Air Force To Begin Cold Weather Special Duty Pay For North Dakota Bases

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KVRR) — U.S. Air Force is going to start providing cold weather special duty pay.

It’s for those who are assigned to work at bases where temperatures drop to twenty below or colder.

It will be available at Minot Air Force Base, Grand Forks Air Force Base and Cavalier Space Station.

Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer say the Air Force will implement the pay beginning July 1.

Specifics regarding the incentive pay amount will be released closer to that date.

It is designed to help offset the costs of cold weather gear, snow tires and emergency car kits.

“Well, we North Dakotans know dealing with our winters is not a joke. We need snowblowers to clear our driveways and we have to have emergency supplies in our vehicles in case we get caught in a blizzard, and most of us try to avoid that obviously,” said Cramer. “This announcement today from the Air Force really follows through on our intent to make sure our Airmen and Guardians, who serve in places like Minot, Grand Forks, and Cavalier are properly compensated for the significant added winter expenses. Anybody that has purchased a North Face jacket knows just how expensive it is to dress for winter. I’m grateful to see this cold weather pay roll out to make these winters a little less expensive and stressful for our servicemen and women who are stationed here in North Dakota and already sacrificing so much to stand in the gap for our freedom.”

“Congress authorized this special pay to help our servicemembers and their families shoulder financial burdens unique to living in colder temperatures, including winter clothes and snow tires,” said Hoeven. “We’ve been pressing the Air Force to provide this cold weather pay and will continue working to ensure that the Air Force implements this policy in a way that meets the needs of those serving our country at bases in Minot, Grand Forks and Cavalier.”

In March, Senator Cramer joined U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and John Hoeven (R-ND) in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, calling for the implementation of cold weather pay.