US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

37 U.S.C. § 303

Special pay: veterinarians

(a)

Monthly Special Pay .—

Each of the following officers is entitled to special pay at the rate of $100 a month for each month of active duty:
(1)
A commissioned officer—
(A)
of the Regular Army who is in the Veterinary Corps;
(B)
of the Regular Air Force who is an officer in the Biomedical Sciences Corps and holds a degree in veterinary medicine; or
(C)
who is a veterinary officer of the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service.
(2)
A commissioned officer—
(A)
of a Reserve component of the Army who is in the Veterinary Corps of the Army;
(B)
of a reserve component of the Air Force, of the Army or the Air Force without specification of component, or of the National Guard, who—
(i)
is designated as a veterinary officer; or
(ii)
is an officer in the Biomedical Sciences Corps of the Air Force and holds a degree in veterinary medicine; or
(C)
1
1 See Change of Name note below.
who is a veterinary officer of the Reserve Corps  of the Public Health Service,
who is on active duty as a result of a call or order to active duty for a period of at least one year.
(3)
A general officer of the Army or the Air Force appointed, from any of the categories named in clause (1) or (2), in the Army, the Air Force, or the National Guard, as the case may be.
(b)

Additional Special Pay for Board Certification .—

section 302c(b) of this titleA commissioned officer entitled to special pay under subsection (a) who has been certified as a Diplomate in a specialty recognized by the American Veterinarian Medical Association is entitled to special pay (in addition to the special pay under subsection (a)) at the same rate as is provided under for an officer referred to in that section who has the same number of years of creditable service as the commissioned officer.

Pub. L. 87–64976 Stat. 465Pub. L. 88–2, § 577 Stat. 4Pub. L. 90–40, § 581 Stat. 105Pub. L. 92–129, title I, § 10485 Stat. 355Pub. L. 93–64, title II, § 20387 Stat. 149Pub. L. 95–114, § 391 Stat. 1046Pub. L. 95–485, title VIII, § 801(b)92 Stat. 1619Pub. L. 96–284, § 4(c)94 Stat. 591Pub. L. 100–26, § 8(d)(3)101 Stat. 285Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title XII, § 1232101 Stat. 1161Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 702(b)(2)105 Stat. 117Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title VI, § 616(a)113 Stat. 652Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title VI, § 629], , , 1654A–155.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section

Source (U.S. Code)

Source (Statutes at Large)

303(a)

 

 

 

303(b)

37:234(b) (less 1st proviso, as applicable to veterinarians).

37:234(c).

37:234(b) (1st proviso, as applicable to veterinarians).

Oct. 12, 1949, ch. 681, § 203(b) (as applicable to veterinarians), (c), 63 Stat. 809; June 25, 1952, ch. 459, § 1, 66 Stat. 156; June 29, 1953, ch. 158, § 8 (as applicable to veterinarians), 67 Stat. 89; June 30, 1955, ch. 250, § 203, 69 Stat. 225; Apr. 30, 1956, ch. 223, § 5, 70 Stat. 122; Mar. 23, 1959, Pub. L. 86–4, § 5, 73 Stat. 13.

In subsection (a), clause (1) is substituted for section 234(c)(1), (2), and (3) of existing title 37. The words “of the Regular Army” and “of the Regular Air Force” are inserted in clauses (1)(A) and (B), respectively, since in contradistinction to section 234(c)(4) of existing title 37, their source was intended to apply only to regular officers. Clauses (2)(A) and (B) are substituted for the enumeration of categories in section 234(c)(4) of existing title 37 to reflect current usage and designations of those categories. Clause (3) is substituted for section 234(c)(5) and (6) of existing title 37. Section 234(b) (2d proviso) of existing title 37 is omitted as obsolete. Section 234(b) (last proviso) of existing title 37 is omitted as inapplicable to veterinarians.

In subsection (b), the words “disability retirement pay” are omitted as covered by the words “retired pay”.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]2000—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). , title VI, § 629(1)], substituted “who is an officer in the Biomedical Sciences Corps and holds a degree in veterinary medicine” for “who is designated as a veterinary officer”.

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]Subsec. (a)(2)(B). , title VI, § 629(2)], added subpar. (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “of a Reserve component of the Air Force, of the Army or the Air Force without specification of component, or of the National Guard, who is designated as a veterinary officer of the Army or the Air Force, as the case may be; or”.

Pub. L. 106–651999— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted subsec. heading, and added subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 102–251991—Par. (3). struck out “of this subsection” after “clause (1) or (2)”.

Pub. L. 100–1801987— substituted semicolon for comma at end of par. (2)(A) and “; or” for “, or” at end of par. (2)(B).

Pub. L. 100–26 substituted “A” for “a” at beginning of pars. (1) to (3), semicolon for comma at end of par. (1)(A), “; or” for “, or” at end of par. (1)(B), period for semicolon at end of par. (1)(C), and period for “; and” at end of par. (2); and directed substitution of semicolon for comma at end of par. (1)(B) which could not be executed because no comma appeared at end of par. (1)(B).

Pub. L. 96–2841980— substituted “Each” for “(a) In addition to any other basic pay, special pay, incentive pay or allowance to which he is entitled, each”, struck out “beginning on or after ” after “active duty”, struck out subsec. (b) which prohibited inclusion of active duty monthly special pay in computation of amount of increase in pay authorized in any other provision of this title or in computation of retired pay or severance pay, and struck out subsec. (c) which provided that no special pay be paid for any month after September 1980.

Pub. L. 95–4851978—Subsec. (c). substituted “September 1980” for “September 1978”.

Pub. L. 95–1141977—Subsec. (a). amended subsec. (a) to provide for the reinstatement of special pay provisions for veterinarians for each month on active duty beginning on or after .

Pub. L. 95–114Subsecs. (b), (c). reenacted subsec. (b) without change and added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 93–641973—Subsec. (a). substituted “” for “” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 92–1291971—Subsec. (a). substituted “” for “” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 90–401967—Subsec. (a). substituted “” for “” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 88–21963—Subsec. (a). substituted “” for “” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

section 204(c)(3) of Title 42Reference to Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service deemed to be a reference to the Ready Reserve Corps, see , The Public Health and Welfare.

Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title VI, § 616(b)113 Stat. 652

“The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on , and shall apply with respect to months beginning on and after that date.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1977 Amendment

Pub. L. 95–114section 4 of Pub. L. 95–114section 302a of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1973 Amendment

Pub. L. 93–64section 206 of Pub. L. 93–64section 401 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .