ˈɑːfɪsɚz ɪn pˈeɪ ɡɹˈeɪdz ˈoʊ wˈʌn, ˈoʊ tˈuː, ænd ˈoʊ θɹˈiː wɪð mˈoːɹ ðɐn fˈoːɹ jˈɪɹz ʌv pɹˈaɪɚ kjˈuːmjʊlətˌɪv sˈɜːvɪs kɹˈɛdɪɾəbəl təwˈɔːɹd bˈoʊθ lˈɛŋθ ʌv sˈɜːvɪs ænd ɹᵻtˈaɪɚmənt ɪn ɐn ɛnlˈɪstᵻd ɔːɹ wˈɔːɹənt ˈɑːfɪsɚ ɡɹˈeɪd ɑːɹ pˈeɪd "... ðə spˈɛʃəl ɹˈeɪt ʌv bˈeɪsɪk pˈeɪ fɔːɹ pˈeɪ ɡɹˈeɪd ˈoʊ wˈʌn ˈiː, ˈoʊ tˈuː ˈiː, ɔːɹ ˈoʊ θɹˈiː ˈiː," ɹᵻspˈɛktɪvli.
Officers in pay grades O-1, O-2, and O-3 with more than four years of prior cumulative service (creditable toward both length of service and retirement) in an enlisted or warrant officer grade are paid "... the special rate of basic pay for pay grade O-1E, O-2E, or O-3E," respectively.