§308j Special pay: affiliation bonus for officers in the Selected Reserve

Summary

Pays up to $20,000 to people who agree to serve in the Selected Reserve so the military can fill critical officer jobs or fix a manpower shortage. The payment can be an "affiliation" bonus for officers who move into the Selected Reserve or an "accession" bonus for someone who accepts an officer appointment and agrees to serve in a designated skill. To get a bonus, a person must be either on active duty for more than 30 days or a reserve member not on active duty (if they used to be on active duty they must have left under honorable conditions), and they must not be entitled to retired or retainer pay. The Secretary decides which skills are eligible and when a shortage exists. An affiliation bonus is earned when the member is assigned to the Selected Reserve; an accession bonus is earned when the Secretary accepts the agreement. Once the Secretary accepts a written agreement, the bonus amount is fixed and the agreement will say if it is paid all at once or in installments. The service agreement must be at least three years. If the member is called to active duty, any bonus payments that become due while on active duty must be paid. A person cannot get this bonus and financial help under chapters 1608, 1609, or 1611 of title 10, or under section 302g of this title, for the same period of service. If someone takes the bonus but does not accept the appointment or does not serve satisfactorily for the full agreed period, they must repay the bonus under the repayment rules in section 303a(e) of this title.