from the first year of submarine service. (§3.3.1–3.3.2)

A non-misconduct medical condition does not immediately end CONSUBPAY. Members temporarily unable to perform submarine duty due to a physical or medical condition — not caused by their own misconduct — may continue CONSUBPAY for up to 6 months. After 6 months, CONSUBPAY terminates and cannot resume until the member is recertified for submarine duty by a competent Undersea Medical Officer. (§3.6.2)

An officer who declines or fails XO/CO selection loses continuous pay — only underway periods qualify. An officer who fails selection for, or declines to serve as, executive officer or commanding officer of a submarine cannot receive operational submarine duty incentive pay except for calendar periods during which they are actually serving aboard a submarine during underway operations. (§2.9.1)

Common Mistakes

Using submarine service years instead of total service years to find the rate. The rate tables use "Years of Service Computed Under 37 U.S.C. § 205" — this is total military service from initial entry. A 15-year service member who earned their dolphins at year 8 has 15 YOS for rate-table purposes, not 7.

Assuming CONSUBPAY and operational submarine duty incentive pay can stack. These are mutually exclusive. A member receiving CONSUBPAY cannot also receive operational submarine duty incentive pay for the same period of service. (§2.9.2, §3.6.1)

Expecting CONSUBPAY to continue past 26 years of service. CONSUBPAY is hard-capped at 26 total years of service — no exceptions. After 26 YOS a member may only receive operational submarine duty incentive pay for periods of actual submarine duty. (§3.2.5)

Not tracking TOSS against the 12- and 18-year checkpoints. Failure to accumulate 6 years of TOSS in the first 12 years of submarine service ends CONSUBPAY eligibility. The member may re-qualify at the 18-year mark if requirements are then met, but failure at 18 years — or if not remedied before 26 YOS — is permanent. (§3.3.1–3.3.2)

Assuming a medical disqualification immediately terminates CONSUBPAY. A non-misconduct physical or medical condition triggers a 6-month continuation period, not an immediate cutoff. Pay terminates only if the member has not been recertified by an Undersea Medical Officer within 6 months of the incapacitation. (§3.6.2)

Applying another branch's submarine-type pay data to Navy rates. Chapter 23 covers Navy only. No other branch has an equivalent submarine duty entitlement under this authority.

Citation

Authority: 37 U.S.C. § 353(h) (CONSUBPAY); 37 U.S.C. § 373 (recoupment)

Regulation: DoD Financial Management Regulation (FMR) Volume 7A, Chapter 23 — Submarine Duty Pay (December 2025)

Source: DFAS Submarine Duty Pay Tables

Rates effective October 1, 2021; verified against DFAS on 2026-05-19