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Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed ServicesRelease 119-73not60

§302j Special Pay: Accession Bonus for Pharmacy Officers

Title 37 › Chapter 5— SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › Subchapter I— EXISTING SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORITIES › § 302j

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Pays a signing bonus of up to $30,000 to graduates of accredited pharmacy schools who, between October 30, 2000 and December 31, 2018, sign a written agreement to accept an officer’s commission in a uniformed service and serve on active duty for at least 4 years. The bonus is paid when the Secretary of that service accepts the agreement. A person cannot get the bonus if they received Department of Defense or HHS financial help for pharmacy school, or if the Secretary finds they are not qualified to become and remain a licensed pharmacist. The agreement must assign the person to serve as a pharmacy officer for the Army or Navy Medical Service Corps, as an Air Force biomedical sciences officer designated a pharmacy officer, or as a Public Health Service pharmacy officer. If the person is not commissioned, does not keep pharmacist certification or license, or does not finish the agreed active-duty time, they must repay the bonus under section 303a(e).

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §302j

Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A person who is a graduate of an accredited pharmacy school and who, during the period beginning on October 30, 2000, and ending on December 31, 2018, executes a written agreement described in subsection (d) to accept a commission as an officer of a uniformed service and remain on active duty for a period of not less than 4 years may, upon acceptance of the agreement by the Secretary concerned, be paid an accession bonus in an amount determined by the Secretary concerned.
(b)The amount of an accession bonus under subsection (a) may not exceed $30,000.
(c)A person may not be paid a bonus under subsection (a) if—
(1)the person, in exchange for an agreement to accept an appointment as a warrant or commissioned officer, received financial assistance from the Department of Defense or the Department of Health and Human Services to pursue a course of study in pharmacy; or
(2)the Secretary concerned determines that the person is not qualified to become and remain licensed as a pharmacist.
(d)The agreement referred to in subsection (a) shall provide that, consistent with the needs of the uniformed service concerned, the person executing the agreement shall be assigned to duty, for the period of obligated service covered by the agreement, as a pharmacy officer in the Medical Service Corps of the Army or Navy, a biomedical sciences officer in the Air Force designated as a pharmacy officer, or a pharmacy officer of the Public Health Service.
(e)A person who, after signing an agreement under subsection (a), is not commissioned as an officer of the armed forces, does not become and remain certified or licensed as a pharmacist, or does not complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “
December 31, 2018” for “
December 31, 2017”. 2016—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “
December 31, 2017” for “
December 31, 2016”. 2015—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–92 substituted “
December 31, 2016” for “
December 31, 2015”. 2014—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “
December 31, 2015” for “
December 31, 2014”. 2013—Subsec. (a). 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. (a). 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. (a). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “
December 31, 2010” for “
December 31, 2009”. 2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–417 substituted “
December 31, 2009” for “
December 31, 2008”. Pub. L. 110–181 substituted “
December 31, 2008” for “
December 31, 2007”. 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “
December 31, 2007” for “
December 31, 2006”. Pub. L. 109–163, § 622(g), substituted “
December 31, 2006” for “
December 31, 2005”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 109–163, § 687(b)(12), amended heading and text of subsec. (e) generally, substituting provisions referring to repayment provisions of section 303a(e) for specific provisions relating to refunds required when officer fails to become and remain licensed as pharmacist or fails to complete total period of active duty. 2004—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 108–375 substituted “
October 30, 2000, and ending on
December 31, 2005” for “the date of the enactment of the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 and ending on
September 30, 2004”. 2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–314 substituted “subsection (d)” for “subsection (c)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 110–181 effective as of Dec. 31, 2007, and subject to various special provisions, see section 610 of Pub. L. 110–181, set out as a Correction of Lapsed Authorities for Payment of Bonuses, Special Pays, and Similar Benefits for Members of the Uniformed Services note under section 2130a of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Savings Provision

For

Savings Provision

relating to payment or repayment of any bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar pay obligated to be paid before Apr. 1, 2006, under a provision of this section amended by section 687(b) of Pub. L. 109–163, see section 687(f) of Pub. L. 109–163, set out as a note under section 510 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

37 U.S.C. § 302j

Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60