Military pay reference
2026 Reserve Military Pay Dates
The published 2026 Reserve payroll calendar lists scheduled paydays and separate LES availability dates.
The calendar shows DFAS Reserve payroll dates. It does not guarantee that a specific drill weekend will be included by a particular date because unit certification and transaction processing must occur first.
Official Reserve payroll schedule
| Pay period | DFAS official |
|---|---|
| January mid-month | |
| January end-of-month | |
| February mid-month | |
| February end-of-month | |
| March mid-month | |
| March end-of-month | |
| April mid-month | |
| April end-of-month | |
| May mid-month | |
| May end-of-month | |
| June mid-month | |
| June end-of-month | |
| July mid-month | |
| July end-of-month | |
| August mid-month | |
| August end-of-month | |
| September mid-month | |
| September end-of-month | |
| October mid-month | |
| October end-of-month | |
| November mid-month | |
| November end-of-month | |
| December mid-month | |
| December end-of-month |
Drilling-member pay can vary
The published payroll schedule is a useful DFAS reference, but pay for individual drills depends on when the unit certifies attendance and the transaction is processed. Members on active-duty tours of 30 days or more generally follow the active-component 1st-and-15th pattern.
A standard inactive-duty training period is commonly called one drill. One drill period generally earns one-thirtieth of monthly basic pay for the member’s grade and creditable years of service. A typical two-day unit training assembly contains four periods, which is why a “drill weekend” is often estimated at four-thirtieths of monthly basic pay.
Calculate 2026 pay for one drill or a four-drill weekend →
Drill pay and active-duty orders use different timing
Inactive-duty training, annual training and longer active-duty orders are not interchangeable payroll events. The type and duration of duty determine the pay process, allowances and which calendar is the useful reference. A member moving between statuses can see separate transactions rather than one combined deposit.
Do not estimate the net payment from drills alone when the period also includes travel reimbursement, meals, lodging, special pay, debts or tax withholding. Some items settle through a travel claim or later pay cycle and will not necessarily appear with basic drill pay.
How to check a delayed or incorrect Reserve payment
- Confirm that attendance and the exact number of periods were certified by the unit.
- Check myPay for the applicable LES and review grade, years of service, periods and remarks.
- Separate a missing pay transaction from an unsettled travel voucher.
- Save the drill record, orders and LES before contacting the unit administrator or servicing finance office.
A missing optional early-bank deposit is not the same as a missed DFAS payment. Use the official payroll date and unit processing status before escalating to the receiving bank.
Reserve pay-date questions
Does every drill weekend pay on the next listed date?
No. The unit must certify the completed periods and submit the transaction in time for processing. A cutoff or correction can move payment to a later cycle.
Is a four-drill weekend four days of pay?
No. It normally means four inactive-duty training periods, often performed as two periods on each of two days. Each standard period generally pays one-thirtieth of monthly basic pay.
Where can I see the payment calculation?
Use the Reserve LES in myPay. It should identify the pay transaction and deductions; compare its grade and service information with the applicable 2026 drill-pay table.
Do Guard members always use the same process?
Federal and state duty statuses can be paid through different systems and authorities. Confirm the orders and pay channel with the unit when the duty was state-active rather than federal service.