Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus (FLPB)

Start Here If You Are New to FLPB

FLPB compensates Marines for maintaining certified proficiency in a critical foreign language or dialect. Up to $1,000 per month or $12,000 per year. The key requirement. Annual DLPT recertification at the required ILR skill level for the language you are paid for.

This page walks you through FLPB from your seat as a General Marine. By the end you will know.

• The eligibility framework and required ILR skill level (2+ for most, 2 for SOF)
• What counts as a critical language skill (DoD or Service Strategic Language List)
• The maximum amounts ($1,000/month or $12,000/year)
• Annual DLPT recertification and the contingency-operation waiver
• RC member retirement-points requirement (50 points/year)
• The written-agreement requirement and recoupment

Every fact on this page comes from DoD 7000.14-R Volume 7ADoD 7000.14-R Volume 7A Chapter 19 (February 2025), Title 37 U.S.C. section 353Title 37 U.S.C. section 353(b), and current Defense Language Institute guidance.

What FLPB Is

Per DoD 7000.14-R Volume 7ADoD 7000.14-R Volume 7A Chapter 19 paragraph 1.1, FLPB compensates Service Members for maintaining certified foreign language or dialect proficiency in a skill the Secretary of the Military Department designates as critical.

Eligibility

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.1, a Marine is eligible for FLPB if all of these apply.

• Entitled to basic pay under Title 37 U.S.C. section 204Title 37 U.S.C. section 204 (active duty), OR a National Guard member participating in qualifying full-time training/duty, OR entitled to RC compensation under Title 37 U.S.C. section 206Title 37 U.S.C. section 206.
• Determined to have and is maintaining certified foreign language or dialect proficiency in a skill the Service Secretary designates as critical.
• Executes a written agreement specifying the FLPB amount, period, certification requirements, and repayment provision.

Critical Language Skill Definition

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.1.5, a critical language skill is.

• Required by a Service language-related career field or military specialty designated by the Secretary, where primary duties require an Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) skill level 2+ or higher (ILR skill level 2 and higher for special operations forces personnel, where the Service has those SOF language requirements).
• A foreign language on the DoD or Service Strategic Language List, OR any foreign language for which the Secretary of the Military Department has language-designated requirements.

ILR Skill Levels

The Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) skill levels are the standard rating for foreign language proficiency.

• ILR 0. No proficiency.
• ILR 0+. Memorized proficiency.
• ILR 1. Elementary proficiency.
• ILR 1+. Elementary proficiency, plus.
• ILR 2. Limited working proficiency.
• ILR 2+. Limited working proficiency, plus.
• ILR 3. Professional working proficiency.
• ILR 4. Full professional proficiency.
• ILR 5. Native or bilingual proficiency.

Marines test in three modalities. Listening, reading, and (for some languages) speaking. The DLPT (Defense Language Proficiency Test) administered by the Defense Language Institute scores in each modality.

Strategic Language List

The DoD Strategic Language List identifies languages of strategic importance. The list updates periodically based on national security priorities. Common languages on the list include Mandarin, Russian, Korean, Arabic (multiple dialects), Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and others. The Service-specific Strategic Language List sometimes adds languages tied to Service operational priorities.

Written Agreement

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.1.6, the Marine executes a written agreement with the Secretary that includes.

• The amount of FLPB awarded.
• The period for which the FLPB will be paid.
• The initial certification or recertification necessary for the FLPB payment.
• The repayment provision discussing repayment of the unearned portion if the Marine does not satisfy eligibility and certification requirements for the length of the agreement.

Maximum Amount

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.5.1, FLPB is not allowed to exceed $12,000 per 1-year certification period. The Service Secretary is allowed to pay in monthly installments (not exceeding $1,000 per month aggregate) or as a lump sum during the certification period.

The actual rate paid depends on the language (strategic priority), the Marine's ILR skill level (higher level = higher rate), and the modalities tested (listening + reading vs. listening + reading + speaking).

Annual DLPT Recertification

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.8, Marines must take the DLPT annually to recertify proficiency. The annual DLPT recertification confirms continued ILR skill level 3 (Proficient) for personnel in critical language requirements where the Service designates that level.

Failure to recertify (or scoring below the required level) typically stops FLPB until requalification.

Contingency Operation Waiver

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.6, the Service Secretary is allowed to waive the annual certification requirements for a Marine on contingency operation duty who is unable to schedule or complete the certification test because of the assignment.

The waiver provisions per paragraph 2.6.1.

• The Marine is assigned to duty in connection with a contingency operation.
• The Marine is unable to schedule or complete the certification test because of the assignment.
• Except for the lack of certification, the Marine satisfies the eligibility requirements.

Per paragraph 2.6.2, the Secretary is allowed to treat the date the Marine was assigned to duty in connection with the contingency operation as equivalent to a recertification date.

Per paragraph 2.6.3, if certification expires during a contingency operation, the Secretary must authorize the Marine a 180-day grace period after returning to recertify.

Per paragraph 2.6.4, if the Marine fails to obtain the required certification by the end of the 180-day grace period, FLPB stops.

RC Member Eligibility

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.2, RC Marines must.

• Meet the eligibility and proficiency requirements per paragraph 2.1.
• Fulfill the minimum annual service requirements for retirement eligibility per Title 10 U.S.C. section 12732Title 10 U.S.C. section 12732, unless waived by the Service Secretary.

50 Retirement Points Per Year

Per paragraph 2.2.2, an RC Marine must earn a minimum of 50 retirement points (regardless of RC source) in each full anniversary year for that year to count as creditable toward total years of qualifying service for non-regular retired pay and FLPB.

A partial qualifying year (less than 12 full months) prorates FLPB at 2 percent for each retirement point less than 50 points.

Repayment

Per Chapter 19 (cross-referencing Volume 7A Chapter 2), an FLPB recipient who fails to maintain certification or otherwise breaches the written agreement is subject to repayment of the unearned portion. The Pay Problems and Fixes page on this site covers the recoupment framework.

Verifying FLPB on the LES

A monthly LES check confirms FLPB entries are correct.

Step 1. Pull Your LES

Through MyPay each payday.

Step 2. Verify the FLPB Line

The LES shows FLPB as a line item under Entitlements. Verify the monthly amount matches the agreement (up to $1,000/month) or the proration if RC partial qualifying year.

Step 3. Recertification Tracking

Check the Remarks Block for any DLPT expiration or recertification reminder. Annual DLPT testing maintains FLPB. Failure to recertify stops the pay.

Step 4. Resolve Discrepancies

Coordinate with your S-1 and your unit's intelligence or language section. Standard correction routes through the reporting unit to DFAS Marine Corps Pay.

Common Questions Marines Ask

I scored ILR 2 in listening and 1+ in reading. Do I get FLPB?

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.1.5, the requirement is ILR 2+ in the qualifying modalities for most career fields (ILR 2 for SOF if the Service designates that level). Specific Marine Corps requirements vary by language and billet. Verify with your unit's intelligence section against the current Marine Corps language proficiency requirements.

I am deploying for 6 months. Will my FLPB stop if my DLPT expires during deployment?

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.6, no, if your deployment qualifies as a contingency operation. The Secretary waives certification requirements during contingency operation deployment. After return, you have 180 days to recertify before FLPB stops.

I am dual-qualified in Mandarin and Russian. Do I get FLPB for both?

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.5.1, the cap is $12,000 per certification period. The cap typically applies across languages. Verify with your S-1 against the specific Service-level FLPB policy. In some cases, the cap allows FLPB for two languages with rate stacking.

I am Reserve and I deployed for 6 months on AD orders. Did I earn enough retirement points for FLPB?

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.2.2, an RC Marine must earn 50 retirement points per anniversary year for full FLPB. Active duty days count toward retirement points (1 point per day). A 6-month deployment alone produces ~180 retirement points, well above the 50-point threshold.

My language is no longer on the DoD Strategic Language List. Do I still get FLPB?

Per Chapter 19 paragraph 2.1.5, FLPB requires the language to be on the DoD Strategic Language List, the Service Strategic Language List, OR any language for which the Service has language-designated requirements. If your language is removed from all three lists, FLPB stops at the next certification cycle. Existing certifications continue through the end of the current period.

What is the difference between FLPB and language-designated billet pay?

FLPB is a separate compensation paid for maintaining language proficiency. It is not tied to a specific assignment. A Marine in a non-language billet but with certified critical language proficiency draws FLPB. The Marine in a language-designated billet ALSO draws FLPB if certified, plus any billet-specific additional pay.

Where to Go for Help

Routing by Issue

• DLPT scheduling and administration. Defense Language Institute (DLI) at https://www.dliflc.edu/ or your unit's language testing coordinator.
• Marine Corps Strategic Language List verification. Marine Corps Intelligence directorate or your unit's intelligence section.
• FLPB written agreement execution. Through your S-1.
• Contingency operation certification waiver. Through your unit S-1 with deployment orders documentation.
• LES corrections for FLPB. Your S-1 routes through DFAS Marine Corps Pay.
• DFAS Marine Corps Pay direct contact. Phone 1-888-332-7411 (DSN 312-571-9450 from overseas).

Where to Go Next on This Site

• Pay and Entitlements landing page lists all the pay topics.
• Special Duty Assignment Pay covers SDAP for designated billets (some language-related billets qualify for SDAP in addition to FLPB).
• Pay Problems and Fixes covers the recoupment framework if FLPB ends due to failed recertification.

Related Roles

• Leaders identify Marines with critical language proficiency, encourage DLPT testing, and ensure annual recertification cycles are met.
• Admin at S-1 processes FLPB written agreements, tracks DLPT expiration dates, and routes corrections through the reporting unit.
• Commanders certify FLPB-eligible billets, oversee the unit's language proficiency program, and approve contingency operation waivers.

FLPB rewards the time and effort you put into maintaining proficiency in a critical language. The DLPT is the gate. Test annually, score above the threshold, and the pay continues at up to $1,000/month.