FISCAL YEAR 2023 ACTIVE COMPONENT AVIATION DEPARTMENT HEAD RETENTION BONUS:

CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 191510Z APR 23 MID200080911262U 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 089/23 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// 
 
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2023 ACTIVE COMPONENT AVIATION DEPARTMENT HEAD RETENTION 
BONUS// 
 
REF/A/DOC/SECNAV/6FEB18// 
REF/B/DOC/OPNAV/1OCT19// 
 
NARR/REF A IS SECNAVINST 7220.88, AVIATION INCENTIVE PAYS AND BONUS PROGRAM.   
REF B IS OPNAVINST 7220.18A, AVIATION INCENTIVE PAY AND BONUS PROGRAM.// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN message announces the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Active 
Component (AC) Aviation Department Head Retention Bonus (ADHRB) in line with 
references (a) and (b).  The FY-23 AC Aviation Command Retention Bonus (ACRB) 
will be addressed via a separate NAVADMIN. 
 
2.  A vital part of developing a total force strategy and maintaining combat 
readiness is to provide appropriate incentives to retain skilled personnel 
for critical Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) billets.  The AC Aviation Bonus 
(AvB) Program, consisting of the ADHRB and ACRB, incentivizes highly 
talented, hard-working, career-minded naval aviators and naval flight 
officers (NFO) to remain on Active Duty.  Our return on investment of the 
ADHRB is the retention of our Navy aviation warfighters, who will continue to 
deliver to the force their irreplaceable skillsets and leadership. 
 
3.  AC ADHRB: 
    a.  Capable and dedicated department heads are vital to mission 
effectiveness and represent the important link between senior leadership and 
junior personnel.  Retaining the experience and talent associated with those 
eligible to serve as aviation department heads greatly benefits the continued 
success of the NAE. 
    b.  The FY-23 AC ADHRB is intended for officers selected for promotion to 
lieutenant commander (LCDR) in the FY-23 AC LCDR statutory board.  These 
officers will be considered for department head in the FY-24 AC Aviation 
Department Head Screen Board (ADHSB) scheduled to convene in the Spring of 
2023.  Additionally, eligible officers must have an Active Duty service 
obligation (ADSO) associated with undergraduate flight training ending in FY-
20 or later.  Please consult the program information for a full listing of 
eligibility criteria.  The application opportunity commences with the release 
of this NAVADMIN and closes on 31 August 2023. 
    c.  Contracts are offered with either a three, five or seven-year ADSO 
that begins upon expiration of the officers winging ADSO or contract 
approval, whichever is later.  The intent is to provide flexibility when 
making career decisions and to encourage officers to fulfill a department 
head tour and continue their naval service. 
    d.  The Navy values an early commitment and a seven-year obligation.  An 
officer who submits a five or seven-year contract prior to the FY-24 AC ADHSB 
results being published will receive the maximum annual rate specific to 
their type/model/series and designator (T/M/S+D).  If an officer prefers a 
three-year contract or wishes to wait until the AC ADHSB selection results 
are public, the AC ADHRB annual amount reduces by $5,000 per year. 
    e.  While all aviators that complete milestone assignments are equally 
valued, specific T/M/S+D rates vary in line with respective community 
inventory health.  Those communities experiencing the greatest retention 
challenges are incentivized with the highest rates.  The AC ADHRB retention 
bonus pay rates in U.S. dollars for FY-23 include: 
 
    Seven-year obligation, early rate: 
    HM Pilot                        $25,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    HSC Pilot                       $25,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    HSM Pilot                       $25,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VAQ Pilot                       $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VAQ NFO                         $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VAW Pilot                       $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VAW NFO                         $15,000/year ($105,000 total) 
    VRC/VRM Pilot                   $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VFA Pilot                       $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VFA NFO                         $15,000/year ($105,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) Pilot                  $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) NFO                    $15,000/year ($105,000 total) 
    VQ(T) Pilot                     $35,000/year ($245,000 total) 
    VQ(T) NFO                       $25,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    Seven-year obligation, standard rate: 
    HM Pilot                        $20,000/year ($140,000 total) 
    HSC Pilot                       $20,000/year ($140,000 total) 
    HSM Pilot                       $20,000/year ($140,000 total) 
    VAQ Pilot                       $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VAQ NFO                         $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VAW Pilot                       $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VAW NFO                         $10,000/year ($70,000 total) 
    VRC/VRM Pilot                   $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VFA Pilot                       $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VFA NFO                         $10,000/year ($70,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) Pilot                  $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) NFO                    $10,000/year ($70,000 total) 
    VQ(T) Pilot                     $30,000/year ($210,000 total) 
    VQ(T) NFO                       $20,000/year ($140,000 total) 
    Five-year obligation, early rate: 
    HM Pilot                        $25,000/year ($125,000 total) 
    HSC Pilot                       $25,000/year ($125,000 total) 
    HSM Pilot                       $25,000/year ($125,000 total) 
    VAQ Pilot                       $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VAQ NFO                         $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VAW Pilot                       $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VAW NFO                         $15,000/year ($75,000 total) 
    VRC/VRM Pilot                   $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VFA Pilot                       $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VFA NFO                         $15,000/year ($75,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) Pilot                  $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) NFO                    $15,000/year ($75,000 total) 
    VQ(T) Pilot                     $35,000/year ($175,000 total) 
    VQ(T) NFO                       $25,000/year ($125,000 total) 
    Five-year obligation, standard rate: 
    HM Pilot                        $20,000/year ($100,000 total) 
    HSC Pilot                       $20,000/year ($100,000 total) 
    HSM Pilot                       $20,000/year ($100,000 total) 
    VAQ Pilot                       $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VAQ NFO                         $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VAW Pilot                       $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VAW NFO                         $10,000/year ($50,000 total) 
    VRC/VRM Pilot                   $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VFA Pilot                       $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VFA NFO                         $10,000/year ($50,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) Pilot                  $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) NFO                    $10,000/year ($50,000 total) 
    VQ(T) Pilot                     $30,000/year ($150,000 total) 
    VQ(T) NFO                       $20,000/year ($100,000 total) 
    Three-year obligation, standard rate: 
    HM Pilot                        $20,000/year ($60,000 total) 
    HSC Pilot                       $20,000/year ($60,000 total) 
    HSM Pilot                       $20,000/year ($60,000 total) 
    VAQ Pilot                       $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VAQ NFO                         $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VAW Pilot                       $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VAW NFO                         $10,000/year ($30,000 total) 
    VRC/VRM Pilot                   $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VFA Pilot                       $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VFA NFO                         $10,000/year ($30,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) Pilot                  $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VP/VQ(P) NFO                    $10,000/year ($30,000 total) 
    VQ(T) Pilot                     $30,000/year ($90,000 total) 
    VQ(T) NFO                       $20,000/year ($60,000 total) 
 
4.  Additional AvB Information: 
    a.  Officers accepting AC AvB contracts are not precluded from 
participating in the Career Intermission Program (CIP).  Officers interested 
in both AvB and CIP should contact the AvB Program manager and their detailer 
for more information. 
    b.  For further AvB details, eligibility and application procedures, 
visit MyNavy Portal at https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-
Management/Detailing/Officer/Pers-43-Aviation/OCM/AvB-The-Bonus/. 
 
5.  AvB Points of Contact: 
    a.  For application questions, please contact Ms. Melinda Weeden at  
(901) 874-3964, DSN 882-3964, or e-mail melinda.weeden@navy.mil or  
Mr. Paul Boundy at (901) 874-3947, DSN 882-3947, or e-mail 
paul.boundy@navy.mil. 
    b.  For policy questions please contact the AvB Program Manager at  
(901) 874-3484, DSN 882-3484, or e-mail avipandavb@navy.mil. 
 
6.  This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or 31 August 2023, 
whichever occurs first. 
 
7.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// 
 
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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//