The Air Force has also announced the aviator retention pay amounts and eligibility requirements for fiscal 2016.
In a news release, Brig. Gen. Brian Kelly, director of military force management policy, said that the biggest change this year will be to allow 11X manned aircraft pilots, whose undergraduate pilot training active-duty service commitments are due to expire in fiscal 2017, to sign up for an early-enrollment aviator retention pay bonus that would be paid out this year. Previous early-enrollment bonuses were paid the year pilots' commitments expired, not the year they signed up for the bonus.
Those pilots signing up for early enrollment would get $25,000 for each year they extend their service — $125,000 for a five-year extension or as much as $225,000 for an up to nine-year extension, or until they reach 20 years of aviation service.
They also could choose to get half their retention pay up front.
11X pilots whose commitments expire this year also are eligible for the five-year $125,000 or up to nine-year $225,000 bonuses. And those pilots whose commitments expired in previous years are eligible for smaller bonuses worth $15,000 per year, or $75,000 to $135,000.
Also:
- Manned aircraft pilots in the 11X field who transition to the 11U remotely piloted aircraft field can get $125,000 for a five-year extension to as much as $225,000 for an up to nine-year extension.
- RPA combat systems officers (12U) and air battle managers (13U) can get $25,000 per year for five-year commitments, with half the amount paid up front.
- 12F fighter combat systems officers and 12H rescue CSOs can get $15,000 per year for five or up to nine years, or $75,000 to $135,000.
- Some pilots, who signed up for an aviator retention pay contract extensions last year, could also accept an agreement this year that will commit them until they reach 20 years of aviation service.
- 11X pilots who are "uncommitted," meaning their undergraduate flying training commitment expired before fiscal 2016 or they completed 11 years of aviation service before fiscal 2016, could be eligible to receive bonuses of $15,000 per year, or $75,000 for a five-year extension to as much as $135,000 for an up to nine-year extension.
To be eligible for aviator retention pay, officers must be lieutenant colonels or below, qualified for operational flying duty and receiving monthly flight pay.
The Air Force said that airmen applying for these bonus programs would likely get their first payments within three weeks of their application's final approval and processing by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
