General bonus authority for officers

Source Credit

(a) Authority To Provide Bonus.—The Secretary concerned may pay a bonus under this section to a person, including an officer in the uniformed services, who—
(1) accepts a commission or appointment as an officer in a uniformed service;
(2) affiliates with a reserve component of a uniformed service;
(3) agrees to remain on active duty or to serve in an active status for a specific period as an officer in a uniformed service;
(4) transfers from a regular component of a uniformed service to a reserve component of that same uniformed service or from a reserve component of a uniformed service to the regular component of that same uniformed service;
(5) transfers from a regular component or reserve component of a uniformed service to a regular component or reserve component of another uniformed service, subject to the approval of the Secretary with jurisdiction over the uniformed service to which the member is transferring; or
(6) transfers from a regular component or reserve component of a uniformed service to the Space Force or from the Space Force to a regular component or reserve component of another uniformed service, subject to the approval of the Secretary with jurisdiction over the uniformed service to which the member is transferring.
(b) Service Eligibility.—A bonus authorized by subsection (a) may be paid to a person or officer only if the person or officer agrees under subsection (d)—
(1) to serve for a specified period in a designated career field, skill, unit, or grade; or
(2) to meet some other condition or conditions of service imposed by the Secretary concerned.
(c) Maximum Amount and Method of Payment.—
(1) Maximum amount.—The Secretary concerned shall determine the amount of a bonus to be paid under this section, except that—
(A) a bonus paid under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) may not exceed $60,000 for a minimum three-year period of obligated service agreed to under subsection (d);
(B) a bonus paid under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) may not exceed $20,000 for a minimum three-year period of obligated service agreed to under subsection (d);
(C) a bonus paid under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) may not exceed $50,000 for each year of obligated service in a regular component, or in the Space Force on sustained duty under section 20105 of title 10, agreed to under subsection (d);
(D) a bonus paid under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) may not exceed $12,000 for each year of obligated service in a reserve component, or in the Space Force in space force active status not on sustained duty under section 20105 of title 10, agreed to under subsection (d); and
(E) a bonus paid under paragraph (4), (5), or (6) of subsection (a) may not exceed $10,000.
(2) Lump sum or installments.—A bonus under this section may be paid in a lump sum or in periodic installments, as determined by the Secretary concerned.
(3) Fixing bonus amount.—Upon acceptance by the Secretary concerned of the written agreement required by subsection (d), the total amount of the bonus to be paid under the agreement shall be fixed.
(d) Written Agreement.—To receive a bonus under this section, a person or 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 (c)(2);
(3) the period of obligated service; and
(4) the type or conditions of the service.
(e) Relationship to Other Pay and Allowances.—The bonus paid to a person or officer under this section is in addition to any other pay and allowance to which the person or officer is entitled.
(f) Repayment.—A person or officer who receives a bonus under this section and who fails to complete the period of service, or meet the conditions of service, for which the bonus is paid, as specified in the written agreement under subsection (d), shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 373 of this title.
(g) Termination of Authority.—No agreement may be entered into under this section after December 31, 2026.

History

(Added Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title VI, §661(a)(2), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 164; amended Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2353; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4237; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1450; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1777; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 781; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3400; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 838; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VI, §§614(2), 617, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2158, 2160; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, §614(2), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1422; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VI, §611(d)(2), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1797; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title VI, §611(d)(2), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1426; Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title VI, §611(d)(2), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 3673; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title VI, §611(d)(2), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 1769; Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title VI, §601(d)(2), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 2619; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title VI, §613(d)(2), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 291; Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title VI, §611(d)(2), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1932; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title VI, §§601(c)(2), 611(d)(2), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 902, 906.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments
2025—Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 119–60, §601(c)(2)(A), added par. (6).
Subsec. (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 119–60, §601(c)(2)(B)(i), inserted ", or in the Space Force on sustained duty under section 20105 of title 10," after "in a regular component".
Subsec. (c)(1)(D). Pub. L. 119–60, §601(c)(2)(B)(ii), inserted ", or in the Space Force in space force active status not on sustained duty under section 20105 of title 10," after "in a reserve component".
Subsec. (c)(1)(E). Pub. L. 119–60, §601(c)(2)(B)(iii), substituted "paragraph (4), (5), or (6)" for "paragraph (4) or (5)".
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 119–60, §611(d)(2), substituted "December 31, 2026" for "December 31, 2025".
2024—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted "December 31, 2025" for "December 31, 2024".
2023—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 118–31 substituted "December 31, 2024" for "December 31, 2023".
2022—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 117–263 substituted "December 31, 2023" for "December 31, 2022".
2021—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 117–81 substituted "December 31, 2022" for "December 31, 2021".
Pub. L. 116–283 substituted "December 31, 2021" for "December 31, 2020".
2019—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 116–92 substituted "December 31, 2020" for "December 31, 2019".
2018—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–232 substituted "December 31, 2019" for "December 31, 2018".
2017—Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted "December 31, 2018" for "December 31, 2017".
2016—Subsec. (c)(1)(B). Pub. L. 114–328, §617, substituted "$20,000" for "$12,000".
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 114–328, §614(2), 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".