So Swimmers May Be Paid

So Swimmers May Be Paid

By AWRCM Justin “Cali Condor” Phillips, USN

In recent national news, the Navy made headlines with its inability to meet 2023 recruitment quotas, falling short by 7,000 Sailors. As a response to this challenge, the Navy is actively exploring incentives to retain its top talent. Notably, recent initiatives aimed at increasing Selective Reenlistment Bonuses have been tracking in the right direction to help entice Helicopter Rescue Swimmers to “Stay Navy,” but more can be done. Over the last three years, Senior Enlisted Aircrew Leadership has been successful in increasing career orientated compensation, demonstrated by the transformation of Career Enlisted Flyer Incentive Pay (CEFIP) into Critical Skill Incentive Pay (CSIP). While the community has yielded success in these ventures, multiple attempts to correct shortfalls in Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) have not gained traction.

Straight out of the OPNAVINST 1160.6C, “SDAP is a monthly pay used to help obtain high quality enlisted personnel for designated special duty assignments that are considered extremely difficult or involve an unusual degree of responsibility.” Plainly put, SDAP is how the Navy rewards Helicopter Rescue Swimmers for their demanding duties requiring extraordinary effort” There is a catch though. The SDAP authorization charts limit how many billets can receive this incentive at each qualifying command, referred to as “Billets Authorized.” For example, if a squadron is authorized to have 24 Helicopter Rescue Swimmers, they will only have 24 SDAP Billets eligible for the incentive. Unfortunately, for some commands the number of Rescue Swimmers onboard varies from undermanned to overmanned at times. This situation is cyclical and depends on Sailor rotation dates, deployment build ups, and inventory of Sailors who can fill these billets. It is extremely difficult for entities in Millington to keep the numbers onboard each command at exactly the right number of “Billets Authorized” at all times. A Sailor who is rotating out of their command due to their Projected Rotation Date, will likely have their replacement onboard either several months before or after they transfer. This can prove to be problematic when the command is trying to determine who receives SDAP and who does not. At times, a squadron may find itself temporarily carrying up to four or five more Rescue Swimmers than authorized. But who gets paid SDAP and who does not? Historically, this has been the proverbial bullet taken by Senior Aircrewman Leadership. An Aircrew Shop Chief will usually sacrifice his/her SDAP before making a junior Sailor give up their incentive pay. Unfortunately, there are only so many Chief billets available before junior personnel start losing out on their SDAP.

Based on the qualifying criteria for SDAP in the OPNAVINST 1160.6C, all Navy programs listed under the “Warrior Challenge Program” receive this incentive to varying levels. The Warrior Challenge Programs consist of SEAL, SWCC, EOD, DIVER, and lastly, Helicopter Rescue Swimmers (AIRR).

When you look at these niche groups of individuals, they all possess specific training that sets them apart – training that is exceptionally rigorous and elite in nature. It only makes sense that these individuals be appropriately compensated for the effort it requires to perform their duties. But there is a catch… SEAL, SWCC, EOD, and DIVER have a specific note in the SDAP authorization charts stating that they are not limited to billets authorized. Meaning, if they have more individuals onboard than what is listed on their approved manning document, it does not affect who gets paid SDAP. Again, this caveat makes perfect sense when you consider that these communities are required to maintain their qualifications apart from being paid for them.

The qualifications that make these groups eligible for SDAP are what set them apart from other rates. It is how they are detailed and receive orders. Each community within the “Warrior Challenge Program” has a litany of qualifications that are required to be maintained to be within that community. These rates are considered “closed loop” because of it and can only go to commands that require they hold these qualifications. They cannot simply drop those qualifications because they are not receiving compensation for them, so they should be allowed to receive SDAP regardless of how many billets are filled within their command. This raises the question: Why are Helicopter Rescue Swimmers the only “Warrior Challenge Program” not included in this SDAP caveat?

AIRR is a part of the “Warrior Challenge Program,” and all the same reasons the other programs are exempted from the SDAP limitation apply equally to Helicopter Rescue Swimmers. AIRR Community members assigned to helicopter commands cannot simply drop their qualifications if they do not receive SDAP. MILPERSMAN 1220-010 requires that qualifications are kept current or members would receive Duty Involving Flying Crew (DIFCREW) Revocation, removal of their Aircrew Wings, and the loss of their source rating. You may ask yourself, “How hard is it to maintain these qualifications? Surely it cannot be that tough to just keep those qualifications current without being paid for it.” One glance at Section Three, Tab E of a NATOPS training jacket would put your questions to rest. The Annual SAR Evaluation and semiannual SAR Fitness Tests alone would justify receiving SDAP regardless of billets, but that is just scratching the surface of what it takes to maintain Annual SAR Qualifications. Also, if a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer was allowed to drop their qualification, the squadron would not be able to execute a crucial mission set required for all helicopter squadrons, Search and Rescue.

Not all hope is lost. Although previous attempts at procuring SDAP for all Helicopter Rescue Swimmers have failed, Senior Helicopter Aircrew Leadership is not ready to give up. Recently, leadership has decided to tackle this issue again, emboldened with the recent discovery of the caveat made for the rest of the “Warrior Challenge Programs.” A “zero cost” proposal is in the works to have Helicopter Rescue Swimmers align with the rest of the “Warrior Challenge Programs.” A simple note in the SDAP authorization charts that mirrors what already exists for the other Warrior Challenge Programs would fix the issue with little administrative burden. Manning shortfalls being what they are, if we were able to pay every single Helicopter Rescue Swimmer SDAP right now, we still wouldn’t max out the total dollar amount budgeted for SDAP allowances already approved. Sailors receiving compensation for their hard work would surely help retention issues. Leadership is hopeful that this new push will finally get the attention it deserves and we can ultimately ensure those who embody the mantra “So Others May Live” are all compensated for their continued tenacity and dedication.