Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed ServicesRelease 119-83
§335 Special Bonus and Incentive Pay Authorities for Officers in Health Professions
Title 37 › Chapter 5— SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS › Subchapter II— CONSOLIDATION OF SPECIAL PAY, INCENTIVE PAY, AND BONUS AUTHORITIES › § 335
Summary
A military or uniformed service secretary can pay signing bonuses and extra monthly or one-time incentive pay to certain health professionals who agree to serve. Bonuses can go to graduates of accredited health schools who take a commission or join a reserve and agree to serve, to officers whose specialty is declared a critically short wartime specialty, or to officers who agree to stay on active duty or in an active reserve status. Extra incentive pay can go to officers who get basic pay and are serving in a designated health specialty. Special pay is also available for officers who are board certified in a designated specialty and are on active duty or in an active reserve status. The Secretary sets the pay amounts within these limits: signing bonuses up to $100,000, $200,000, or $150,000 per each 12-month period depending on which bonus category applies; incentive pay up to $200,000 per 12 months for medical and dental officers and up to $50,000 per 12 months for other health officers; and board-certification pay up to $15,000 per 12 months. Bonuses can be paid all at once or in parts. Board-certification pay can be monthly, a lump sum at the start, or paid in parts. A written agreement is required for bonuses and must say the dollar amount, how it will be paid, the length of required service, whether service is active duty or reserve, and the type or conditions of service. Reserve officers not on full continuous active duty may get a monthly amount that matches the part of basic pay they receive. These payments are extra pay beyond regular pay, but a person cannot get the same payment twice for the same time or skill under other listed statutes (see sections 332, 353, and 353(b)). If someone who takes a bonus or incentive fails to meet the rules or the agreed service time, they must repay under the law. The law defines “health profession” to include medical officers, dental officers, medical service or biomedical officers, medical specialists, nurses, veterinarians, physician assistants, and officers of the Public Health Service. No new bonus agreements may be made after December 31, 2026.
Full Legal Text
Title 37, §335
Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)The Secretary concerned may pay a health professions bonus under this section to a person, including an officer in the uniformed services, who is a graduate of an accredited school in a health profession and who—
(1)accepts a commission or appointment as an officer in a regular or reserve component of a uniformed service, or affiliates with a reserve component of a uniformed service, and agrees to serve on active duty in a regular component or in an active status in a reserve component in a health profession;
(2)accepts a commission or appointment as an officer and whose health profession specialty is designated by the Secretary of Defense as a critically short wartime specialty; or
(3)agrees to remain on active duty or continue serving in an active status in a reserve component in a health profession.
(b)The Secretary concerned may pay incentive pay under this section to an officer in a regular or reserve component of a uniformed service who—
(1)is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title or compensation under section 206 of this title; and
(2)is serving on active duty or in an active status in a designated health profession specialty or skill.
(c)The Secretary concerned may pay board certification incentive pay under this section to an officer in a regular or reserve component of a uniformed service who—
(1)is entitled to basic pay under section 204 of this title or compensation under section 206 of this title;
(2)is board certified in a designated health profession specialty or skill; and
(3)is serving on active duty or in an active status in such designated health profession specialty or skill.
(d)The Secretary concerned may impose such additional criteria for the receipt of a bonus or incentive pay under this section as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
(e)(1)The Secretary concerned shall determine the amounts of a bonus or incentive pay to be paid under this section, except that—
(A)a health professions bonus paid under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) may not exceed $100,000 for each 12-month period of obligated service agreed to under subsection (f);
(B)a health professions bonus paid under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) may not exceed $200,000 for each 12-month period of obligated service agreed to under subsection (f);
(C)a health professions bonus paid under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) may not exceed $150,000 for each 12-month period of obligated service agreed to under subsection (f);
(D)health professions incentive pay under subsection (b) may be paid monthly and may not exceed, in any 12-month period—
(i)$200,000 for medical officers and dental officers; and
(ii)$50,000 for officers in other health professions; and
(E)board certification incentive pay under subsection (c) may not exceed $15,000 for each 12-month period an officer remains certified in the designated health profession specialty or skill.
(2)A health professions bonus under subsection (a) may be paid in a lump sum or in periodic installments, as determined by the Secretary concerned. Board certification incentive pay under subsection (c) may be paid monthly, in a lump sum at the beginning of the certification period, or in periodic installments during the certification period, as determined by the Secretary concerned.
(3)Upon acceptance by the Secretary concerned of the written agreement required by subsection (f), the total amount of the health professions bonus to be paid under the agreement shall be fixed.
(f)To receive a bonus under this section, an officer determined to be eligible for the bonus shall enter into a written agreement with the Secretary concerned that specifies—
(1)the amount of the bonus;
(2)the method of payment of the bonus under subsection (e)(2);
(3)the period of obligated service;
(4)whether the service will be performed on active duty or in an active status in a reserve component; and
(5)the type or conditions of the service.
(g)An officer in a reserve component authorized incentive pay under subsection (b) or (c) who is not serving on continuous active duty and is entitled to compensation under section 204 of this title or compensation under section 206 of this title may be paid a monthly amount of incentive pay that is proportionate to the basic pay or compensation received under this title.
(h)(1)A bonus paid to a person or officer under subsection (a) shall be in addition to any other pay and allowance to which the person or officer is entitled, except that a person or officer may not receive a payment under such subsection and section 332 of this title for the same period of obligated service.
(2)Incentive pay paid to an officer under subsection (b) shall be in addition to any other pay and allowance to which an officer is entitled, except that an officer may not receive a payment under such subsection and section 353 of this title for the same skill and period of service.
(3)Incentive pay paid to an officer under subsection (c) shall be in addition to any other pay and allowance to which an officer is entitled, except that an officer may not receive a payment under such subsection and section 353(b) of this title for the same skill and period of service covered by the certification.
(i)An officer who receives a bonus or incentive pay under this section and who fails to fulfill the eligibility requirements for the receipt of the bonus or incentive pay or complete the period of service for which the bonus or incentive pay is paid, as specified in the written agreement under subsection (f) in the case of a bonus, shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 373 of this title.
(j)In this section, the term “health profession” means the following:
(1)Any health profession performed by officers in the Medical Corps of a uniformed service or by officers designated as a medical officer.
(2)Any health profession performed by officers in the Dental Corps of a uniformed service or by officers designated as a dental officer.
(3)Any health profession performed by officers in the Medical Service Corps of a uniformed service or by officers designated as a medical service officer or biomedical sciences officer.
(4)Any health profession performed by officers in the Medical Specialist Corps of a uniformed service or by officers designated as a medical specialist.
(5)Any health profession performed by officers of the Nurse Corps of a uniformed service or by officers designated as a nurse.
(6)Any health profession performed by officers in the Veterinary Corps of a uniformed service or by officers designated as a veterinary officer.
(7)Any health profession performed by officers designated as a physician assistant.
(8)Any health profession performed by officers in the regular or reserve corps 11 See Change of Name note below. of the Public Health Service.
(k)No agreement may be entered into under this section after December 31, 2026.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2025—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 119–60 substituted “
December 31, 2026” for “
December 31, 2025”. 2024—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted “
December 31, 2025” for “
December 31, 2024”. 2023—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 118–31 substituted “
December 31, 2024” for “
December 31, 2023”. 2022—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 117–263 substituted “
December 31, 2023” for “
December 31, 2022”. 2021—Subsec. (e)(1)(A). Pub. L. 116–283, § 612(a), substituted “$100,000” for “$30,000”. Subsec. (e)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–283, § 612(b), substituted “$200,000” for “$100,000”. Subsec. (e)(1)(C). Pub. L. 116–283, § 612(c), substituted “$150,000” for “$75,000”. Subsec. (e)(1)(D)(i). Pub. L. 116–283, § 612(d)(1), substituted “$200,000” for “$100,000”. Subsec. (e)(1)(D)(ii). Pub. L. 116–283, § 612(d)(2) substituted “$50,000” for “$15,000”. Subsec. (e)(1)(E). Pub. L. 116–283, § 612(e), substituted “$15,000” for “$6,000”. Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 117–81 substituted “
December 31, 2022” for “
December 31, 2021”. Pub. L. 116–283, § 611(d)(4), substituted “
December 31, 2021” for “
December 31, 2020”. 2019—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 116–92 substituted “
December 31, 2020” for “
December 31, 2019”. 2018—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted “
December 31, 2019” for “
December 31, 2018”. 2017—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “
December 31, 2018” for “
December 31, 2017”. 2016—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 114–328 substituted “
December 31, 2017” for “
December 31, 2016”. 2015—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 114–92 substituted “
December 31, 2016” for “
December 31, 2015”. 2014—Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “
December 31, 2015” for “
December 31, 2014”. 2013—Subsec. (k). 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. (k). 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. (k). Pub. L. 111–84 substituted “
December 31, 2010” for “
December 31, 2009”. 2008—Subsec. (e)(1)(D)(i). Pub. L. 110–417 substituted “dental officers” for “dental surgeons”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
Reference to Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service deemed to be a reference to the Ready Reserve Corps, see section 204(c)(3) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
Effective Date
of 2021 Amendment Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title VI, § 612(f), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3674, provided that: “The
Amendments
made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to special bonus and incentive pays payable under section 335 of title 37, United States Code, pursuant to agreements entered into under that section on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 1, 2021].” Targeted Bonus Authority To Increase Direct Accessions Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title VI, § 620(a), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4489, provided that: “(1) Designation of critically short wartime health specialties.—For purposes of section 335 of title 37, United States Code, as added by section 661 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Public Law 110–181; 122 Stat. 169), the following health professions are designated as a critically short wartime specialty under subsection (a)(2) of such section:“(A) Psychologists who have been awarded a diploma as a Diplomate in Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology and are fully licensed and such other mental health practitioners as the Secretary concerned determines to be necessary. “(B) Registered nurses. “(2) Special agreement authority.—Under the authority provided by this section [enacting this note and section 302c–1 of this title], the Secretary concerned may enter into an agreement under subsection (f) of section 335 of title 37, United States Code, to pay a health professions bonus under such section to a person who accepts a commission or appointment as an officer and whose health profession specialty is specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection. “(3) Secretary concerned defined.—In this subsection, the term ‘Secretary concerned’ has the meaning given that term in section 101(5) of title 37, United States Code. “(4) Effective period.—The designations made by this subsection and the authority to enter into an agreement under paragraph (2) of this subsection expire on September 30, 2010.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
37 U.S.C. § 335
Title 37 — Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services
Last Updated
Apr 18, 2026
Release point: 119-83