US Department of War Increases Combat Pay Rates

The United States Department of War increased Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) and Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) for all military services effective October 1, 2026. This represents the first major adjustment to these combat stipends in over two decades. The new policy replaces a flat monthly rate of $225 with a tiered model: HFP doubled to $450 per month for those exposed to hostile fire, while IDP increased to a monthly cap of $275, paid at a daily rate of $9.16.

To offset these increases and avoid exceeding maximums, the department decreased hardship duty pay-location from $150 to $100 monthly. The adjustments follow the February launch of Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran; the Defense Finance and Accounting Service now recognizes 58 locations eligible for IDP, including 18 added since the start of that operation.

Under the new guidelines, commanders can immediately transition personnel from IDP to HFP if a designated area escalates into active combat, though service members cannot receive both payments for the same period. While the U.S. Marine Corps began updating its pay caps in September, the Pentagon has now implemented the change military-wide for the new fiscal year under the National Defense Authorization Act.