Military Hardship Duty Pay by Location

Serving in the military often means facing tough conditions in remote or overseas locations.

That’s why the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) provides Hardship Duty Pay-Location (HDP-L), which is a special monthly payment to compensate service members for enduring difficult living conditions like limited housing, medical care, or sanitation.

In this article, we’ll list and explain who qualifies, how much you can receive, and provide a detailed list of eligible locations so you can make sure you’re getting the military hardship pay you’ve earned!

What Is Hardship Duty Pay?

Hardship Duty Pay-Location (HDP-L) is a special pay provided to U.S. service members who are assigned to locations overseas or in remote areas where living conditions are significantly below U.S. standards.

According to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS):

“HDP-L compensates service members for enduring extraordinarily difficult living conditions, such as lack of housing, medical care, sanitation, or access to basic services.”

This monthly allowance helps offset the hardships faced by troops stationed in areas with harsh climates, limited infrastructure, and isolated environments.

Key Features of Hardship Duty Pay by Location (HDP-L)

• Eligibility Criteria: Service members must be permanently assigned to an eligible location listed by DFAS or deployed to qualifying areas for 30 consecutive days or more.

• Monthly Pay Rates: Payments range from $50 to $150 per month, depending on the severity of living conditions.

• Concurrent Payments: If a service member also receives Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) or Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) (both $225/month), the HDP-L amount is reduced to $100/month.

• No Expiration Dates for Ongoing Duty: HDP-L remains payable indefinitely unless an end date is specified in the DFAS location list.

What Locations Qualify for HDP-L?

HDP-L applies to specific countries, cities, regions, and remote installations identified by the Department of Defense (DoD). Examples include:

• Combat zones like Afghanistan and Iraq.

• Remote bases in the Arctic Circle and Antarctic regions.

• Demilitarized Zones (DMZ) and border areas in South Korea.

The DFAS-approved list of eligible locations is regularly updated to reflect changes in conditions and deployments.

Why Is HDP-L Important?

Hardship Duty Pay is not just about financial compensation—it’s about acknowledging the sacrifices and challenges service members face while fulfilling their mission in difficult environments.

In the chart below, you’ll find a detailed list of HDP-L locations and pay rates, along with examples of how the pay is calculated based on deployment orders and concurrent entitlements.

List of Hardship Duty Pay Locations

Notes: Hardship Duty Pay Locations (HDP-L)

Eligibility: All service members on qualifying duty within the listed country, state, or region are entitled to HDP-L.

Land Areas Only: Only land areas are designated for hardship duty, except installations located on an ice shelf inside the Antarctic or Arctic Circle Regions are also included.

Pay Status:

• Special pay is currently payable when an ending date is not shown in the “Through” column.

• Maximum Payment Adjustment: The HDP-L monthly entitlement decreases to a maximum payment of $100 when service members are also authorized a concurrent payment of $225 for Hostile Fire Pay (HFP) or Imminent Danger Pay (IDP).

Detention Facility Duty: Special pay applies when required to perform duties within the detention facility.

Included Locations for HDP-L Designation:

Bases and Camps:

• Alamo ASA (Det L)
• Bayonet Training Area
• Bull’s Eye #1 & #2
• Camp Bonifas
• Camp Casey
• Camp Castle
• Camp Edwards
• Camp Essayons
• Camp Falling Water
• Camp Garry Owen North
• Camp Giant
• Camp Greaves
• Camp Hovey
• Camp Howze
• Camp Jackson
• Camp Kwang Sa-Ri
• Camp Kyle
• Camp Mobile
• Camp Nimble
• Camp Page
• Camp Red Cloud
• Camp Sears
• Camp Stanley
• Camp Stanton (H-112)

Additional Locations:

• Charlie Block
• Chunchon
• Concord
• Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) South Half
• Freedom Bridge
• Gimbols Gun Training Area
• Hwaakson Evn ATC
• Joint Security Area Swiss-Swede Camp
• Kamaksan ASA (Det M)
• H220 Heliport
• La Guardia
• Liberty Bell
• Munsan
• Papyonsan ATC
• Shinbuk Relay (Hill 754)
• Tongduchon
• Uijongbu
• Warrior Base
• Watkins Range
• Yongpyong (Indian Head TC)

About the Author

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Brian Reese

Brian Reese is a world-renowned VA disability benefits expert and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Motivated by his own frustration with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans secure their VA disability compensation faster, regardless of their past struggles with the VA. Since 2013, he has positively impacted the lives of over 10 million military, veterans, and their families.

A former active-duty Air Force officer, Brian has extensive experience leading diverse teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, where he was a National Honor Scholar, ranking in the top 1% of his class.