§ 308b. Special pay: reenlistment bonus for members of the Selected Reserve

Type Statute

Publication 2024-04-08

State In force

Department United States Congress

Source OLRC

§ 308b. Special pay: reenlistment bonus for members of the Selected Reserve

(a) Authority and Eligibility Requirements.— The Secretary concerned may pay a bonus under subsection (b) to an enlisted member of a reserve component who—

(1) has completed not more than 20 years of total military service; and

(2) reenlists or voluntarily extends an enlistment for a period of at least three years in a designated military skill, or in a designated unit, as determined by the Secretary concerned, in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of an armed force.

(b) Bonus Amounts; Payment.—

(1) The amount of a bonus under this section may not exceed $15,000.

(2) Bonus payments authorized under this section may be paid in either a lump sum or in installments. If the bonus is paid in installments, the initial payment shall be not less than 50 percent of the total bonus amount. The Secretary concerned shall prescribe the amount of each subsequent installment payment and the schedule for making the installment payments.

(3) Any portion of a term of reenlistment or extension of enlistment of a member that, when added to the total years of service of the member at the time of discharge or release, exceeds 24 years may not be used in computing the total bonus amount under paragraph (1).

(c) Waiver of Condition on Eligibility.— In the case of a reenlistment or voluntary extension of enlistment by a member of the armed forces that is entered into as described in subsection (a) while the member is serving on active duty in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Secretary concerned may waive so much of subsection (a)(2) as requires that the skill or unit in which the member reenlists or extends an enlistment be a designated skill or designated unit determined by the Secretary concerned.

(d) Payment to Mobilized Members.— A member entitled to a bonus under this section who is called or ordered to active duty shall be paid, during that period of active duty, any amount of the bonus that becomes payable to the member during that period of active duty.

(e) Repayment.— A member who does not complete the term of enlistment in the element of the Selected Reserve for which the bonus was paid to the member under this section shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.

(f) Regulations.— This section shall be administered under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for the armed forces under his jurisdiction and by the Secretary of Homeland Security for the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.

(g) Termination of Authority.— No bonus may be paid under this section to any enlisted member who, after December 31, 2018, reenlists or voluntarily extends his enlistment in a reserve component.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “December 31, 2018” for “December 31, 2017”.

2016—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “December 31, 2017” for “December 31, 2016”.

2015—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–92 substituted “December 31, 2016” for “December 31, 2015”.

2014—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “December 31, 2015” for “December 31, 2014”.

2013—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 113–66 substituted “December 31, 2014” for “December 31, 2013”.

Pub. L. 112–239 substituted “December 31, 2013” for “December 31, 2012”.

2011—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 112–81 substituted “December 31, 2012” for “December 31, 2011”.

Pub. L. 111–383 substituted “December 31, 2011” for “December 31, 2010”.

2009—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “December 31, 2010” for “December 31, 2009”.

2008—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 110–181, § 619(a), substituted “an enlistment for a period of at least three years” for “his enlistment for a period of three years or for a period of six years”.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 110–181, § 619(b), substituted “may not exceed $15,000.” for “may not exceed—

“(A) $15,000, in the case of a member who reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of six years;

“(B) $7,500, in the case of a member who, having never received a bonus under this section, reenlists or extends an enlistment for a period of three years; and

“(C) $6,000, in the case of a member who, having received a bonus under this section for a previous three-year reenlistment or extension of an enlistment, reenlists or extends the enlistment for an additional period of three years.”

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 110–181, § 619(c), substituted “Waiver of Condition on Eligibility” for “Condition on Eligibility” in heading, struck out par. (2) designation before “In the case” and “paragraph (1)(B) or” after “may waive so much of”, and struck out par. (1) which read as follows:

“(1) To be eligible for a second bonus under this section in the amount specified in subsection (b)(1)(C), a member must—

“(A) enter into the subsequent reenlistment or extension of an enlistment for a period of three years not later than the date on which the enlistment or extension for which the first bonus was paid would expire; and

“(B) still satisfy the designated skill or unit requirements required under subsection (a)(2).”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 110–417 substituted “December 31, 2009” for “December 31, 2008”.

Pub. L. 110–181, § 611(a), substituted “December 31, 2008” for “December 31, 2007”.

2006—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–163, § 630(a), substituted “20 years of total military service” for “16 years of total military service”.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 109–163, § 630(b), added par. (3).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–163, § 687(b)(15), as amended by Pub. L. 109–364, § 1071(e)(7), amended heading and text of subsec. (e) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “A member who receives a bonus under this section and who fails, during the period for which the bonus was paid, to serve satisfactorily in the element of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve with respect to which the bonus was paid shall refund to the United States an amount that bears the same ratio to the amount of the bonus paid to the member as the period that the member failed to serve satisfactorily bears to the total period for which the bonus was paid.”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–364, § 611(a), substituted “December 31, 2007” for “December 31, 2006”.

Pub. L. 109–163, § 621(a), substituted “December 31, 2006” for “December 31, 2005”.

2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(1)(D), struck out concluding provisions which read as follows: “may be paid a bonus as provided in subsection (b).”

Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(1)(A), in introductory provisions, substituted “The Secretary concerned may pay a bonus under subsection (b) to an enlisted member” for “An enlisted member”.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(1)(B), substituted “not more than 16 years” for “less than 14 years”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(1)(C), substituted period for semicolon at end.

Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(2)(A), substituted “$15,000” for “$5,000”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(2)(B), substituted “$7,500” for “$2,500”.

Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(2)(C), substituted “$6,000” for “$2,000”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(3), amended par. (2) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (2) read as follows: “Any bonus payable under this section shall be disbursed in one initial payment of an amount not to exceed one-half of the total amount of the bonus and subsequent periodic partial payments of the balance of the bonus. The Secretary concerned shall prescribe the amount of each partial payment and the schedule for making the partial payments.”

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(4)(A), struck out “; Limitation on Number of Bonuses” after “Eligibility” in heading.

Subsec. (c)(2), (3). Pub. L. 108–375, § 618(b)(4)(B), redesignated par. (3) as (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “A member may not be paid more than one six-year bonus or two three-year bonuses under this section.”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 108–375, § 611(a), substituted “December 31, 2005” for “December 31, 2004”.

2003—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 108–136, § 626(b), added par. (3).

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 108–136, § 617, added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e). Former subsec. (e) redesignated (f).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 108–136, § 617(1), redesignated subsec. (e) as (f). Former subsec. (f) redesignated (g).

Pub. L. 108–136, § 611(a), substituted “December 31, 2004” for “December 31, 2003”.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 108–136, § 617(1), redesignated subsec. (f) as (g).

2002—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–296 substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–314 substituted “December 31, 2003” for “December 31, 2002”.

2001—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 107–107 substituted “December 31, 2002” for “December 31, 2001”.

2000—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–398 substituted “December 31, 2001” for “December 31, 2000”.

1999—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–65 substituted “December 31, 2000” for “December 31, 1999”.

1998—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 105–261 substituted “December 31, 1999” for “September 30, 1999”.

1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–85, § 621(e)(1), inserted heading.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105–85, § 621(a), substituted “14 years” for “ten years”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–85, § 621(b), amended subsec. (b) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (b) read as follows: “The bonus to be paid under subsection (a) shall be—

“(1) an initial payment of—

“(A) an amount not to exceed $1,250, in the case of a member who reenlists or voluntarily extends his enlistment for a period of three years; or

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