§329 Incentive bonus: retired members and reserve component members volunteering for high-demand, low-density assignments

Summary

The Secretary of Defense may pay a bonus to a retired or former member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps, or to a reserve member not on active duty, if that person signs a written agreement to return to active duty for a set time in a job meant to fill a high-demand, low-density capability or another specialty the Secretary calls critical. The bonus and any other incentive together cannot be more than $50,000. The Secretary can pay it all when the member starts service or in yearly payments. The bonus or incentive is extra on top of regular pay. The agreement must say the member cannot be promoted while in that assignment, and if the member does not finish the agreed service they must repay under section 303a(e). The Secretary can make other incentives under the same rules, but must send a report to the congressional defense committees at least 30 days before first offering a new incentive that describes it and explains why a bonus or regular pay is not enough. The Secretary may write rules to run the program. No new agreements may be made after December 31, 2010. Defined term: "high-demand, low-density military capability" — a combat, combat support, or service support area, unit, system, or job that the Secretary finds has much less funding, equipment, or people than needed to meet regional commanders' operational needs.