NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE OFFICER RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM

[Tony]

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
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FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
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UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 239/24 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/NOV// 
 
SUBJ/NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE OFFICER RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM// 
 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/061551ZNOV20// 
REF/B/DOC/U.S.C.//7SEP62// 
REF/C/DOC/ASN MRA/18SEP24// 
REF/D/DOC/DOD/JUL16// 
 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 301/20, NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE OFFICER RETENTION BONUS 
PROGRAM.   
REF B IS TITLE 37, U.S. CODE, PAY AND ALLOWANCES OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.  
REF C IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (MANPOWER AND RESERVE) AUTHORIZATION 
OF THE NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE OFFICER RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM.   
REF D IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION 7000.14, 
VOLUME 7A, CHAPTER 2, REPAYMENT OF UNEARNED PORTION OF BONUSES AND OTHER 
BENEFITS.// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces the modification of the Naval Special 
Warfare Officer Retention Bonus (NSWRB) for qualified Naval Special Warfare 
(NSW) officers.  This NAVADMIN supersedes reference(a).  Retaining NSW 
officers is a priority for the Navy.  The NSWRB is a flexible retention 
incentive that focuses on improving retention of NSW control grade 
officers.  NSW officers who meet the eligibility criteria in this NAVADMIN 
and hold an 1130 or 1137 designator may apply for this incentive. 
 
2.  Program Overview.  This bonus is authorized under Section 332 of 
reference (b) and reference (c).  As of 18 September 2024, eligible officers 
will be offered the opportunity to commit to a 5 or 3 year agreement for 
bonus amounts listed in paragraph 5.  NSW Program Management (OPNAV N137) is 
designated as the NSWRB program manager. 
All applications for this bonus will be submitted to the program manager for 
approval, payment processing, and tracking.  The eligibility criteria stated 
in this NAVADMIN can be changed at any time by the program manager if a bonus 
reduction is warranted based on the needs of the NSW community. 
 
3.  Eligibility.  NSW officers with designators 1130 or 1137, who have 
completed 15 Years Commissioned Service (YCS), may be eligible to receive the 
NSWRB.  Applicants must receive written endorsement from their Commanding 
Officer (CO) recommending bonus approval. CO's must ensure applications are 
accurate and verify applicants meet eligibility requirements. 
 
4.  Program Execution 
    a.  Officers must submit their request letter to the NSWRB program 
manager via their chain of command. 
    b.  Upon acceptance of a bonus agreement by the program manager, the 
amount of the bonus becomes fixed and the officer incurs a firm service 
obligation from requested bonus start date. 
    c.  Officers may elect one of the following payment options: 
        (1) To receive an initial lump sum payment of half the total bonus 
amount followed by equally divided annual installments through the term of 
the agreement. 
        (2) To receive bonus payments in equal annual installments through 
the term of the agreement. 
    d.  NSWRB requests for personnel who are being processed for officer 
designation removal or additional qualification designation removal will be 
held in abeyance pending final resolution of the action in question. 
 
5.  Contract Terms.  NSWRB contract lengths and payments are outlined below: 
    a.  The NSWRB will be offered in two phases.  Officers will be paid a 
fixed amount per year of service. 
        (1) Phase 1 NSWRB.  Applicants must be an NSW officer with 1130 or 
1137 designator and have completed 15 YCS but not yet completed 16 YCS.  NSW 
officers who fail to sign a NSWRB Phase 1 bonus prior to the completion of 16 
YCS are no longer eligible to receive a Phase 1 bonus.  Command eligible 
officers (officers who screened positive for Executive Officer (XO) at the 
annual NSW Administrative Screening Board) have the opportunity to receive up 
to $125,000 (1130) and $60,000 (1137) in retention bonuses for Phase 1 
contracts.  Non-command eligible officers (officers who did not screen 
positive for XO at the annual NSW Administrative Screening Board) have the 
opportunity to receive up to $75,000 (1130) in retention bonuses for Phase 1 
contract.  Non-command screened 1137 Sea, Land, and Air Team (SEAL) officers 
are not eligible for a bonus. 
             (a) Command eligible NSW officers (designator 1130) who have 
completed 15 YCS: 
                5 year agreement:  $25,000 per year 
                3 year agreement:  $15,000 per year 
             (b) Non-Command eligible NSW officers (designator 1130) who have 
completed 15 YCS: 
                5 year agreement:  $15,000 per year 
                3 year agreement:  $5,000 per year 
            (c) Command eligible NSW officers (designator 1137) who have 
completed 15 YCS: 
                5 year agreement:  $12,000 per year 
                3 year agreement:  $7,500 per year 
        (2) Phase 2 NSWRB.  Applicants must be an NSW officer with 1130 or 
1137 designator and have completed 20 YCS but not yet completed 22 YCS.  NSW 
officers who fail to sign a NSWRB Phase 2 bonus prior to the completion of 22 
YCS are no longer eligible to receive a Phase 2 bonus.  Command eligible 
officers (officers who screened positive for CO at the annual NSW 
Administrative Screening Board) have the opportunity to receive up to $75,000 
(1130) and $36,000 (1137) in retention bonuses for Phase 2 contracts.   
Non-command eligible officers (officers who did not screen positive for 
CO at the annual NSW Administrative Screening Board) will have the 
opportunity to receive up to $45,000 (1130) in retention bonuses for a  
Phase 2 contract.  Non-command screened 1137 SEAL officers are not eligible 
for a bonus. 
             (a) Command eligible NSW officers (designator 1130) who have 
completed 20 YCS but have not completed 22 YCS: 
                 3 year agreement:  $25,000 per year. 
             (b) Non-Command eligible NSW officers (designator 1130) who have 
completed 20 YCS but have not completed 22 YCS: 
                 3 year agreement:  $15,000 per year. 
             (c) Command eligible NSW officers (designator 1137) who have 
completed 20 YCS but have not completed 22 YCS: 
                 3 year agreement:  $12,000 per year. 
    b.  NSWRB agreement obligations will run concurrently with any obligated 
service the officer has incurred for education or fellowships such as 
postgraduate education. 
    c.  Officers in receipt of NSWRB, who have transferred their Post/911 GI 
Bill benefits to their dependents, will serve their obligations for NSWRB and 
GI Bill transfer concurrently. 
 
6.  Application Process 
    a.  Eligible officers may apply for NSWRB via their CO to OPNAV N137 via 
the NSW Officer Community Manager (BUPERS-311D). 
    b.  Officers must submit their applications to the NSWRB program manager 
prior to their requested start date and should confirm receipt.  Applications 
received after the requested start date will not be accepted and payments 
will not be processed until all eligibility criteria are met.  The first 
payment normally occurs 4 to 6 weeks after all eligibility criteria are met. 
 
7.  Recoupment and Repayment Policy.  Repayment policy is governed by 
reference (b), Sections 332, 373 and reference (d).  A Service Member 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 Service Member fulfills the conditions of that written agreement.  If 
the Service Member fails to fulfill the service conditions specified in the 
written agreement for the pay, then the pay may be terminated and the Service 
Member shall be required to repay an amount equal to the unearned portion 
of the pay. 
 
8.  Point of contact is the Naval Special Warfare Officer Community Manager 
at (703) 604-5063/DSN 664 or via e-mail at SEAL_OCM@navy.mil. 
 
9.  This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or 4 years has 
elapsed from the date of release, whichever occurs first. 
 
10.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// 
 
BT 
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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//