To ensure fairness and recognize the contributions of members of the armed forces to military essential missions, the Secretary of the military department concerned may authorize members who are involuntarily retained on active duty under section 123 or 12305 of title 10 or any other provision of law and who, immediately before retention on active duty, were entitled or eligible for special pay or incentive pay under chapter 5 of this title, to receive that special pay or incentive pay for qualifying service performed during the retention period, without a reduction in the payment rate below the rate the members received immediately before retention on active duty, notwithstanding any requirement otherwise applicable to that special pay or incentive pay that would reduce the payment rate by reason of the years of service of the members.

Subsection (a) does not apply with respect to a special pay or incentive pay under chapter 5 of this title, whenever the authority to provide that special pay or incentive pay is suspended by the President or the Secretary of Defense during a time of war.

In this section, the term “qualifying service” means service for which a particular special pay or incentive pay is payable under the authority of a provision of chapter 5 of this title.