10 USC § 1596a - Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for other national security interests

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t10/s1596a"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "10 USC § 1596a - Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for other national security interests"
title_number: 10
title_name: "ARMED FORCES"
section_number: "1596a"
section_name: "Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for other national security 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. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XI, § 1131(a)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–317; amended Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title XI, § 1102(a), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2072.)"
---


# § 1596a. Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for other national security interests

**(a)** **Authority.—** The Secretary of Defense may pay special pay under this section to an employee of the Department of Defense who—

**(1)** has been certified by the Secretary to be proficient in a foreign language identified by the Secretary as being a language in which proficiency by civilian personnel of the Department is necessary because of national security interests;

**(2)** is assigned duties requiring proficiency in that foreign language; and

**(3)** is not receiving special pay under section 1596 of this title.

**(b)** **Rate.—** The rate of special pay for an employee under this section shall be prescribed by the Secretary, but may not exceed five percent of the employee’s rate of basic pay.

**(c)** **Relationship to Other Pay and Allowances.—** Special pay under this section is in addition to any other pay or allowances to which the employee is entitled.

**(d)** **Regulations.—** The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title XI, § 1131(a)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–317; amended Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title XI, § 1102(a), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2072.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2004—Subsec. (a)(2).  struck out “during a contingency operation supported by the armed forces” after “foreign language”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2004 Amendment

> “The amendment by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the first day of the first month that begins after the date of the enactment of this Act [
> 
> ].”

, , , provided that: