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

§324 Special Pay: Accession Bonus for New Officers in Critical Skills

Title 37 › Chapter 5— SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › Subchapter I— EXISTING SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORITIES › § 324

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary in charge of a military branch may pay a new officer an accession bonus if the person signs a written agreement to accept a commission or appointment and serve on active duty in a skill the Secretary has labeled "critical" for the time in the agreement. The Secretary picks critical skills when the force really needs more officers with that skill and when there is a current or expected shortage that must be fixed by bringing in people who already have the skill or will be trained. The bonus cannot be more than $60,000. Once the Secretary accepts the agreement, the total bonus is fixed and the agreement will say if it is paid all at once or in parts. A person cannot get this bonus and the bonuses under sections 302d, 302h, 302j, or 312b for the same service time. If someone gets any of the bonus and then is not commissioned or does not start or finish the agreed service, they must repay under section 303a(e). No new agreements under this rule could be made after December 31, 2018.

Full Legal Text

Title 37, §324

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

(a)Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a person who executes a written agreement to accept a commission or an appointment as an officer of the armed forces and serve on active duty in a designated critical officer skill for the period specified in the agreement 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 Secretary concerned shall designate the critical officer skills for the purposes of this section. A skill may be designated as a critical officer skill for an armed force under this subsection if—
(1)in order to meet requirements of the armed force, it is critical for the armed force to have a sufficient number of officers who are qualified in that skill; and
(2)in order to mitigate a current or projected significant shortage of personnel in the armed force who are qualified in that skill, it is critical to access into that armed force in sufficient numbers persons who are qualified in that skill or are to be trained in that skill.
(c)The amount of an accession bonus under subsection (a) may not exceed $60,000.
(d)Upon acceptance of a written agreement under subsection (a) by the Secretary concerned, the total amount of the accession bonus payable under the agreement becomes fixed. The agreement shall specify whether the accession bonus will be paid by the Secretary in a lump sum or installments.
(e)An individual may not receive an accession bonus under this section and section 302d, 302h, 302j, or 312b of this title for the same period of service.
(f)An individual who, having received all or part of the bonus under an agreement referred to in subsection (a), is not thereafter commissioned as an officer or does not commence or complete the total period of active duty service specified in the agreement shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.
(g)No agreement under this section may be entered into after December 31, 2018.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2017—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “
December 31, 2018” for “
December 31, 2017”. 2016—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “
December 31, 2017” for “
December 31, 2016”. 2015—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–92 substituted “
December 31, 2016” for “
December 31, 2015”. 2014—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “
December 31, 2015” for “
December 31, 2014”. 2013—Subsec. (g). 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. (g). 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. (g). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “
December 31, 2010” for “
December 31, 2009”. 2008—Subsec. (g). 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. (f). Pub. L. 109–163, § 687(b)(32), amended heading and text of subsec. (f) generally, substituting provisions referring to repayment provisions of section 303a(e) for specific provisions relating to repayment required when individual receives accession bonus payment but fails to accept commission or appointment as officer or to commence or complete agreed upon period of active duty. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “
December 31, 2007” for “
December 31, 2006”. Pub. L. 109–163, § 624(f), substituted “
December 31, 2006” for “
December 31, 2005”. 2004—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 108–375 substituted “
December 31, 2005” for “
December 31, 2004”. 2003—Subsecs. (a), (f)(1). Pub. L. 108–136, § 623, inserted “or an appointment” after “commission”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 108–136, § 614(e), substituted “
December 31, 2004” for “
December 31, 2003”. 2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–314, § 1062(c)(2), struck out par. (1) designation before “The Secretary”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 107–314, § 614(e), substituted “
December 31, 2003” for “
December 31, 2002”.

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. § 324

Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60