O-9 (Lieutenant General) Pay with 20 Years of Service — 2026
An O-9 (Lieutenant General) with 20 years of service earns $18,999.90 per month in base pay in 2026, which is $227,998.80 per year. Base pay is the taxable portion of military compensation and does not include housing or food allowances.
When you add the national average BAH of $NaN/mo (with dependents) and BAS of $328.48/mo, total monthly compensation comes to approximately $NaN. BAH and BAS are tax-free, making the effective compensation even higher than it appears.
Monthly Compensation Breakdown
| Component | With Dependents | Without Dependents |
|---|---|---|
| Base Pay | $18,999.90 | $18,999.90 |
| BAH (national avg) | $NaN | $NaN |
| BAS | $328.48 | $328.48 |
| Total | $NaN | $NaN |
BAH varies by location. Use the BAH Calculator for your exact rate.
O-9 Pay Progression by Years of Service
See how O-9 base pay changes as you gain more time in service:
| Years of Service | Monthly Base Pay | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years ← you | $18,999.90 | $227,998.80 |
How O-9 Compares to Other Ranks at 20 Years
More O-9 Pay Information
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an O-9 make with 20 years of service?
An O-9 (Lieutenant General) with 20 years of service earns $18,999.90/month in base pay ($227,998.80/year). With BAH and BAS, total compensation averages $NaN/month with dependents.
What is O-9 base pay at 20 years?
2026 O-9 base pay at 20 years of service is $18,999.90/month. This is the taxable portion of military pay.
Is military pay taxable?
Base pay is subject to federal income tax. BAH and BAS are tax-free. For an O-9, this means $NaN/month in allowances is untaxed, significantly reducing your effective tax rate.
O-9 at 20 years, in context
This exact cell of the pay table — O-9 over 20 years — pays $192 more per month than it did in 2025 (1% increase, $2,300 a year).
O-9 base pay is capped at this point — there are no further longevity raises on this row. Additional base-pay growth at this rank only comes from promotion.