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

[Tony]

ROUTINE 
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TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
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NAVADMIN 222/22 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/OCT// 
 
SUBJ/NAVAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS SENIOR ENLISTED EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL 
TECHNICIAN CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM// 
 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/161731ZAUG17// 
REF/B/DOC/TITLE 37 U.S.C./12JAN20// 
REF/C/DOC/DOD/MAY22// 
REF/D/DOC/ASN(MRA)/19AUG22// 
 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 199/17, RENEWAL OF NAVAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS ENLISTED 
EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS 
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 ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS 
MEMORANDUM AUTHORIZING THE EOD CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS.// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN cancels reference (a) and announces an updated Naval 
Special Operations (NSO) Senior Enlisted Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) 
Technician Retention Bonus (RB) program. 
 
2.  Program Overview.  This bonus is authorized under references (b) 
through (d).  Specific critical Navy enlisted classifications (NEC) and 
approved award levels have been prescribed in reference (d). The NSO EOD 
Enlisted Community Manager (BUPERS-329) 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, Sailors may receive no more 
than 360,000 dollars in RB monies over a career.  Selective reenlistment 
bonus awards are included in that cap.  Within the confines of reference (d), 
the eligibility criteria stated in this NAVADMIN may be changed by the 
program manager based on the needs of the EOD community, with the approval 
of the Director, Military Personnel Plans and Policy (OPNAV N13). 
 
3.  Eligibility.  NSO EOD Sailors with NEC M04A, in paygrades E-7 to E-9, 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.  Milestone complete for current paygrade in line with the EOD career 
path. 
    c.  Serving on Active-Duty in a regular component. 
    d.  Favorable recommendation from the Sailors 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, payments, and Active-Duty 
service obligations are outlined below. 
    a.  E-7s are eligible to contract to 24 YOAS.  E-8s 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 E-7 or above and have NEC 
M04A to apply for a phase one bonus.  Phase one corresponds with E-7 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 21 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 E-8 (select) or above and 
have NEC M04A to apply for a phase two bonus.  Phase two corresponds with E-8 
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 E-9 (select) or E-9 and 
have NEC M04A to apply for a phase three bonus.  Phase three corresponds with 
E-9 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 as long as the 
Sailors are eligible to receive payments to the contracted end date. 
    b.  In line with reference (b), NSO EOD RB contracts will be for a 
minimum of 2 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 2 years.  Sailors are authorized early 
reenlistment in order 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. 
 
6.  Program Execution: 
    a.  Sailors should submit requests for NSO EOD RB to the program manager 
via their chain of command at eod_comm_mgr.fct(at)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) Evaluation or documentation of appropriate milestone 
qualification/designation. 
    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 Zachary Krueger, NSO ECM and NSO EOD RB Program Manager, 
by e-mail at zachary.m.krueger.mil(at)us.navy.mil or by phone at 
(901) 874-4433. 
    b.  EODCM Tim Mendenhall, Enlisted Technical Advisor, by e-mail at 
timmy.j.mendenhall.mil(at)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 Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// 
 
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UNCLASSIFIED//