IMPROVING MARINE CORPS ASSIGNMENT OF SDAP LEVELS

Abstract

The purpose of the Special Duty Assignment Pay (SDAP) program is to provide incentives to encourage highly qualified and capable Marine participants to fill demanding Special Duty Assignment (SDA) billets. The types of SDA billets include, but are not limited to, drill instructors, combat instructors, recruiters, career planners, marine security forces/embassy guards and senior enlisted advisors. SDAP compensation levels range from a minimum SDAP level 1 of $75 to a maximum SDAP level 6 of $450. Ensuring this program makes efficient use of its limited budget is even more critical in periods of fiscal uncertainty. This study employs Ordinary Least Squares and Fixed Effects multivariate regression models to examine the correlation between the quality of Marines serving in special duty assignment billets and SDAP levels. The quality of Marine participants has been determined not to be a current consideration in the process of assigning SDAP levels. The quality variables evaluated are GCT, meritorious promotion, proficiency and conduct markings, PFT and CFT. The results of the investigation also indicate which measure of quality is the best to include in the process of assigning SDAP.