NAVAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS SENIOR ENLISTED EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM

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SUBJ/NAVAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS SENIOR ENLISTED EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE
DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM//
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/031416ZOCT22//
REF/B/DOC/TITLE 37 U.S.C./12JAN20//
REF/C/DOC/DOD/MAY22//
REF/D/DOC/ASN/30JUN2025//
REF/E/DOC/ASN/23MAY2025//
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 222/22, RENEWAL OF NAVAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS
(NSO) SENIOR ENLISTED EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) TECHNICIAN
RETENTION BONUS (RB) PROGRAM. REF B IS SECTION 331 OF TITLE 37 U.S.
CODE, SPECIAL PAY: RETENTION INCENTIVES FOR MEMBERS QUALIFIED IN
CRITICAL MILITARY SKILLS OR ASSIGNED TO HIGH PRIORITY UNITS. REF C
IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION,
VOLUME 7A, CHAPTER 2: REPAYMENT OF UNEARNED PORTION OF BONUSES AND
OTHER BENEFITS. REF D IS CHIEF OF NAVAL PERSONNEL MEMORANDUM
REAUTHORIZING THE NSO SENIOR ENLISTED EOD RETENTION BONUS. REF E IS
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS
MEMORANDUM EXCEPTION TO POLICY FOR SELECTIVE RETENTION BONUS PAYMENT
LIFETIME LIMIT REGARDING SELECT RATINGS.//
RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN cancels reference (a) and announces an
updated Naval Special Operations senior enlisted Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Retention Bonus program.
2. Program Overview. This bonus is authorized under references (b)
through (e). Specific critical Navy Enlisted Classifications (NEC)
and approved award levels have been prescribed in reference (d).
The NSO EOD Enlisted Community Manager (ECM) (BUPERS-312-EOD) will
act as the NSO EOD RB program manager. All applications for this
bonus will be submitted to the program manager for processing and
tracking. By law, and as waived by reference (e), Sailors may
receive no more than 480,000 dollars in RB monies over a career.
Selective reenlistment bonus awards are included in that cap. If
eligible, a Sailor may apply for RBs across multiple phases, for a
maximum of 150,000 dollar lump sum payment and a corresponding 6
year contract. Within the confines of reference (d), the
eligibility criteria stated in this NAVADMIN may be adjusted at any
time to address emergent retention challenges, via published
business rules located on the MyNavy HR EOD ECM webpage.
3. Eligibility. NSO EOD Sailors with NEC M04A, in paygrades E7 to
E9, who meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:
 a. Between 20 and 28 Years of Active Service (YOAS). Note:
Initial applications may be submitted and contracts signed within
the 19th YOAS, but payments will not begin until 20 YOAS.
 b. Serving on Active Duty in a regular component.
 c. Favorable recommendation from the Sailor's Commanding
Officer (CO).
4. Ineligibility:
 a. Sailors serving under an existing RB contract are not
eligible to receive an additional RB for service outlined in their
existing RB contract agreement.
 b. Sailors are not eligible for RB payments past their High
Year Tenure (HYT) date. HYT dates are firm, and HYT waiver requests
will not be considered during the NSO EOD RB application process.
 c. Sailors with documented misconduct or below standard
performance will be removed from RB eligibility.
5. Contract Terms. NSO EOD RB contract lengths (for a minimum of 3
years), payments, and Active Duty service obligations are outlined
below. Only Sailors that are E8 (select) or above can combine Phase
one and Phase two.
 a. E7s are eligible to contract to 24 YOAS. E8s are eligible
to contract to 26 YOAS. E-9s are eligible to contract up to 30
YOAS. If a Sailor serves a partial year, that year will be prorated
pursuant to the bonus amount of that year. Specific bonus amounts
are graduated in line with YOAS.
 (1) Phase One NSO EOD RB. Sailors must be E7 or above and
have NEC M04A to apply for a phase one bonus. Phase one corresponds
with E7 HYT and encompasses 20 to 24 YOAS. Sailors will have the
opportunity to receive up to 100,000 dollars in RB for phase one
contracts. At a minimum, Sailors must contract through 22 YOAS.
YOAS Bonus Amount
20 25,000 dollars
21 25,000 dollars
22 25,000 dollars
23 25,000 dollars
 (2) Phase Two NSO EOD RB. Sailors must be E8 (select) or
above and have NEC M04A to apply for a phase two bonus. Phase two
corresponds with E8 HYT and encompasses 24 to 26 YOAS. Sailors will
have the opportunity to receive up to 50,000 dollars in retention
bonuses for phase two contracts.
YOAS Bonus Amount
24 25,000 dollars
25 25,000 dollars
 (3) Phase Three NSO EOD RB. Sailors must be E9 (select) or
E9 and have NEC M04A to apply for a phase three bonus. Phase three
corresponds with E9 HYT and encompasses 26 to 30 YOAS. Sailors must
contract before they reach 28 YOAS. Sailors will have the
opportunity to receive up to 40,000 dollars in retention bonuses for
phase three contracts.
YOAS Bonus Amount
26 10,000 dollars
27 10,000 dollars
28 10,000 dollars
29 10,000 dollars
 (4) RB Contract. RB contract phases may be combined
provided that the Sailors are eligible to receive payments to the
contracted end date.
 b. In line with reference (b) and (d), NSO EOD RB contracts
will be for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 years. Sailors under
the RB contract will not submit a request for retirement or tender a
resignation with an effective date that is prior to completion of
the agreement. Enlisted Sailors must reenlist or extend their
enlistment contract, soft end of active obligated service, for a
period of at least 3 years. Sailors are authorized early
reenlistment to align RB and reenlistment contracts. 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. Sailors who are eligible will receive
this bonus as a lump sum payment. These payments can be made no
earlier than 20 years of service, but must be complete prior to
commencing their 28 years of service.
6. Program Execution:
 a. Sailors should submit requests for NSO EOD RB to the program
manager via their chain of command to eod_comm_mgr.fct@navy.mil 60
to 180 days prior to entering into an NSO EOD RB contract. The
following documents are required:
 (1) Letter requesting contract from the Sailor.
 (2) Endorsement letter from the CO.
 (3) Most recent performance evaluation or documentation of
appropriate milestone qualification or designation, where required.
 b. Upon acceptance of a Sailor agreement by the program
manager, the amount of the bonus becomes fixed, and the Sailor
incurs a firm service obligation.
 c. Sailors will receive the bonus in a lump sum payment,
effective from the date of contract execution. Prior to payment,
Sailors will submit a copy of the reenlistment contract and/or
extension agreement with proof of tax-free status, if applicable.
 d. RB requests for personnel who are being processed for
disciplinary action, NEC removal, or restoration will be held in
abeyance pending final resolution.
7. Recoupment and Repayment Policy. In line with references (c)
and (d), a Sailor of the uniformed services who enters into a
written agreement with specified service conditions for receipt of a
bonus is entitled to the full amount of the bonus if the Sailor
fulfills the condition of that written agreement. If the Sailor
fails to fulfill the service conditions specified in the written
agreement for pay, then the pay may be terminated, and the Sailor
may be required to repay an amount equal to the unearned portion of
the pay.
8. Points of contact are:
 a. LT Brianne Coger, NSO ECM, by e-mail at
brianne.l.coger.mil@us.navy.mil or by phone at (901) 874-4433.
 b. EODCM Steve Cho, Enlisted Technical Advisor and NSO EOD RB
Program Manager, by e-mail at steve.y.cho.mil@us.navy.mil or by
phone at (901) 874-2827.
9. This message will remain in effect until superseded or canceled,
whichever occurs first.
10. Released by Vice Admiral Jeffrey J. Czerewko, N1.//
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