New Bonuses

[Team Sergeant]

MILPER MESSAGE NUMBER : 08-039
AHRC-EPF
CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS (CSRB) PROGRAM
...Issued: [02/08/2008]...



A. MILPER MSG 05-114, ISSUED 9 MAY 05, CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS (CSRB) PROGRAM, IS RESCINDED ON THE EFFECTIVE ISSUE DATE OF THIS MESSAGE.

B. AR 601-280

C. AR 635-200

1. THIS MILPER MESSAGE IS EFFECTIVE 1 FEBRUARY 2008 AND EXPIRES NLT 1 JANUARY 2009.

2. THIS MESSAGE, WHICH DESIGNATES CRITICAL SKILLS AND ESTABLISHES ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR THE CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS (CSRB) PROGRAM, WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF ALL COMMANDERS, REENLISTMENT OFFICES, RECRUITERS, AND FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING OFFICES TO ENSURE THAT ALL AGENCIES ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE TO AVOID FUTURE CLAIMS OF ERRONEOUS OR UNFULFILLED COMMITMENTS.

3. REGULAR ARMY ENLISTED SOLDIERS WHO ARE QUALIFIED IN A MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SKILL (MOS), SERVING IN THE APPROPRIATE GRADE, AND POSSESSING THE APPLICABLE TOTAL YEARS OF ACTIVE FEDERAL SERVICE (TAFS) LISTED IN THE TABLE BELOW MAY QUALIFY FOR THE CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS.

MOS/TITLE
GRADE
TAFS
24 MONTHS
36 MONTHS
48 MONTHS
60 MONTHS
72 MONTHS

MOS w/SQI "T"
E-7 thru E-9
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

18B SF WEAPONS SGT
E-7
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

18C SF ENGINEER SGT
E-7
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

18D SF MEDICAL SGT
E-7
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

18E SF COMMO SGT
E-7
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

18F SF ASST OP/INTEL SGT
E-7
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

18Z SF SENIOR SGT
E-8 thru E-9
19-23
$18,000
$30,000
$50,000
$75,000
$150,000

21P PRIME POWER PROD SP
E-7
19-21
None
None
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000

25S SATCOM SYSTEMS OPERATOR-MAINTAINER
E-7
19-23
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000

35F INTELLIGENCE ANALYST
E-7
E-8
19-21
None
None
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000

35M HUMINT COLLECTORS
E-6
06-13
None
None
None
None
$50,000


E-7
E-8
14-21
None
None
$50,000
$75,000
$100,000

35P CRYPTOLOGIC LINGUIST (AD)
E-6
10-12
None
None
$50,000
$75,000
$100,000


E-7
19-21
None
None
$50,000
$75,000
$100,000

37F PSYOP SP
E-8
19-23
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000

38B CIVIL AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
E-7
17-21
None
None
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000


E-8
19-23
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000

79R RECRUITER
E-7
19-23
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000

88M MOTOR TRANSPORT OP
E-7
19-23
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000

89D EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) SP
E-6
06-14
$25,000
$40,000
$55,000
$70,000
$100,000


E-7
17-21
None
None
$55,000
$70,000
$100,000


E-8
19-23
$10,000
$16,000
$24,000
$32,000
$42,000


E-9
19-23
$8,000
$16,000
$20,000
$30,000
$42,000


4. ELIGIBILITY: SOLDIERS WHO MEET THE PREREQUISITES OF PARAGRAPH 3 AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FOLLOWING SUBPARAGRAPHS MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A LUMP SUM BONUS PAYMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABOVE TABLE.

A. SOLDIERS MUST MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR REENLISTMENT IAW AR 601-280 WITHOUT REGARD TO THEIR RETENTION CONTROL POINT (RCP).

B. SOLDIERS MUST NOT HAVE MORE THAN 23 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE AS OF THE APPROVAL DATE OF THEIR CSRB REQUEST. A CSRB WILL NOT BE PAID FOR ANY ACTIVE FEDERAL SERVICE BEYOND 25 YEARS. ANY ADDITIONAL OBLIGATED SERVICE IN EXCESS OF 25 YEARS OF TOTAL ACTIVE SERVICE MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BONUS COMPUTATION.

C. SOLDIERS, OTHER THAN THOSE SERVING PURSUANT TO AN INDEFINITE REENLISTMENT, MUST REENLIST FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS AND MEET THE ADDITIONAL OBLIGATED SERVICE (AOS) BASED ON THE TABLE ABOVE. SOLDIERS MAY COMBINE A REENLISTMENT AND EXTENSION OF ENLISTMENT TO SATISFY THIS REQUIREMENT. SOLDIERS MUST ENSURE THEIR NEW ETS EXCEEDS THEIR CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY PERIOD BY AT LEAST TWO YEARS.

D. SOLDIERS SERVING PURSUANT TO AN INDEFINITE REENLISTMENT WILL EXECUTE A WRITTEN AGREEMENT TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR THE YEARS OF OBLIGATED SERVICE AS OUTLINED IN THE TABLE ABOVE. THE MINIMUM LENGTH OF A WRITTEN AGREEMENT IS TWO YEARS.

5. APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

A. SOLDIERS MEETING THE CRITERIA IN PARAGRAPH 4 MAY CONTACT THEIR SERVICING CAREER COUNSELOR AND COMPLETE A CSRB REQUEST, WHICH WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE SOLDIERS FIRST COMMANDER IN THE RANK OF LTC OR ABOVE FOR ENDORSEMENT. ANY COMMANDER IN THE RANK OF LTC OR HIGHER MAY DISAPPROVE AN APPLICATION THAT DOES NOT MERIT APPROVAL WITHOUT FURTHER PROCESSING. DISAPPROVED REQUESTS WILL NOT BE FORWARDED TO HRC.

B. APPLICATIONS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL WILL BE FORWARDED TO: HRC, ATTN: AHRC-EPF, 2461 EISENHOWER AVENUE, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22331, OR FAX TO DSN: 221-9543 OR COMMERCIAL: 703-325-9543. ONCE RECEIVED, APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED THROUGH HRC FOR APPROVAL DETERMINATION. THE SOLDIER’S RECORD MUST EXHIBIT CONTINUED EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE, AS DETERMINED BY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND MOS BRANCH IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ENTITLEMENT OF THE CSRB.

C. ONCE APPROVED BY HRC, SOLDIERS SERVING PURSUANT TO AN INDEFINITE REENLISTMENT WILL HAVE THEIR ETS DATE CHANGED AS APPROPRIATE. THOSE SOLDIERS NOT SERVING PURSUANT TO AN INDEFINITE REENLISTMENT MUST MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF PARAGRAPH 4C PRIOR TO CSRB ENTITLEMENT.

6. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

A. CAREER COUNSELORS AND SOLDIERS CAN OBTAIN THE CSRB REQUEST MEMORANDUM FROM https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/protect/active/epret/graphics/csrb_expanded_memo_online.doc. SOLDIERS MUST SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION NO EARLIER THAN 90 AND NOT LATER THAN 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THEIR TARGETED TAFS TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR PROCESSING.

B. THE APPROVAL FROM HRC (AHRC-EPF) AND REENLISTMENT CONTRACT (IF APPLICABLE) ARE THE DOCUMENTS OBLIGATING THE SOLDIER TO THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT AND WILL BE USED BY DFAS AS THE AUTHORITY TO DISPERSE PAYMENT OF THE BONUS.

C. SOLDIERS CURRENTLY SERVING ON A CSRB COMMITMENT WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO COMPLETE ADDITIONAL YEARS OF AGREEMENT PRIOR TO THEIR 25TH YEAR OF SERVICE, MAY SUBMIT A NEW CSRB REQUEST AS ADDRESSED IN PARAGRAPH 5.

D. COMMAND SERGEANTS MAJOR WHO POSSESS A SECONDARY MOS OF 18Z OR 89D MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CSRB IAW THIS MESSAGE.

E. APPROVAL OF THE CSRB TERM IS AUTHORITY TO RETAIN SOLDIERS BEYOND THEIR RCP IF APPLICABLE.

F. SOLDIERS MAY NOT RECEIVE MORE THAN $200,000 IN TOTAL BONUS PAYMENTS UNDER THE CSRB AND SELECTIVE REENLISTMENT BONUS (SRB) PROGRAMS DURING A CAREER. SOLDIERS MAY NOT RECEIVE A CSRB AND SRB FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME.

G. A SOLDIERS ELIGIBILITY TO REENLIST OR REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY DOES NOT IN ITSELF ENTITLE THEM TO A CSRB. SOLDIERS MUST MEET THE CRITERIA SET FORTH IN THIS MESSAGE AND OBTAIN APPROVAL FROM HRC TO RECEIVE A CSRB.

7. SOLDIERS WITH QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO BONUSES AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ADDRESSED IN THIS MESSAGE SHOULD CONTACT THEIR SERVICING CAREER COUNSELORS. CAREER COUNSELORS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MESSAGE WILL CONTACT THEIR APPROPRIATE MACOM RETENTION OFFICE FOR CLARIFICATION.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Pete]

Oh, Well

This is written in typical Army Speak.

Does this just recend the old message dated 9 May 2005 or all of it?

[Snaquebite]

Seems to be rescinding the old message; requirements and amounts , and establishing new ones. Or am I reading it wrong?

[The Reaper]

Seems to be rescinding the old message; requirements and amounts , and establishing new ones. Or am I reading it wrong?

No, you are correct.

It rescinds the previous MILPER message and institutes the new one with the new respective dates and rates.

TR

[Team Sergeant]

No, you are correct.

It rescinds the previous MILPER message and institutes the new one with the new respective dates and rates.

TR

I fixed the header.... ;)

[The Reaper]

$150,000 for E-7 through E-9 with 19-23 years of service opting to stay in for six more years (= six more six month deployments, unless you are out of the Groups) is not a bad chunk of money, but it clearly indicates the difficulty of retaining senior SF NCOs.

TR

[Dragbag036]

The old message was being continued month to month basis as of Dec 07 because it was out dated and the President had not signed the new bill yet. Now that the bill has been signed they could do the continuation of the CSRB at least for the next year, instead of month to month.

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

You know, maybe I am naive or way out in left field somewhere, but when did money start to be a motivator? When we have to start throwing bucks around to attract folks then we either have a problem with getting the right cut of cloth we need or we had better look to fixing what appears to be a systemic leadership problem of not commiting the force for the right missions with the right support , utilizing the correct skill sets for which they are trained with a shared vision to resolve a long term set of nationally supported strategic goals around which everyone can wrap their arms and know that what they are doing fits the right game plan. Just an observation.

[The Reaper]

Sir:

We never had to compete with contractors offering hundreds of thousands per year in the old days. There was no "big money" once you left.

Also note that those are all senior NCOs who are retirement eligible, or who will be in less than a year. Might be nice to be able to pay the house off before checking out.

Finally, I suspect that if Mama is going to have to fend for herself for six to 15 months at the time for the next six years, she would prefer to do it in style.

Just my .02, WTF do I know?

TR

[Jack Moroney (RIP)]

Just my .02, WTF do I know?TR

A lot. My point is that if this is such an important issue then screw the bonuses, make this an increase in pay for those years that count towards what they can take into retirement. Once they shed their beret they also shed the bonus money. I have seen stuff like this before and what happens is that for those years folks change and actually take on a life style that they cannot support when they do retire. Why not give them the opportunity to start something that they can actually build on rather than a gimme up front? This should not be a "motivator" as such but a recognition of service well done and worth keeping beyond the normal retirement gate at a price for those who need their continued service because the force is stretched beyond its ability to meet requirements. Let supply and demand work for the best damn soliders in the world-damn, that is all the contractors are doing.

[Ret10Echo]

Sir:

We never had to compete with contractors offering hundreds of thousands per year in the old days. There was no "big money" once you left.

Also note that those are all senior NCOs who are retirement eligible, or who will be in less than a year. Might be nice to be able to pay the house off before checking out.

Finally, I suspect that if Mama is going to have to fend for herself for six to 15 months at the time for the next six years, she would prefer to do it in style.

Just my .02, WTF do I know?

TR


If you are targeting senior guys why not put it on the "other" side.

Special Forces Retirement Pay....take that money instead of throwing it up front give the guys that wreck their bodys for 20 - 30 + years some (a lot) extra in their retirement check.

Incremental increases in SFRP as time-in-service increases.

Most guys want to continue what they are doing, this is a way to keep them in place because you will actually take care of them when they do choose to retire.

Why should your retirement pay be the same as an admin that finished his MBA while you were sitting in hole on a mountainside peeing in a ziploc bag.

Based on where you retire you could be someplace where that is tax exempt.

[Peregrino]

Guys - The critical part of the message is:

B. SOLDIERS MUST NOT HAVE MORE THAN 23 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE AS OF THE APPROVAL DATE OF THEIR CSRB REQUEST. A CSRB WILL NOT BE PAID FOR ANY ACTIVE FEDERAL SERVICE BEYOND 25 YEARS. ANY ADDITIONAL OBLIGATED SERVICE IN EXCESS OF 25 YEARS OF TOTAL ACTIVE SERVICE MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BONUS COMPUTATION.

If you want the full amount, you'll have to make the decision at 19 and go for the full six years. Otherwise the available benefit DECREASES! Under the previous system guys have been going year by year; now that will result in less money. USASFC(A) Retention is going to be trying to contact all the affected personnel ASAP to give them a heads up/help them maximise the benefit. (Sat in a brief to the CG yesterday where this was presented by the Retention SGM.)

AD guys - If you know somebody that's potentially affected tell them to contact their retention NCO ASAP.

[Jgood]

Heard a rumor that the years of service required for 18 series was lowered and body else heard this or know if this is true..