A History of Pay Troubles

Soldiers back from combat see their salary docked or withheld, as the Army strives to update its payroll and personnel systems.

A History of Pay Troubles

Military leadership has been trying, with limited success, to fix the Army's pay problems for more than a decade.

Early 1990s
The Army's Department of Finance and Accounting adopts custom pay processing application from Air Force system developed in the 1970s.

1995
A Department of Defense Task Force on Military Personnel Information Management recommends that the Department of Defense develop a single integrated military personnel and pay system for all military services.

1998
PeopleSoft selected as the foundation software application for a single unified payroll and personnel system, called the Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System (DIMHRS).

1999
Army Reserve implements new Web-based system to replace five existing DOS-based personnel systems that are not Year 2000-compliant. The system has limited integration with the Army Reserve payroll system and no new functionality.

2001
Reservists mobilized by the tens of thousands to assist with military operations in Afghanistan. Mobilization orders have to be keyed in by hand to the Reserve pay system.

2003
Northrop Grumman selected as systems integrator to unify the Department of Defense's personnel and payroll system with a $281 million contract.

2004
GAO report details significant pay problems experienced by Reserve soldiers mobilized for active duty.
Reserve automates mobilization process for reservists called up to active duty.

2005
GAO report details pay problems experienced by injured Army National Guard and Reserve soldiers.
Army audit estimates 5,500 soldiers wounded in action experienced some type of pay problem.

2006
Unified personnel and payroll system project put on hold in January while business requirements are reevaluated. Work resumes in

April.
GAO publishes report detailing the pay struggles of battle-injured soldiers.