| BEAR PROGRAM UPDATES | |||||
| The Bonus Extension and Retraining program was updated June 24 for soldiers in overstrength military occupational specialties who retrain and reclassify in a shortage MOS. Soldiers serving under the BEAR program may have up to 24 months of previously obligated, extended service forgiven provided they re-enlist for the Regular Army re-up option within 90 days after graduation from training. | |||||
| Critical Skills Option | |||||
Soldiers who extend under the provisions of the BEAR program and who hold a critical skill (see Table 1) may be entitled to a lump sum bonus as follows: |
|||||
| 12-23 months | 24-35 months | 36-47 months | 48-59 months | 60+ months | |
Zone A |
|||||
| Pfc. | none | $2,500 | $3,500 | $4,500 | $5,000 |
| Spc. | none | $3,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | $6,000 |
| Sgt. | none | $4,000 | $4,500 | $6,000 | $8,000 |
| Staff sgt. | none | $4,500 | $6,000 | $8,000 | $9,500 |
Zone B |
|||||
| Spc. | none | $4,000 | $5,500 | $7,000 | $7,500 |
| Sgt. | none | $5,500 | $6,000 | $8,500 | $10,500 |
| Staff sgt. | none | $6,000 | $8,500 | $10,500 | $12,000 |
Zone C |
|||||
| Spc. | $1,000 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $4,500 |
| Sgt. | $1,500 | $1,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| Staff sgt. | $2,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| Table 1: Critical skills | |||||
| MOS | Description/rank | SRB Zone | |||
| 13R | Field artillery firefinder radar operator (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 14S | Air and missile defense crewmember (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 15J | OH-58D armament/electrical/avionics system repairer (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 21Y | Geospatial engineer (E-3 through E-4)A and B | ||||
| 25E | Electromagnetic spectrum manager (nonpromotable E-6) | A and B | |||
| 25N | Nodal network systems operator-maintainer (E-3 t hrough nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 25P | Microwave systems operator-maintainer (E-3 through promotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 25Q | Multichannel transmission system operator-maintainer (E-3 through promotable E-5) | A, B and C | |||
| 27D | Paralegal specialist (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 31E | Internment/resettlement specialist (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 35M | Human intelligence collector (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 46R | Public affairs broadcast specialist (promotable E-4 through nonpromotable E-5) | A, B and C | |||
| 68W | Health care specialist (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
Special Critical Skills Option |
|||||
| Soldiers who extend under the provisions of the BEAR program and who reclassify to a special critical skill (see Table 2) may be eligible for a bonus as follows: | |||||
| 12-23 months | 24-35 months | 36-47 months | 48-59 months | 60+ months | |
Zone A |
|||||
| Spc. | $6,000 | $8,000 | $10,000 | $12,500 | $16,000 |
| Sgt. | $8,000 | $9,500 | $11,000 | $13,500 | $18,000 |
| Staff sgt. | $9,500 | $11,000 | $13,500 | $17,500 | $20,000 |
Zone B |
|||||
| Spc. | $6,000 | $8,500 | $10,000 | $13,000 | $17,500 |
| Sgt. | $8,000 | $10,000 | $12,000 | $14,000 | $18,500 |
| Staff sgt. | $9,500 | $12,000 | $14,000 | $18,500 | $21,000 |
Zone C |
|||||
| Sgt. | $9,500 | $12,000 | $14,000 | $18,500 | $21,000 |
| Staff sgt. | $11,000 | $16,500 | $17,500 | $23,000 | $27,000 |
Table 2: Special critical skills |
|||||
| MOS | Description/rank | SRB Zone | |||
| 09L | Interpreter/translator (E-5 through E-6) | A, B and C | |||
| 18B | Special Forces weapons specialist (E-4 through E-7)A, B and C | ||||
| 18C | Special Forces engineer sergeant (E-4 through E-7)A, B and C | ||||
| 18D | Special Forces medical sergeant (E-4 through E-7)A, B and C | ||||
| 18E | Special Forces communications sergeant (E-4 through E-7) | A, B and C | |||
| 18F | Special Forces assistant operations and intelligence sergeant (E-7 only) | A, B and C | |||
| 21D | Diver (E-4 only) | A and B | |||
| 21P | Prime power production specialist (E-4 (1) through promotable E-5) | A, B and C | |||
| 25L (ASI J2) | Cable systems installer-maintainer (E-3 through E-5) | A, B and C | |||
| 25S | Satellite communications system-maintainer (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | And and B | |||
| 35H | Common ground station analyst (E-3 through nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 35L | Counterintelligence agent (E-5 through E-6) | A, B and C | |||
| 35N | Signals intelligence analyst (nonpromotable E-4) | A and B | |||
| 35P* | Cryptologic linguist (E-3 through E-6)A, B and C | ||||
| 37F | Psychological operations specialist (E-4 through E-6) | A, B and C | |||
| 38B | Civil affairs specialist (E-5 through E-6) | A, B and C | |||
| 46Q | Public affairs specialist (E-5 through E-6) | A, B and C | |||
| 89D | Explosive ordnance disposal specialist (E-3 through promotable E-4) | A, B and C | |||
| * For soldiers proficient in Arabic, Chinese, French, Indonesian, Persian Farsi, Pushtu, Russian and Spanish. | |||||
| Note #2: Specialist must meet the criteria of the Special MOS Alignment Promotion Program and be a sergeant at the time of re-enlistment. | |||||
Critical Skills Location Option |
|||||
| Soldiers who extend and reclassify under the provisions of the BEAR program may be eligible for a lump-sum bonus listed in Table 3 as follows: | |||||
| 12-23 months | 24-35 months | 36-47 months | 48-59 months | 60+ months | |
Zone A |
|||||
| Pfc. | $1,500 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $6,000 | $9,000 |
| Spc. | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000 | $7,500 | $9,500 |
| Sgt. | $3,000 | $4,000 | $5,000 | $8,000 | $10,000 |
| Staff sgt. | $4,000 | $5,000 | $6,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
Zone B |
|||||
| Spc. | $3,000 | $5,000 | $7,000 | $9,000 | $10,000 |
| Sgt. | $4,000 | $7,000 | $8,000 | $11,000 | $13,500 |
| Staff sgt. | $5,000 | $8,000 | $11,000 | $14,000 | $15,500 |
Zone C |
|||||
| Spc. | $1,000 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $2,500 | $9,500 |
| Sgt. | $1,500 | $1,500 | $2,500 | $3,000 | $10,000 |
| Staff sgt. | $2,000 | $2,000 | $3,000 | $4,000 | $15,000 |
Table 3 |
|||||
| MOS | Location | Rank | SRB Zone | ||
| 68W (SQI F) | At all general support aviaion locations | E-5 only (PMOS 68W only) | A, B and C | ||
| 68W (ASI W1) | Special Operations Command | -3 through E-6 (PMOS 68W w/"P only) | A, B and C | ||
