§301e Multiyear retention bonus: dental officers of the armed forces

Summary

Dental officers can get a multiyear retention bonus if they sign a written agreement to stay on active duty for 2, 3, or 4 years after finishing any other active-duty service obligation and the Secretary of their military department accepts the agreement. The bonus can be up to $50,000 per year for a four-year agreement. The maximum yearly amount for two- and three-year agreements is smaller to match the shorter commitment. To be eligible, an officer must be in the Army or Navy Dental Corps or be an Air Force dental officer, be below pay grade O–7, have an oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty, have at least eight years of creditable service (computed under section 302b(g) of title 37) or have completed any active-duty obligation for dental education, and have finished initial residency training (or will finish it before September 30 of the fiscal year when they sign). The Secretary may also offer the bonus to officers who do not have that specialty if they meet the other rules. The Secretaries must follow rules set by the Secretary of Defense. If an officer does not complete the agreed service, they must repay the bonus under section 303a(e) of title 37.