Pentagon eyes cuts in danger pay

WASHINGTON — The Associated Press has learned that the Pentagon is eyeing plans to eliminate danger pay for service members in up to 18 countries and five waterways around the world. That would save about $120 million each year while taking a bite out of troops’ salaries.

The proposed list of countries to be removed from the imminent danger category comes after a security review by senior military leaders, who determined locations that no longer required the designation. They exclude countries where active U.S. combat fighting is going on. But thousands of troops in the Middle East and Persian Gulf would be affected

Defense officials say the stipend — which can be up to $225 per month — would be stripped from as many as 56,000 troops. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss plans on the record.