What it is
Basic Pay is the foundation of your military paycheck. It is set by only two things: your pay grade and your years of service. It is identical across every branch. An E-5 with 6 years in the Army earns exactly the same Basic Pay as an E-5 with 6 years in the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard.
2026 rate
Set by the 2026 pay table, which includes the 3.8 percent raise effective January 1, 2026. Example: E-1 is $2,407.20 per month, E-5 over 6 years is $4,110.00, O-3 over 4 years is $7,382.70.
What goes wrong
Basic Pay errors almost always happen at a promotion or when your Pay Entry Base Date is recorded wrong. If your grade or years-of-service column is off by one step, every month is wrong by hundreds of dollars. Check it once against the official table and any error becomes obvious.