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Officer incentives should roll out Monday

A new menu of officer incentives that includes a $20,000 retention bonus for captains should be ready for fielding about May 15, according to Army personnel officials.

The incentives menu will be targeted at Regular Army captains in selected branches who have O-3 dates of rank of Aug. 1, 2005, through Jan. 1, 2007.

Qualified officers will be able to select one of five incentive options. Those are:

• $20,000 critical skills retention bonus.

• Graduate school.

• Post of choice.

• Branch of choice.

• Military training such as Ranger School or language training.

Members of the Nurse Corps and Medical Service Corps will be limited to the cash bonus while officers in the following line branches will be allowed to select from the entire menu: Air Defense, Adjutant General, Armor, Chemical, Engineer, Field Artillery, Finance, Infantry, Military Intelligence, Military Police, Ordnance, Transportation and Signal.

The Office of the G-1 at the Pentagon and the officer directorate of the Human Resources Command are developing specific eligibility rules and application procedures.

The bonus is believed to be the first ever offered to commissioned Army officers on a wide scale.

The special incentive comes at a time when the service is increasing end strength by 35,000 soldiers, and is expected to face a serious officer manning challenge for at least the next five years.