The Navy is taking a proactive approach to retain its special warfare sailors. With recruitment down, the Navy is trying to retain senior petty officers within the Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community with bonuses of up to $100,000 to select sailors, according to a naval admin (NAVADM) message sent by Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman Jr.
On January 10, NAVADMIN 004/23 released the new bonus retention program details for SEAL special warfare operation (026X) and special warfare combatant craft board operator (052X) classifications.
The program “is part of the overarching effort of the Navy to size, shape, and stabilize the force,” Cheeseman wrote.
By law, any sailor can receive no more than $300,000 in bonuses over their career.
To be eligible for the retention program, NSW senior enlisted Sailors with the O26X or O52X Navy enlisted sailors in paygrades E-7 and above, who have between 20 and 28 years of active service, will be eligible to apply for the NSW Senior Enlisted Retention Bonus (SSRB). Sailors must be serving on active duty in the Active Component and have the favorable recommendation of the commanding officer (CO) for receipt of NSW SSRB.
Some sailors would be deemed ineligible for the bonus retention program under specific criteria.
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Phase One of the program targets NSW sailors that are E-7s and have between 20 to 24 years of service. O26X/O52X E-7 sailors can earn up to $80,000 in retention bonuses, with $20,000 awarded each year.
Phase Two of the program targets NSW sailors that are E-8s who have between 24 to 26 years of service. They can earn up to $50,000 in retention bonuses, with $25,000 offered each year.
Phase Three of the program targets NSW sailors that are E-9s and have between 26 to 28 years of service. These sailors have the ability to earn up to $100,000 in bonuses, with $25,000 offered each year. Sailors with 27 and 28 years of service can sign a contract for their 29th and 30th years of service.
Sailors may not submit their retirement paperwork while they are still under the SSRB contract. SSRB contracts are for a minimum of two and a maximum of three years. Sailors with receive a lump-sum payment each year on the anniversary date of the retention contract.
“Reenlistments and extensions may be combined to align service dates for the maximum opportunity, up to a reenlistment of 6 years and an extension of up to 12 months,” the Navy stated.
Back in August, the Navy addressed shortages in other Military Occupational Specialities by increasing the bonuses for critical jobs. Future Sailors and prior service members from the Navy and any of the services are now eligible for enlistment bonuses and loan repayment up to $115,000, according to a message released by Navy Recruiting Command.
“The maximum current enlistment bonus is $50,000, and the maximum loan repayment is $65,000,” Rear Adm. Lex Walker, Commander of Navy Recruiting Command, said.
“They are not mutually exclusive, so if a Future Sailor maximizes both, that adds up to a life-altering $115,000 and the opportunity to serve in the world’s finest Navy.”
Feature Image: Special warfare combatant-craft crewmen (SWCC) transit the Salt River in northern Kentucky during pre-deployment, live-fire training, Aug. 25. (Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jayme Pastoric/U.S. Navy)
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The VA management are totally corrupt! Truth, facts, and common sense never enter into any of their decisions. And, if they can’t win, it is not unusual for them to just eliminate a complete VA file, to the point of denying a vet was ever in the service.
Warriors beware . . . when it comes to receiving bonuses. As an Airforce Vet I got out under the the first BRAC Military drawdown in 1991. I was paid a handsome some to voluntarily leave the Airforce. 20 years later while applying for disability through the V.A. from injury complications while on active duty, I’m told that the disability rating that I thought I would be paid must now go back into the repayment of bonus that I got to get out on. This is a long complicated & in depth process that myself & thousands of other vets are now unfairly experiencing. There are Senators and Congressman fighting this battle to bring justice for our vets who bravely served our country. Triple check everything with the V.A. before signing on the dotted line. It could be cash not receive after retirement for V.A. disability. Good luck and God bless you folks. See link below for more information:
https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-19981120-1998-11-20-9811190267-story.html