§ 1596a. Foreign language proficiency: special pay for proficiency beneficial for other national security interests

• (a) The Secretary of Defense may pay special pay under this section to an employee of the Department of Defense who—
  • (1) has been certified by the Secretary to be proficient in a foreign language identified by the Secretary as being a language in which proficiency by civilian personnel of the Department is necessary because of national security interests;
  • (2) is assigned duties requiring proficiency in that foreign language; and
  • (3) is not receiving special pay under section 1596 of this title .
• (b) The rate of special pay for an employee under this section shall be prescribed by the Secretary, but may not exceed five percent of the employee’s rate of basic pay.
• (c) Special pay under this section is in addition to any other pay or allowances to which the employee is entitled.
• (d) The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.