Illness or Injury Pay Continuation

Start Here If You Are New to Illness or Injury Payments

The PAC Program preserves the pays and allowances Marines were receiving when they incurred a combat-related wound, injury, or illness in a combat zone, hostile fire area, or hostile fire event. Coverage continues during hospitalization and up to 12 months total. SCAADL (Special Compensation for Assistance with Activities of Daily Living) provides a monthly stipend to catastrophically injured Marines who require caregiver assistance with daily living activities. The three SCAADL tiers (Low, Medium, High) drive the monthly rate.

This page walks you through illness and injury pay continuation from your seat as a General Marine. By the end you will know.

• The PAC Program eligibility (combat-related illness, injury, or wound)
• The 12-month coverage cap for PAC
• The pays and allowances preserved (special pays, bonuses, incidental expenses)
• The SCAADL eligibility and the three-tier rate structure
• The relationship between SCAADL and VA Aid and Attendance compensation

Every fact on this page comes from DoD 7000.14-R Volume 7ADoD 7000.14-R Volume 7A Chapter 13 (March 2024), Title 37 U.S.C. section 372Title 37 U.S.C. section 372, DoDI 1341.12DoDI 1341.12, and Title 38 U.S.C. section 1114Title 38 U.S.C. section 1114(r)(2).

What the PAC Program Is

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.1, the Secretary of Defense authorized the Pay and Allowance Continuation Program for Marines and other Service Members in the Regular and Reserve Components effective May 15, 2008, pursuant to Title 37 U.S.C. section 372Title 37 U.S.C. section 372.

The PAC Program preserves the pays and allowances a Marine was receiving at the time of combat-related hospitalization. Without PAC, a Marine evacuated from a combat zone would lose HFP/IDP, FSA, deployed-area special pays, and other location-based pays. PAC keeps those pays flowing during the recovery period.

PAC Eligibility

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.2.1, a Marine is eligible for PAC if all of these apply.

• The Marine was wounded, ill, or injured in a combat zone, a hostile fire area, or while exposed to a hostile fire event.
• The Marine is hospitalized as defined in paragraph 2.3.2 for treatment of the wound, injury, or illness.

Per paragraph 2.2.2, this also includes Marines assigned to a medical or patient unit based on orders confirming the assignment AND determined as not fully fit to perform full military duties.

What Counts as Hospitalization

Per paragraph 2.3.2.1, a Marine evacuated for medical treatment is considered "first hospitalized for treatment" at the time of evacuation for PAC eligibility.

Per paragraph 2.3.2.2, after the first hospitalization, the Marine may remain eligible for PAC during follow-on outpatient treatment and rehabilitation until one of the three terminating reasons (paragraph 2.5) applies.

Pays and Allowances Preserved Under PAC

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.3.1, a Marine in PAC continues to receive the pay and allowances the Marine was receiving at the time of hospitalization. This includes.

• Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (HFP/IDP).
• Family Separation Allowance (FSA).
• Special and incentive pays earned at the time of hospitalization (HDIP, FLPB, AvIP, etc.).
• Bonuses payable to the Marine.
• The daily incidental expense portion of the temporary duty allowance authorized for combat operation deployments.

The combat-related allowances continue even though the Marine is no longer physically in the combat zone (because the Marine has been evacuated to a medical facility OCONUS or in CONUS).

Commencement of Payment

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.4, PAC begins on the first day of the month FOLLOWING the date of first hospitalization. The first month of PAC is the month after evacuation or first hospitalization.

Example

A Marine medically evacuated from Iraq to Germany in July triggers PAC. August is the first month of PAC payment.

Maximum PAC Duration

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.3.2.3, PAC may continue for up to 12 subsequent consecutive months following the first month after hospitalization.

The total PAC coverage is.

• Month of evacuation. Standard pay structure (still in CZ for that month).
• First month after hospitalization. PAC begins.
• Months 2 through 12 of PAC. PAC continues.

Termination of PAC Entitlement

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.5, PAC terminates at the end of the first month beginning after the earliest of.

• The date the Marine is returned for assignment to other than a medical or patient unit for duty (return based on determination of full fitness for full military duties).
• The date the Marine is discharged, separated, or retired (including temporary disability retirement).
• One year after the date the Marine is first hospitalized.

The Principal Deputy USD (P&R) may extend the termination date in 6-month increments under extraordinary circumstances.

HDP-L for Members Wounded in First 30 Days of HDP-L Assignment

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.3.3, a Marine on temporary deployment or attached duty of more than 30 days in a designated HDP-L hardship duty location, who is wounded, injured, or becomes ill within the first 30 days of serving in the designated area, is eligible for HDP-L at the time the wound, injury, or illness is incurred.

This overrides the standard 30-day TAD threshold for HDP-L (paragraph 2.1.4 of Chapter 17). A Marine evacuated within the first 30 days of HDP-L assignment due to combat-related illness or injury still receives HDP-L for the period.

Special Compensation for Assistance with Activities of Daily Living (SCAADL)

Per Chapter 13 section 3.0 and DoDI 1341.12DoDI 1341.12, SCAADL is a monthly stipend for Marines who incurred or aggravated a permanent catastrophic illness or injury in the line of duty AND require a caregiver to assist with activities of daily living.

Eligibility

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 3.2.1, the Marine must meet all of these.

• The injury was determined to have been incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
• The Marine requires hospitalization, nursing home care, or other residential institutional care in the absence of a caregiver, OR otherwise requires assistance with activities of daily living per the SCAADL assessment criteria.

SCAADL Three-Tier Rate Structure

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 3.4.2, SCAADL uses a three-tier scoring system.

• Low Tier. Score 1-12. Lowest monthly stipend.
• Medium Tier. Score 13-24. Middle monthly stipend.
• High Tier. Score 25-36. Highest monthly stipend.

The score reflects the level of assistance required across the 6 activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, transferring, continence).

Current SCAADL Rates

Current SCAADL monthly rates are published by the DoD with the SCAADL administering office. Verify the current rates through the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment or the Marine Corps Office of Warrior Care.

SCAADL and VA Aid and Attendance

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 3.3.1.1, if any other federal agency is providing outpatient or in-home services to the Marine, those services are considered when calculating SCAADL.

Per Title 38 U.S.C. section 1114Title 38 U.S.C. section 1114(r)(2), VA disability compensation includes a special compensation for Aid and Attendance for veterans needing caregiver assistance. SCAADL coordinates with the VA Aid and Attendance compensation. The two programs do not duplicate. The Marine receives the higher of the two.

Pay Protection During Medical Board

A Marine in the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) or Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) process continues to receive the pay and allowances of the rank and component held at the time of the MEB referral.

MEB and Disability Severance Pay

Marines separated by MEB/PEB action with a disability rating less than 30 percent and less than 20 years of service receive Disability Severance Pay per Chapter 35 (covered on the Separation Payments page).

MEB and Disability Retirement (TDRL or PDRL)

Marines separated with a disability rating of 30 percent or more receive a disability retirement.

• TDRL (Temporary Disability Retired List). The Marine is on TDRL for up to 5 years pending re-evaluation.
• PDRL (Permanent Disability Retired List). The Marine is permanently retired with disability pay.

Disability retirement pay is calculated based on the disability rating, the Marine's basic pay, and years of service. The full framework is in Volume 7B (Retired Pay).

Pay During Line-of-Duty Investigation

A Marine pending a line-of-duty determination continues to receive normal pay and allowances during the investigation. If the LOD investigation determines the illness or injury was NOT in the line of duty, certain disability protections may not apply, and pay may revert to standard non-disability separation pay framework.

Pay During Confinement (Pre-Trial)

A Marine in pre-trial confinement continues to receive pay until the court-martial sentence becomes final. If convicted of a sentence forfeiting pay or reducing rank, the pay reduction takes effect after the sentence is final. The Court-Martial and NJP Pay Impact page covers this in detail.

Verifying PAC and SCAADL on the LES

A monthly LES check confirms PAC entries are correct.

Step 1. Pull Your LES

Through MyPay each payday during recovery.

Step 2. Verify the PAC Lines

The LES shows PAC-continued allowances under Entitlements. The combat-zone pays (HFP/IDP, FSA, etc.) should continue at the same rate as before evacuation.

Step 3. Verify SCAADL Line (If Applicable)

For Marines on SCAADL, the LES shows a SCAADL line under Entitlements at the tier-appropriate rate.

Step 4. Resolve Discrepancies

Coordinate with the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment or the Marine Corps Office of Warrior Care for PAC and SCAADL questions. Standard LES routing through the unit S-1 to DFAS Marine Corps Pay applies for general LES corrections.

Common Questions Marines Ask

I was wounded in Iraq and evacuated to Walter Reed. Will my HFP and FSA continue?

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.3.1, yes. The PAC Program preserves the combat-zone pays and allowances you were receiving at the time of evacuation. HFP/IDP, FSA, and other combat-related pays continue for up to 12 months after the first month of hospitalization.

I am in the MEB process for a service-connected back injury. Will my pay continue?

Yes. A Marine in the MEB or PEB process continues to receive normal pay and allowances. If the MEB results in separation with a less-than-30-percent disability rating and less than 20 years of service, you receive Disability Severance Pay per Chapter 35. If the rating is 30 percent or more, you receive disability retirement under Volume 7B.

What is SCAADL?

Per Chapter 13 section 3.0, SCAADL is a monthly stipend for Marines who incurred or aggravated a permanent catastrophic illness or injury in the line of duty and require a caregiver to assist with activities of daily living. The three-tier rate structure (Low, Medium, High) is based on the assistance level needed.

If I get SCAADL, can I also get VA Aid and Attendance?

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 3.3.1.1 and Title 38 U.S.C. section 1114Title 38 U.S.C. section 1114(r)(2), the two programs coordinate. You receive the higher of the two, not both at full rate. Coordinate with the VA Regional Office and the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment.

How do I apply for SCAADL?

Coordinate through the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment or the Marine Corps Office of Warrior Care. The SCAADL assessment is performed by a designated medical professional using the DoDI 1341.12DoDI 1341.12 criteria.

If my PAC ends after 12 months, what happens?

Per Chapter 13 paragraph 2.5.3, PAC terminates 1 year after first hospitalization unless extended by USD (P&R) under extraordinary circumstances. After PAC terminates, your pay reverts to the entitlements based on your current duty status (medical hold, TDRL, PDRL, MEB outcome, etc.). Coordinate with your S-1 and the Wounded Warrior Regiment for the transition.

Where to Go for Help

Routing by Issue

• PAC Program eligibility and continuation. The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment or the Marine Corps Office of Warrior Care.
• SCAADL eligibility assessment. The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment.
• VA Aid and Attendance coordination. The VA Regional Office.
• MEB and PEB process. The Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment with PEB Liaison.
• LES corrections for PAC entries. 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.
• Hostile Fire Pay and Imminent Danger Pay covers HFP/IDP. Family Separation Allowance covers FSA.
• Separation Payments covers Disability Severance Pay.
• Pay Problems and Fixes covers the LES error recovery flow.

Related Roles

• Leaders coordinate with the Wounded Warrior Regiment for Marines wounded or injured during operations.
• Admin at S-1 supports PAC and SCAADL pay processing in coordination with the Wounded Warrior Regiment.
• Commanders endorse line-of-duty determinations and MEB referrals.

The PAC Program preserves combat-zone pays during recovery for up to 12 months. SCAADL provides a monthly stipend to catastrophically injured Marines requiring caregiver assistance. Both programs route through the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, not the standard S-1 flow. Pay protection during MEB/PEB ensures Marines receive their normal entitlements through the medical evaluation process.