The Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC) is conducted every four years by the Defense Department to review the principles and concepts of the military compensation system. The 14th QRMC was recently released, following President Joe Biden’s directive to ensure that service members are adequately compensated and incentivized. The goal of the QRMC is to ensure that service members are paid competitively alongside their civilian peers, can afford the necessities of life, and are provided with a sufficient benefits package to attract and retain the necessary military skill sets. The QRMC is considered an independent body of work with a director who conducts research in collaboration with federally funded research centers, presenting their findings to a senior advisory group comprising uniformed members, senior civilians, and senior enlisted advisors.
The 14th QRMC found that the military compensation package is competitive with the civilian labor market but identified areas for improvement to benefit service members, their families, and the Department of Defense. The recommendations of the QRMC include increasing regular military compensation to the 75th percentile of comparable civilians, improving communications regarding the total compensation package, and exploring additional retirement savings options for military spouses. The QRMC also highlighted the importance of reducing pay volatility and variability, improving data quality, and considering noncash compensation as a way to enhance returns on investment for service members and military families.
The report of the 14th QRMC was delivered to the president, congressional armed services committees, interagency partners, and military and veteran service organizations. While some recommendations can be implemented immediately, others will require several years to implement, and some will need congressional support. The QRMC also examined the impact of dual-income households on military retention decisions, considering factors such as permanent change of station moves, separation from the service, and access to child care affecting military spouses’ ability to pursue a career. The QRMC aims to address these issues through policy and programmatic changes to ensure successful recruitment, retention, and readiness of the force moving forward.
Overall, the QRMC seeks to ensure that service members receive competitive compensation, can afford the necessities of life, and are provided with a benefits package that attracts and retains the necessary military skill sets. By updating benchmarks for regular military compensation, improving data quality, and exploring noncash compensation options, the QRMC aims to enhance the overall compensation package for service members and their families. Through collaboration with various stakeholders and decision-makers, the recommendations of the QRMC will be considered and implemented to better meet the needs of service members and ensure a strong and ready military force.
