§308j Special Pay: Affiliation Bonus for Officers in the Selected Reserve

Summary

The Secretary can pay two kinds of bonuses for people joining or rejoining the Selected Reserve. An affiliation bonus is for officers who agree to serve in the Selected Reserve to fill a critical officer skill or to fix a manpower shortage in a unit or pay grade. An accession bonus is for someone who accepts an officer appointment and agrees to serve in the Selected Reserve in a skill the Secretary has picked because the force needs more people in that skill. Eligible officers must be on active duty longer than 30 days or be reserve members not on active duty (and, if they used to be on active duty, must have left under honorable conditions). They must not be getting retired or retainer pay. The service agreement must be at least three years. The Secretary sets which skills qualify. A bonus can be up to $20,000. The affiliation bonus becomes payable when the person is assigned to the Selected Reserve unit. The accession bonus becomes payable when the Secretary accepts the agreement. The total amount is fixed when the agreement is accepted and can be paid all at once or in parts. If called to active duty, any payments due while on active duty must be paid. A person cannot get one of these bonuses and certain other military financial help at the same time for the same service (see chapters 1608, 1609, 1611 of title 10 and section 302g). If someone takes the bonus but does not take the commission, does not start, or does not finish the agreed service satisfactorily, they must repay under section 303a(e).