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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rescinded or superseded.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.//
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