Washington National Guard SAD (State Active Duty) Pay, Explained.

The National Guard calls you to serve your state for events such as COVID-19. They say you are getting the SAD pay. What does that mean?! I will explain it here. Private-proof.

First, what you are NOT getting from SAD:

• Healthcare (You are not covered under Tricare)
• Retirement (no matter how long you are on SAD orders, you don't get points for your National Guard retirement)

Now, let's talk about your pay $$$

1. If you are serving on SAD for 30 consecutive days or longer:
• You get monthly military rate, which includes the following:
  
1. the military monthly basic pay amount (based on PEBD or Pay Date)
2. BAH for your home of record
   
3. BAS (Basic Allowance for Subsistence), if meals are not provided
4. Special Pay (as applicable)
2. If you are serving on SAD for less than 30 consecutive days:
• You get $229.50/day (the Washington state minimum wage for working 14 hours/day)
  
  OR
• Daily Military Rate:
  (Basic Pay + BAH + BAS + Applicable Special Pay) / 30
• Most Soldiers will get $229.50/day.

What do I mean by most Soldiers?

If you are a single, you will get $229.50/day unless,

• E8 with 24 years of service or more.
• Their daily pay: $197.52 + $32.61 = $230.13
• W2 with 22 years of service or more.
• Their daily pay: $200.43 + $32.25 = $232.68
• O3 with 4 years of service or more.
• Their daily pay: $194.91 + $38.41 = $233.32

If you have dependents, you will get $229.50/day unless,

• E8 with 22 years of service or more.
• Their daily pay: $192.93 + $42.11 = $235.04
• W2 with 18 years of service or more.
• Their daily pay: $190.12 + $40.07 = $230.19
• O3 with 4 years of service or more.
• Their daily pay: $194.91 + $44.47 = $239.38

Things to Consider:

• If they give you weekends off, they may or may not pay you for the weekends.
• If your HOR (Home of Record) is more than 50 miles away from your duty location, they will get you a hotel room (or a place to sleep).

A horrific example:

You are an E3. You are on SAD order for 29 days. That means you are getting $6,655.50 ($229.50 x 29 days). Great pay. And you know what's more awesome? Your PSG is getting the same pay as you. Screw him, right?

But now, you work one more day, and you are on SAD

Some Useful Tools to Calculate your SAD Pay:

• 2020 Non-Locality BAH Rates
• 2020 Monthly Basic Pay Table