The White House says the payments will reach troops before Christmas.
President Donald Trump announced “Warrior Dividend” bonuses for the military in a Dec. 17 televised address.
According to the president, the additional payment will be sent to members of the U.S. Armed Forces as a holiday bonus.
Here is what we know about the payments.
Bonus Details
In announcing the payments, Trump said military members would get $1,776 as a non-taxable supplement to their income in time for the Christmas holiday.
“Tonight, I am … proud to announce that … [1.45 million] military servicemembers will receive a special … ‘Warrior Dividend’ before Christmas,” Trump said during a White House speech to the nation.
According to the president, the payments will go to all eligible active-duty and reserve servicemembers “in honor of [the] nation’s founding in 1776.”
According to Trump, the checks “are already on the way,” because “nobody deserves it more than [the U.S.] military.”
Who Is Eligible
There are currently 1.28 million active-duty military members and 174,000 reserve component military members who are eligible for the dividend.
These include members who have served for at least 31 days on active duty as of Nov. 30 this year and who are at pay grades of O-6 and below as of the same date. This means at or below the rank of colonel in the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Space Force or at or below the rank of captain in the Navy or Coast Guard.
During his announcement, the president said military recruitment numbers are at unprecedented levels.
“We now have record enlistment [numbers] in our military,” he said. “Last year, we had among the worst recruitment numbers in our military’s history—a lot of difference a year makes.”
According to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, this special payment represents the approaching 250th anniversary of the United States and the nation’s military.
In a video posted to social media, Hegseth said of the year 1776: “As you know, our great nation was founded in the crucible of revolution in that year.
“Now, as we enter the Christmas season, some 250 years later, we are proud to provide ‘1776’ with a whole new modern meaning for our joint force.”
