Corps expands Reserve enlistment bonuses

[unhappycamper]

Corps expands Reserve enlistment bonuses
By John Hoellwarth - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Sep 29, 2007 8:47:20 EDT

The Marine Corps Reserve is looking to attract civilians and prior-service Marines, officers and enlisted troops, and there is cash for everyone willing to affiliate with a drilling unit, according to five MarAdmins released during the last week of September.

Two messages offer affiliation bonuses to active officers and enlisted Marines who agree to join drilling units. Two others offer bonuses to Marines who enlist or re-enlist in the drilling reserve, and another offers automatic corporal and sergeant promotions to those who meet select criteria.

“With these incentives, we would expect around 100 of each, meaning officer and enlisted,” said Maj. Henry Parrish, the officer in charge of promotions, incentives and training for the personnel plans and policies branch of the Corps’ Reserve Affairs division.

Though each of these messages announces the continuation of existing programs, Corps planners have tripled the bonus for prior-service enlisted Marines to $15,000 for joining a drilling unit and expanded eligibility for affiliation bonuses to include Marines who have been off active duty up to three years. Under last year’s policy, bonuses were offered only to officers and enlisted Marines who affiliated within four months of leaving active duty.

Enlisted Marines from corporal to staff sergeant who left active duty under honorable conditions on or after Oct. 1, 2004, could pocket the $15,000 affiliation bonus for joining a drilling unit as soon as fiscal 2008 began on Oct. 1, according to MarAdmin 567/07.

Marines who join under this incentive incur a three-year service obligation, according to the message.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/09/marine_reserve_bonuses_070929/