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The Marine Corps at one time had proficiency pay for qualifying with the rifle but that program ended long ago, probably during the 1930's but certainly before WWII began.
Army Weapons Qualification Pay?
I was once told that in the Vietnam time frame soldiers were paid a bonus for qualifying higher than marksman (sharpshooter or expert) with their assigned weapon. If anyone has info on if this really happened, in any time frame, please tell me about it.
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Found it!
"In June 1922 Congress provided that a soldier who qualified with his primary weapon could receive extra pay. Under some circumstances soldiers could qualify with other than their primary weapon and wear the appropriate bar on their badge, but they could not draw any
proficiency pay for these other weapons.
In 1923 extra qualification pay varied from $1 to $5 each month, depending on the shooter’s skill, appropriations, and army regulations.
In 1933 the army added aerial machine guns and
aerial bombs to the weapons that rated extra pay. Mainly officers qualified for these two bars, but they could not draw additional pay. The few enlisted pilots who qualified could earn their pay through aerial qualification.
In 1941 the army ended additional marksmanship pay in the interest of increasing a soldier’s skill during wartime training."
Not sure how ending marksmanship pay would increase skills but anyway...
"In June 1922 Congress provided that a soldier who qualified with his primary weapon could receive extra pay. Under some circumstances soldiers could qualify with other than their primary weapon and wear the appropriate bar on their badge, but they could not draw any
proficiency pay for these other weapons.
In 1923 extra qualification pay varied from $1 to $5 each month, depending on the shooter’s skill, appropriations, and army regulations.
In 1933 the army added aerial machine guns and
aerial bombs to the weapons that rated extra pay. Mainly officers qualified for these two bars, but they could not draw additional pay. The few enlisted pilots who qualified could earn their pay through aerial qualification.
In 1941 the army ended additional marksmanship pay in the interest of increasing a soldier’s skill during wartime training."
Not sure how ending marksmanship pay would increase skills but anyway...
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There are several problems with that type of proficiency pay. First, weapons qualification scores get fudged all the time. Second, troops are no longer paid in cash. When your unit controlled both your pay and qualification, it was possible. Your not going to get ever-changing qualification scores into the payroll system. The Army can barely handle doing them separately. I think the only weapons scores that made it to my DD214 are the ones from boot camp. Apparently, I am entitled to wear the Expert bar for Hand Grenade. RNGR2
i would think not blowing yourself up would qualify as "hand grenade" expert LOL
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