Navy cuts re-up bonuses

[Nonno]

Navy cuts re-up bonuses | Stars and Stripes

"Thousands of sailors will lose millions of re-enlistment dollars as the Navy makes drastic changes to its Selective Reenlistment Bonus program next month.

The Navy announced the revamped bonus levels in a fleetwide message last week, listing changes to hundreds of job specialties across three enlistment zones that range from the first-term sailor to those with up to 14 years of service.

The change affects more than 33,000 sailors. The SRB budget was cut by $45 million from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2009, according to Navy Personnel Command officials.

In all, 446 SRBs were decreased or eliminated. A handful of job specialty ratings maintained their current bonus levels, and 69 job bonuses went up. Those increases were primarily in nuclear engineering, ballistic missile defense, computer and special warfare.

Individuals in those specialties can receive as much as $90,000 for a single bonus, particularly in the nuclear engineering field. But even those bonuses might be reduced by October.

"Because this is a market-based bonus, and because we’re in unprecedented times, it’s expected additional award levels revisions will occur this fiscal year," according to Navy Personnel Command."

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Nonno

Navy cuts re-up bonuses | Stars and Stripes

"Thousands of sailors will lose millions of re-enlistment dollars as the Navy makes drastic changes to its Selective Reenlistment Bonus program next month.

How can one "lose" what one doesn't have yet?

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by Pete

How can one "lose" what one doesn't have yet?

Picture say two E-5 sailors, identical in rank and both currently eligible for SRB in upcoming re-enlistments, one a month before the other. But let's say that the cut in SRB occurs between the first's enlistment and the second's. That second sailor is screwed, isn't he. He WAS entitled and had anticipated getting it, until the cut. So he basically lost it.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Dondi

Picture say two E-5 sailors, identical in rank and both currently eligible for SRB in upcoming re-enlistments, one a month before the other. But let's say that the cut in SRB occurs between the first's enlistment and the second's. That second sailor is screwed, isn't he. He WAS entitled and had anticipated getting it, until the cut. So he basically lost it.

You are aware that SRB changes are announced in advance of the changes to allow for people to make decisions right?

You are aware dates you can re-enlist before your enlistment runs out vary right? You can re-enlist early if you want.

You realize that you are not "entitled" to jack####, you may "qualify" for SRB based on rate/creo at the time of re-enlistment but you are not "entitled" to anything other than base pay and 3 squares, hence the "B" in "SRB" meaning "bonus".

You realize SRB multiples are continually reviewed and change periodically based on manning levels and rate/rating weaknesses and shortfalls right?

[oldman]

I wouldn't cry about this. In 1965 I reenlisted for 6 years off the coast of Viet Nam and got, tax free, a grand total of $1,500. I will admit though that it paid half of what my new car cost at the time. I reenlisted not for the money but for the fact it was my chosen life and my duty to the Country.

[onebdzee]

Correct me if I am wrong....but, aren't a lot of the jobs that are being cut in the military going to contractors instead?

My 20 yr old is currently changing his MOS because the Army is doing away with the "culinary arts" MOS and they are changing it all over to contract

[Pete]

Originally Posted by onebdzee

Correct me if I am wrong....but, aren't a lot of the jobs that are being cut in the military going to contractors instead?

My 20 yr old is currently changing his MOS because the Army is doing away with the "culinary arts" MOS and they are changing it all over to contract

Could be, could be the skill is being absorbed into another MOS, could be the skill is not required anymore or it could be more cost effective to outsource.

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by Pete

How can one "lose" what one doesn't have yet?

Same way a budget increase of 5% being reduced to a budget increase of 4% is a budget cut to the democrats.

[Nonno]

Originally Posted by onebdzee

Correct me if I am wrong....but, aren't a lot of the jobs that are being cut in the military going to contractors instead?

My 20 yr old is currently changing his MOS because the Army is doing away with the "culinary arts" MOS and they are changing it all over to contract

Does that mean the Army will no longer have cooks?

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by Nonno

Does that mean the Army will no longer have cooks?

No. Army will still have cooks, they just won't be soldiers. They will be contractors making more $$ than the soldiers they are cooking for.