37 U.S.C. § 332 | General bonus authority for officers

(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)

section 20105 of title 10 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 , agreed to under subsection (d);

(D)

section 20105 of title 10 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 , 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 .—

section 373 of this titleA 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 .

(g)

Termination of Authority .—

December 31, 2026No agreement may be entered into under this section after .

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 119–60, § 601(c)(2)(A)2025—Subsec. (a)(6). , added par. (6).

Pub. L. 119–60, § 601(c)(2)(B)(i)section 20105 of title 10Subsec. (c)(1)(C). , inserted “, or in the Space Force on sustained duty under ,” after “in a regular component”.

Pub. L. 119–60, § 601(c)(2)(B)(ii)section 20105 of title 10Subsec. (c)(1)(D). , inserted “, or in the Space Force in space force active status not on sustained duty under ,” after “in a reserve component”.

Pub. L. 119–60, § 601(c)(2)(B)(iii)Subsec. (c)(1)(E). , substituted “paragraph (4), (5), or (6)” for “paragraph (4) or (5)”.

Pub. L. 119–60, § 611(d)(2)December 31, 2026December 31, 2025Subsec. (g). , substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 118–159December 31, 2025December 31, 20242024—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 118–31December 31, 2024December 31, 20232023—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 117–263December 31, 2023December 31, 20222022—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 117–81December 31, 2022December 31, 20212021—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 116–283December 31, 2021December 31, 2020 substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 116–92December 31, 2020December 31, 20192019—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 115–232December 31, 2019December 31, 20182018—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 115–91December 31, 2018December 31, 20172017—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 114–328, § 6172016—Subsec. (c)(1)(B). , substituted “$20,000” for “$12,000”.

Pub. L. 114–328, § 614(2)December 31, 2017December 31, 2016Subsec. (g). , substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 114–92December 31, 2016December 31, 20152015—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 113–291December 31, 2015December 31, 20142014—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 113–66December 31, 2014December 31, 20132013—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 112–239December 31, 2013December 31, 2012 substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 112–81December 31, 2012December 31, 20112011—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 111–383December 31, 2011December 31, 2010 substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 111–84December 31, 2010December 31, 20092009—Subsec. (g). substituted “” for “”.