With the advent of several new Selective Reenlistment Bonus programs, the Corps is encouraging Marines to thoroughly review the contents of bulletin MARADMIN 350/17, the memo announcing SRB program and the BSSRB program authorizations for FY 2018.
The memorandum highlights five new initiatives, including an extra $10,000 for Marines who indicate their reenlistment intent before Sept. 30.
According to the memorandum, the Marine Corps will institute three SRB kickers in FY18 — the Early Reenlistment Kicker, the Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Kicker, and the Aviation Maintenance Kicker. The memo points out only one kicker will be obligated per Marine.
Marines are eligible for retention bonuses based on their rank, military occupational specialty and how much active-duty service they have in the military: “Zone A” Marines have between 17 months and 6 years of service; “Zone B” Marines have between 6 and 10 years; and “Zone C” Marines have between 10 and 14 years.
The FY 2018 program offers retention bonuses to Zone A Marines in 40 MOSs; Zone B Marines in 73 MOSs and Zone C Marines in 30 MOSs.
As an example, under the latest SRB initiative, a Zone A lance corporal in the 0311 rifleman MOS will receive $8,500 to re-enlist for four years — a $5,000 increase from FY 2017 — plus the extra $10,000 for indicating before Sept. 30 that he or she wants to re-enlist, officials told Marine Corps Times Wednesday.
First-term enlistees who intend to make lateral moves into other specialties such as explosive ordnance disposal technicians, critical skills operators and reconnaissance Marines can receive $40,000 on top of a bonus to re-enlist for six years, officials tell the Times. These specialties require extensive training and Marines may have to wait up to a year to get into those programs.
“The FY 2018 program also offers an extra $20,000 for Marines who volunteer to spend three years as a recruiter, drill instructor or Marine security guard,” Capt. Scott Steele, career force planner at Manpower & Reserve Affairs tells the Times.
The memorandum points out an array of scenarios, specialties and bonus structures so Marines can maximize their financial award. Qualified maintainers can reap a handsome sum hold the following up-to-date qualifications: collateral duty inspector, quality assurance collateral duty inspector, quality assurance representative and safe for flight.
“Responding to the Marine Corps’ need to retain qualified maintainers, the Corps is offering an extra $20,000 on top of retention bonuses to these aviation Marines,” Steele tells the Times.
Steele tells the Times, the caveat is aviation Marines must spend the first two years of their four-year commitment with their current units.
“The intent is to keep them — to the maximum extent possible — within the unit that they’re already in,” Col. Gaines Ward, manpower plans officer for Manpower & Reserve Affairs tells the Times. “It’s a greater return on the investment for the time that the commander puts into training these individuals to have these qualifications.”
To learn more about the Marine Corps’ SRB programs and initiatives, read the memorandum and visit a career counselor.
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