{"data":{"id":"us/38-cfr-17.609","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"38 CFR 17.609","heading":"Pay during period of obligated service.","body":"The initial appointment of physicians for obligated service will be made in a grade commensurate with qualifications as determined in 38 U.S.C. 7404(b) A physician serving a period of obligated service is not eligible for incentive special pay during the first three years of such obligated service. A physician may be paid primary special pay at the discretion of the Secretary upon the recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health.","path":["Title 38—Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief","CHAPTER I—DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS","PART 17—MEDICAL"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-38.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:25:50Z","sha256":"2366a036b2494bfb6e8d7a8988bb5aad94351953eea3e41a640c4e07395066d2","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/38-cfr-17.608","next":"us/38-cfr-17.610"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}