The Army has approved Remote and Austere Conditions Assignment Incentive Pay (RAC-AIP) for soldiers stationed in Alaska. The pay is authorized for Fort Greely, Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, effective Dec. 1, 2019.
Soldiers permanently assigned to Alaska may request RAC-AIP, provided they meet the following eligibility criteria. They must:
- Be on active duty.
- Be in the grade of colonel or below.
- Be permanently assigned to Alaska from a previous duty station outside of the State of Alaska.
- Be within 90 days of arrival to Alaska.
- Agree to serve the prescribed tour length (36, 24 or 12 months).
- Not have previously received RAC-AIP during the current tour or a previous tour within the last six years.
- Not be under any Uniform Code of Military Justice process (to include Article 15 or court-martial proceedings) or investigations.
- Meet Army standards for retention, including physical fitness and body composition at the time of approval and must remain in good standing throughout the AIP tour.
- Not be permanently non-deployable.
RAC-AIP will be paid in a lump-sum payment and is taxable, with payments based on the soldier's duty location.
Incoming soldiers at Wainwright and Greely without command-sponsored dependents will receive a $2,000 lump sum; those with command-sponsored dependents will get $4,000.
Incoming soldiers without command-sponsored dependents at JBER will receive $1,000; those with command-sponsored dependents will receive $2,000.
The incentive payments are available only to soldiers who reported to Alaska on or after Dec. 1, 2019.
In a news release, Maj. Gen. Peter Andrysiak Jr., head of U.S. Army Alaska (USARAK), said, "Approval of AIP will drastically improve the quality of life for our Arctic Warriors and their families stationed in Alaska through acknowledgment of the challenging conditions and provide additional financial support while serving in the harsh and remote Arctic environment."
The USARAK G-1 will identify eligible soldiers and publicize the information necessary to begin the payment process.
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