A soldier may be entitled to Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) when the appropriate commander certifies that the member has met the requirements for entitlement to HFP for a given month. Certification of entitlement shall be made at the lowest level of command. Certification shall include the name and social security number of each member entitled to the hostile fire pay, a short description of the incident, and when and where it occurred. A death certificate or injury report may be substituted in place of the certification if the document establishes the cause of the death or injury was due to hostile fire or an explosion of a hostile mine.

The same entitlement amount is also received by meeting different eligibility requirements that qualify a soldier for Imminent Danger Pay (IDP). This entitlement is usually listed together as Hostile Fire Pay/Imminent Danger Pay. A soldier can receive IDP or HFP but not both.

A soldier is eligible for HFP for any month when the soldier was entitled to basic pay for active duty or compensation for inactive duty and the soldier is:

• Subjected to hostile fire or explosion of a hostile mine, or

• On duty in an area in close proximity to a hostile fire incident and the member is in danger of being exposed to the same dangers actually experienced by other Service members subjected to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines, or

• Killed, injured, or wounded by hostile fire, explosion of a hostile mine, or any other hostile action.

Special Situations

• Soldier Captured or Missing:  A member entitled to HFP immediately prior to entering status of missing, missing in action, interned in a foreign country of captured by a hostile force shall continue to be credited with HFP for each month while in such status.

• A soldier entitled to HFP, who is hospitalized for a wound or injury incurred as a result of hostile action, incurs a wound, injury or illness in a combat operation or combat zone designated by the Secretary of Defense and is hospitalized outside of the theater for treatment is entitled to HPF for 12 months.

HFP is a special pay entitlement currently paid at the rate of $225 per month. Soldiers may receive either HFP or Imminent Danger Pay (IDP), but not both. Soldiers entitled to HFP or IDP may also be entitled to Combat Zone Tax Exclusion.

As stated in Chapter 10 of the DoD Financial Management Regulations. Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) is paid when certified by appropriate commanders to military members subjected to:

• Subjected to hostile fire or explosion of a hostile mine

• On duty in an area in close proximity to a hostile fire incident and the member is in danger of being exposed to the same dangers actually experienced by other Service members subjected to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines

• Killed, injured, or wounded by hostile fire, explosion of a hostile mine, or any other hostile action

Members are eligible for Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) when serving on official duty within a designated IDP area.

For more information, please visit the Hostile Fire Pay webpage maintained by the Department of Defense (DoD)
https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Special-and-Incentive-Pays/HFP_IDP/

For additional information on possible changes to this benefit as a Wounded Warrior, please visit the Wounded Warrior Pay section of the Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) website at:
https://www.dfas.mil/MilitaryMembers/woundedwarrior/woundedwarriorpay/