CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// 
ROUTINE 
R 101549Z OCT 23 MID600053384046U 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC 
TO NAVADMIN 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC 
BT 
UNCLAS 
 
NAVADMIN 242/23 
 
PASS TO OFFICE CODES: 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// 
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/OCT// 
 
SUBJ/RENEWAL AND RESTRUCTURING OF EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL WARFARE OFFICER 
RETENTION BONUS// 
 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/191432ZAUG20// 
REF/B/DOC/U.S.C.// 
REF/C/DOC/DOD/11JUL16// 
REF/D/DOC/ASN MRA/26JUL23// 
REF/E/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/2DEC22// 
REF/F/DOC/DOD/APR21// 
 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 232/20, EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL WARFARE OFFICER 
RETENTION BONUS.   
REF B IS TITLE 37, U.S. CODE, PAY AND ALLOWANCES OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.   
REF C IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1304.34, GENERAL BONUS AUTHORITY 
FOR OFFICERS. 
REF D IS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS), 
EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL WARFARE OFFICER RETENTION BONUS AUTHORIZATION.   
REF E IS MILPERSMAN 1210-230, EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL OFFICER.   
REF F IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION 7000.14.// 
 
RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces the renewal and restructuring of the 
explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) warfare officer retention bonus (ORB) for 
qualified EOD officers.  This NAVADMIN supersedes reference (a). 
 
2.  Program Authority.  This bonus is authorized under section 332 of 
reference (b) and references (c) and (d).  All applications for this bonus 
will be submitted to the EOD officer community manager (OCM) (BUPERS-311E) 
for approval, payment processing and tracking. 
 
3.  Program Overview.  This message summarizes the provisions of the EOD 
ORB.  All information provided herein is applicable to Active Component (AC) 
personnel only.  The following general summary is provided: 
    a.  Qualified LTs will be offered the opportunity to commit to a 
4-year or 2-year agreement starting at the completion of their 6th 
year of commissioned service (YCS) or completion of the initial 
service obligation incurred in line with reference (e), whichever 
occurs last.  The period of obligated service may begin no later 
than completion of 90 months of commissioned service (7.5 years). 
An additional 2-year agreement will be offered at the completion of 
8 YCS but may begin no earlier than the completion of the obligated 
service from the first LT bonus. 
    b.  Qualified LCDR will be offered the opportunity to commit to 
a 4-year or 2-year agreement starting at the completion of 10 YCS or 
completion of the period of obligated service from any previous 
retention bonus, whichever occurs last. The period of obligated 
service may begin no later than completion of 12 YCS.  An additional 
2-year bonus will be offered and may begin no earlier than the 
completion of the obligated service from the first LCDR bonus and no 
later than 6 months after that date. 
    c.  References (b) and (c) limit career retention bonus payments 
to $300,000 for AC officers. 
 
4.  Program Eligibility 
    a.  LT EOD ORB: 
        (1) Unrestricted line (URL) officers (Designator 1140) who qualified 
EOD warfare officer by the completion of 6 YCS and EOD department head by 
eight YCS, awarded the additional qualification designators (AQD) of KG5 and 
KG0. 
        (2) Completed 6 years of commissioned service for the 4-year or 
initial 2-year bonus. 
(3) Completed 8 years of commissioned service for the second 2-year bonus. 
        (4) Completed any service commitment incurred in line with 
reference (e). 
        (5) Medically and physically qualified for assignment to sea duty. 
    b.  LCDR EOD ORB: 
        (1) URL officers (Designator 1140) that qualified EOD warfare officer 
and EOD department head, awarded the AQDs of KG5 and KG0. 
        (2) Completed 10 years of commissioned service or completion of the 
period of obligated service from any previous retention bonus. 
        (3) Medically and physically qualified for assignment to sea duty. 
    c.  Career Intermission Program (CIP).  An officer participating in CIP 
will be ineligible to receive ORB payments during the intermission 
period.  Payments will resume upon return to service and in line with the 
payment structure of the ORB agreement. 
 
5.  Program Execution 
    a.  The EOD Warfare OCM (BUPERS-311E) is assigned as the program manager 
and is delegated the authority to administer the EOD ORB program in line with 
applicable laws, Department of Defense directives and instructions, and this 
NAVADMIN. 
    b.  BUPERS-311E will receive applications submitted in the format 
referenced in paragraph 7 and is delegated the authority to: 
        (1) Evaluate the eligibility of EOD officers applying for the EOD 
ORB. 
        (2) Accept agreements to remain on Active Duty for the stated period 
in exchange for an EOD ORB. 
        (3) Administer ORB payments. 
    c.  All applications require written endorsement from the commanding 
officer of the applicant. 
    d.  Service Members will receive their initial bonus amount upon 
agreement acceptance and then in annual anniversary payments through the term 
of the agreement. 
    e.  Upon acceptance of an agreement by the program manager, the amount of 
the bonus becomes fixed and the officer will incur a firm service obligation. 
    f.  ORB requests for personnel who are being processed for officer 
designation removal or restoration will be held in abeyance, pending final 
resolution of the action in question. 
    g.  Annual LT ORB contract quotas will be based on LCDR requirements for 
the EOD officer community and special and incentive pay funding controls.   
Annual LCDR ORB contract quotas will be based on CDR requirements for the EOD 
officer community, as well as special and incentive pay funding controls.  If 
more officers apply than available funded contracts, the program manager and 
EOD community leadership will determine the approval criteria. 
    h.  All commanding officers (CO) shall encourage qualified officers to 
submit applications for EOD ORB and must endorse all requests in writing.   
Commands must ensure applications are accurate and verify applicants meet the 
eligibility requirements, including no pending actions which may render an 
applicant ineligible for the EOD ORB.  Application delays increase the 
likelihood that the community quotas will be met before an application is 
received. 
    i.  Officers under an ORB agreement are not eligible to apply for the 
Permanent Military Instructor (PMI) Program, or any redesignation program 
that results in a designator change to any designator other than 1140.  An 
officer under an ORB agreement may submit an application for PMI or any 
redesignation programs once the date of application is within 12 months of 
the final day of bonus obligation. 
 
6.  Payment Structure 
    a.  LT EOD ORB: 
        (1) 4-year ($72K) is offered to eligible EOD warfare officers 
(warfare qualified (KG5)) at completion of 56 YCS and will require the 
completion of EOD department head qualified (KG0) by completion of 8 YCS. 
        (2) 2-year bonus at completion of 6 YCS for ($12.5K/annual) and will 
be offered another 2-year bonus at 8 YCS for an additional ($12.5K/annual) or 
$50K over 4 years.  The 4-year and 2-year (if both 2-year contracts are 
taken) bonuses commit officers through 10 YCS. 
    b.  LCDR EOD ORB: 
        (1) 4-year ($100K) is offered to eligible EOD warfare officers at 
completion of 10 YCS. 
        (2) 2-year bonus at completion of 10 YCS for ($15K/annual) and will 
be offered another 2-year bonus at completion of 12 YCS for an additional 
($15K/annual) or $60K over four years.  The 4-year and 2-year (if both 2-year 
contracts are taken) bonuses commit officer through 14 YCS. 
        (3) LCDRs in year groups (YG) 12 to 16 that are under the legacy ORB 
will be in ineligible to sign a 4-year contract at the completion of 10 YCS 
due to the previous EOD ORB agreement. 
However, they will be offered a 4-year, $100K contract at the completion of 
obligated service from any previous retention bonus and no later than the 
completion of 12 YCS. 
    c.  EOD ORB agreement obligations will run consecutively in line with 
reference (c). 
    d.  In line with reference (f), retention bonuses are considered special 
pay and will be distributed according to election percent under traditional 
thrift savings plan (TSP) and roth TSP in MyPay. 
 
7.  Application Process 
    a.  Officers within one year of eligibility may apply for the EOD ORB via 
their CO.  Officers must submit a copy of the signed original contract and CO 
endorsement by email to the BUPERS-311E. 
    b.  General Notes: 
        (1) Sample application format for EOD ORB can be found on the EOD OCM 
webpage by first visiting MyNavy Portal at 
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Community-
Management/Officer/Active-OCM/Unrestricted-Line/EOD-Warfare-OCM/Resources/ 
        (2) Applications will be held until payment eligibility date. 
        (3) Applications will be binding upon the date of approval. 
        (4) Applications received in the incorrect format or not meeting 
eligibility requirements defined in this NAVADMIN will be rejected. 
 
8.  Recoupment and Repayment Policy 
    a.  EOD ORB payments will be stopped for officers who become ineligible 
for this incentive or fail to complete the full period of additional 
obligated service.  Situations requiring recoupment are in line with 
reference (b) section 373, reference (c) and reference (f). 
    b.  If an officer becomes ineligible for EOD ORB for any of the reasons 
below, payments will stop, but recoupment of payments already received will 
not be required: 
        (1)  Disability, injury or illness not the result of misconduct or 
willful neglect, or not incurred during a period of unauthorized absence. 
        (2)  Separation from the naval service by operation of laws or 
regulations independent of misconduct. 
        (3)  Death (See subparagraph c below). 
        (4)  Where the Secretary of the Navy determines repayment would be 
against equity and good conscience or would be contrary to the best interests 
of the United States. 
    c.  For officers who die while serving under an EOD ORB service 
agreement, the remaining EOD ORB balance will be paid as a lump sum as part 
of the settlement of the final military pay account for the officer.  If 
death is determined to be the result of misconduct by the member, termination 
of future payments and recoupment of unearned portions of the bonus, as 
applicable, will be made in line with procedures established for Service 
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 EOD ORB are 
available at the MyNavy HR website. 
 
10.  The point of contact is LCDR Matthew Guido, EOD Officer Community 
Manager, BUPERS-311E, at (901)874-4991/DSN 882. 
 
11.  Released by Vice Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman, Jr., N1.// 
 
BT 
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CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//