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February 18,
2005
[Have an opinion about the issues discussed in this article?
Sound
off in our Discussion Boards.]
By Sandra Jontz,
Stars and Stripes, European Edition
The U.S.
Navy added seven ratings to its extensive list of jobs for which
sailors can collect the Selective Re-enlistment Bonus if they commit
to stay Navy.
Added to the list of 70 ratings are quartermaster, cryptologic technician
technical, engineman, damage controlman, hull technician and some
aviation boatswain’s mate ratings. Some of the bonuses are tied
to how long the sailor has been in the Navy. (See list at bottom
of story.)
Eligibility in the newly added ratings was effective Feb. 1.
While the maximum payout for the added ratings is a $45,000 bonus
for a six-year commitment, not all sailors who re-enlist will qualify
for the top payout, said Lt. Kyle Raines, Navy Personnel Command
spokesman.
“Two [cryptologists] might get slightly different bonuses based
on when they came in, what their current pay is, and the multiple
for that rating,” Raines said, referring to a figure assigned to
each rating and zone that personnel officials use to calculate bonus
payouts.
The complete list of eligible ratings and the “multiple” by which
officials calculate payouts is posted on a Navy Web site (Click
here).
Re-enlistment bonuses provide incentive for sailors, said Petty
Officer 2nd Class Heidi Davis, 32, a cryptologist assigned to the
USS La Salle, the former flagship of the Navy’s 6th Fleet.
The bonuses make the targeted work forces stronger by letting “the
Navy hang on to people with the skills and experience, and motivates
others to get training and be an asset to the Navy as well,” said
Davis, a sailor for nearly six years.
On the flip side, the Navy has eliminated some jobs that once qualified
for the SRB and decreased the bonus payout levels for 31 others,
Raines said.
The decreases go into effect March 3, so sailors eligible to re-enlist
will want to do so now before the payouts decrease next month, he
said.
“The SRB program is another example of our Human Capital Strategy’s
aim to ensure we have the right sailors, with the right skills,
in the right jobs and this program helps us achieve that goal,”
the chief of naval personnel, Vice Adm. Gerry Hoewing, said in a
statement. “It is a flexible incentive for the Navy to encourage
retention in ratings where skilled sailors are needed and in turn
provides those sailors with greater financial compensation.”
Additions to bonus program
The Navy has added seven ratings to its Selective Re-enlistment
Bonus program. Some of the bonuses are tied to the amount of time
sailors are in the Navy.
Zone A are sailors with less than six years of service; zone B between
six and 10 years of service; zone C from 10 to 14 years of service.
The re-enlistments:
- Quartermasters in zones A, B and C
- Cryptologic technician technical, zones B and C
- Aviation boatswain’s mate fuel, zone A
- Aviation boatswain’s mate handling, zone A
- Engineman, zone A
- Damage controlman, zone A
- Hull technicians, zone A
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