SURFACE WARFARE OFFICER LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RETENTION BONUS:

UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 131712Z JUN 17
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

NAVADMIN 136/17

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUN//

SUBJ/SURFACE WARFARE OFFICER LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RETENTION BONUS//

REF/A/DOC/U.S.C.//
REF/B/DOC/DOD/11JUL16//
REF/C/DOC/BUMED/27JUL16//
REF/D/DOC/ASN/27APR17//
REF/E/DOC/DOD/16JUL16//
NARR/REF A IS TITLE 37, U.S. CODE, PAY AND ALLOWANCES OF THE UNIFORMED 
SERVICES.  
REF B IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1304.34, GENERAL BONUS AUTHORITY 
FOR OFFICERS.  
REF C IS THE BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY INSTRUCTION 1300.2B, SUITABILITY 
SCREENING, MEDICAL ASSIGNMENT SCREENING, AND EXCEPTIONAL FAMILY MEMBER 
PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION AND ENROLLMENT.  
REF D IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS) 
SURFACE WARFARE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RETENTION BONUS AUTHORIZATION.  
REF E 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 establishment of the Surface Warfare 
Officer Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Retention Bonus (SWO LRB) for eligible 
SWOs.  This program replaces the SWO LCDR Critical Skills Retention Bonus 
(LCDR CSRB) and no new contracts will be signed under the LCDR CSRB program.  
The SWO LRB is authorized through 30 September 2019 unless otherwise 
rescinded or superseded.

2.  Program Authority.  This program is authorized under section 332, Title 
37 U.S. Code.  All applications for the bonus contained within this program 
will be submitted to the SWO Assignments Division (PERS-41) for approval, 
payment processing, and tracking.

3.  Program Overview.  This message summarizes the provisions of the SWO LRB.  
All information provided herein is applicable to both Active Component (AC) 
SWO personnel and Reserve Component (RC) Full Time Support (FTS) SWO 
personnel, except where otherwise noted.  The following general summary is 
provided:
    a.  SWOs promoted to LCDR will have the opportunity to commit to the SWO 
LRB.  The Navy will pay qualified officers for 3 years of obligated service 
from their 12th year of commissioned service (YCS) through completion of 
their 15th YCS.  LCDRs with at least 11 YCS, but not more than 12 YCS, are 
eligible for the SWO LRB.  AC SWOs will receive 22,000 dollars on the second 
anniversary, 12,000 dollars on the third anniversary and 12,000 dollars on 
the fourth anniversary of their promotion to LCDR.  In line with references 
(a) and (b), RC FTS SWOs will receive 12,000 dollars on the second, third, 
and fourth anniversaries of their promotion to LCDR.
    b.  References (a) and (b) limit career retention bonus amounts. While 
officers may receive multiple retention bonuses under section 332 of 
reference (a) over a career, total bonus payments under this authority may 
not exceed 300,000 dollars for AC officers and 150,000 dollars for RC 
officers.

4.  Program Eligibility
    a.  Must meet all four of the following requirements:
        (1) qualified and serving as an active duty SWO (designator 1110 or 
1117),
        (2) permanently appointed LCDR,
        (3) have at least 11 YCS, but no more than 12 YCS, and
        (4) completed two afloat department head tours or a single longer 
tour according to the department head sequencing plan as assigned by PERS-41.
    b.  Must be sea duty assignable as defined by reference (c).
Additionally:
        (1) An officer under contract and evaluated as no longer fit for sea 
duty by an appropriate medical authority, following a period of temporary 
limited duty (TLD), will have a stop payment placed on their account and 
receive no further SWO LRB payments.  However, an officer on TLD who is 
reasonably expected by the assigned medical officer to make a full recovery 
and be found fit for sea duty will continue to receive scheduled payments.  
This determination will be completed by PERS-41 in line with the appropriate 
medical authority’s findings.
        (2) An officer found unfit for continued naval service by an 
appropriate medical authority will have a stop payment placed on their 
account and receive no further SWO LRB payments.
        (3) Should a previously ineligible officer later become fit for sea 
duty, payments will resume at normal intervals for the remainder of the 
anniversary payment(s).  Retroactive pay is not authorized for any bonus 
payments that were scheduled during the period the officer was ineligible.
    c.  Career Intermission Program (CIP).  An officer participating in CIP 
will be ineligible to receive LRB payments during their time in the program.  
Payments will resume upon return to service and in line with the payment 
scheme.
    d.  An officer is not eligible to receive both SWO department head 
retention bonus and LRB concurrently.
    e.  Officers with greater than 24 years of service (YOS) were previously 
ineligible for the SWO LCDR CSRB.  Reference (b) now allows bonuses up to 25 
YOS.  There will be no retroactive pay for officers who were previously 
ineligible.  Bonuses will be paid in line with the payment structure in 
paragraph 6.
    d.  All SWO LCDR CSRB contracts previously signed will continue to 
operate under the authority and regulations of the previous LCDR CSRB 
program.

5.  Program Execution
    a.  The SWO community manager is assigned as the program manager and is 
delegated the authority to administer the SWO LRB program according to 
applicable laws, Department of Defense directives/instructions and this 
NAVADMIN.
    b.  PERS-41 receives applications submitted in the format referenced in 
paragraph 8.  PERS-41 is delegated the authority to:
        (1) evaluate eligibility of SWOs applying for SWO LRB program,
        (2) approve SWO contracts to remain on active duty for the stated 
period in exchange for a SWO LRB and
        (3) administer LRB payments.
    c.  All applications require written endorsement from their commander or 
commanding officer (CO).
    d.  Officers under a LRB agreement are not eligible to apply for the 
Junior Permanent Military Professor (JPMP) program, or any redesignation 
programs that result in a designator change to any designator other than 1110 
or 1117.  An officer under a LRB agreement may submit an application for JPMP 
or any redesignation programs once the date of application is within 12 
months of the final day of bonus obligation.

6.  LRB Payment Structure.  Approved applicants will receive payments on the 
second, third and fourth anniversary of their promotion to LCDR.  For 
example, an officer who elects not to apply (or is not eligible) for LRB 
bonus before their second anniversary of promotion to LCDR, but between their 
second and third anniversary elects (or becomes eligible) to apply, will 
receive a payment for their third anniversary and will have forgone their 
second anniversary payment altogether.  The same logic also applies to 
officers deemed ineligible for LRB bonus during one payment period, but who 
subsequently become eligible during another period. The following table 
describes the schedule: 

LCDR promotion anniversary       Payment
Second                           22,000 dollars for AC, 12,000
                                 dollars for RC FTS
Third                            12,000 dollars for AC and RC FTS
Fourth                           12,000 dollars for AC and RC FTS

7.  Application Process
    a.  General Notes
        (1) Application format can be found on the PERS-41 page of the NPC 
website at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-
npc/officer/Detailing/surfacewarfare/pay/Pages/default.aspx
        (2) Applications will be binding upon the date of approval by PERS-
41.
        (3) Applications received in the incorrect format or not meeting 
eligibility requirements defined in this NAVADMIN will be rejected.
    b.  Officers must mail the signed original agreement and CO endorsement 
to:
        Commander, Navy Personnel Command (PERS 41)
        5720 Integrity Drive
        Millington, TN 38055
    c.  Additionally, a copy of the signed original contract and COs 
endorsement should be submitted by e-mail to the applicable assignment 
officer and/or civilian assistant.

8.  Recoupment and Repayment Policy.  Repayment policy is governed by section 
373 of references (a) and reference (e).  A 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 member 
fulfills the conditions of the written agreement.  If the member fails to 
fulfill the service conditions specified in the written agreement for the 
pay, then the pay may be terminated and the member may be required to repay 
an amount equal to the unearned portion of the pay.  SWO LRB payments will be 
stopped for officers who become ineligible for this incentive or fail to 
complete the full period of additional obligated service.
    a.  For officers who die while serving under a SWO LRB service agreement, 
the remaining SWO LRB balance will be paid as a lump sum as part of the 
settlement of the final military pay account of the officer.  If death is 
determined to be the result of the misconduct of the member, future payments 
will be stopped and unearned portions of the bonus will be recouped, as 
applicable, in line with procedures established for members whose inability 
to complete a contracted period of service is voluntary or the result of 
misconduct.

9.  Additional guidance, information and updates regarding the SWO LRB are 
available at the BUPERS website, http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-
npc/officer/Detailing/surfacewarfare/pay/Pages/default.aspx.

10.  Points of contacts are Ms. Lucille Tate, PERS-41, who can be reached at 
(901)874-3900/DSN 882 or via e-mail at lucille.tate@navy.mil, CDR Mike 
Ray, Surface Warfare Officer Community Manager, BUPERS-311, who can be 
reached at (901)874-3173/DSN 882 or via e-mail at david.m.ray2@navy.mil 
and the FTS Head Placement Officer, PERS-46, at (901)874-3978/DSN 882

11.  Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.//

BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//