10 USC § 1596 - Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for intelligence interests

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s1596"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 1596 - Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for intelligence interests"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "1596"
section_name: "Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for intelligence interests"
chapter_number: 81
chapter_name: "CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "PERSONNEL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 101–193, title V, § 501(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1989, 103 Stat. 1707, § 1592; renumbered § 1596, Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIV, § 1484(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1715; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XVI, § 1633(e)(2), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2752; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XI, § 1131(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–317.)"
---


# § 1596. Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for intelligence interests

**(a)** The Secretary of Defense may pay special pay under this section to a civilian officer or employee of the Department of Defense who—

**(1)** has been certified as being proficient in a foreign language identified by the Secretary of Defense as being a language in which proficiency by civilian personnel of the Department is important for the effective collection, production, or dissemination of foreign intelligence information; and

**(2)** is serving in a position, or is subject to assignment to a position, in which proficiency in that language facilitates performance of officially assigned intelligence or intelligence-related duties.

**(b)** The annual rate of special pay under subsection (a) shall be determined by the Secretary of Defense.

**(c)** Special pay under this section may be paid in addition to any compensation authorized under section 1602 of this title for which an officer or employee is eligible.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 101–193, title V, § 501(a)(1), Nov. 30, 1989, 103 Stat. 1707, § 1592; renumbered § 1596, Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIV, § 1484(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1715; amended Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title XVI, § 1633(e)(2), Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2752; Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XI, § 1131(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–317.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2000— substituted “Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for intelligence interests” for “Foreign language proficiency: special pay” as section catchline.

1996—Subsec. (c).  substituted “section 1602” for “section 1604(b)”.

1990— renumbered the second  as this section.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

> **“(1)** October 1, 1989, or
> 
> **“(2)** the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 30, 1989].”

, , , provided that: