Reserve Drill Pay Calculator

About Reserve drill pay

How is drill pay calculated?

Pay for one drill period is 1/30 of the monthly basic pay for your rank and years of service, as set out in the DoD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 7A, Chapter 1.

What is a drill period?

A drill period is one unit of Inactive Duty Training (IDT) — the scheduled training Guard and Reserve members perform apart from active duty. Each period must last at least four hours.

How many drills are there per year?

A typical Guard or Reserve schedule is 48 drill periods per year (or 4 periods per month), plus annual training (AT). Individual Mobilization Augmentees (IMAs) and units on flexible drilling schedules can have different arrangements, so your unit's published schedule is the authoritative source.

Does drill pay include BAH or BAS?

No. Standard inactive duty training pay is basic pay only — housing (BAH) and subsistence (BAS) allowances are not paid for regular drill periods. Allowances generally apply when you are on active-duty orders, such as annual training, where entitlements depend on the type and length of the orders. This calculator shows drill pay only.

Is drill pay taxable?

Yes. Drill pay is subject to federal income tax, and most states tax it as well — though some states partially or fully exempt military pay, so check your state's rules. This calculator shows gross pay before taxes and withholding.

What if I want to go active duty temporarily?

Check out the Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS) page for more details on how to be activated for each branch of service. ADOS is typically short volunatry tours available to reservists to augment unit shortfalls.

When do these numbers change?

Military pay tables update every January. This calculator uses the 2026 tables, which reflect a 3.8% raise effective 1 January 2026. When the 2027 tables are published, the rates here will change accordingly.

Sources: DoD FMR Volume 7A, Chapter 1 and the DFAS 2026 military pay tables.