§331 General Bonus Authority for Enlisted Members

Summary

The Secretary in charge may pay a cash bonus to people who join, join or affiliate with the reserves, reenlist or extend their service for certain jobs or conditions, or move between regular and reserve forces or to or from the Space Force. To get a bonus, the person must sign a written agreement that says the bonus amount, how it will be paid, how long they must serve, and what service conditions apply. The law limits how big the bonuses can be. For new enlistments or reserve affiliation the cap is $75,000 for at least two years of service. For reenlistments or similar agreements the cap is $50,000 for each year in a regular component or in the Space Force on sustained duty under section 20105 of title 10, and $15,000 for each year in a reserve component or in the Space Force in active status not on sustained duty under that same section. Transfers between components, or into/out of the Space Force, are capped at $10,000. Payments may be one lump sum or paid over time, and the total is fixed when the Secretary accepts the agreement. The bonus is extra pay, is not a bounty under section 514(a) of title 10, and must be repaid under section 373 if the person fails to meet the agreement. No new agreements can be made after December 31, 2026.