§309. Special pay: enlistment bonus

(a) Bonus Authorized; Bonus Amount.-A person who enlists in an armed force for a period of at least 2 years may be paid a bonus in an amount not to exceed $20,000. The bonus may be paid in a single lump sum or in periodic installments.

(b) Repayment of Bonus.-(1) A member of the armed forces who voluntarily, or because of the member's misconduct, does not complete the term of enlistment for which a bonus was paid under this section, or a member who is not technically qualified in the skill for which the bonus was paid, if any (other than a member who is not qualified because of injury, illness, or other impairment not the result of the member's misconduct), shall refund to the United States that percentage of the bonus that the unexpired part of member's enlistment is of the total enlistment period for which the bonus was paid.

(2) An obligation to reimburse the United States imposed under paragraph (1) is for all purposes a debt owed to the United States.

(3) A discharge in bankruptcy under title 11 that is entered less than 5 years after the termination of an enlistment for which a bonus was paid under this section does not discharge the person receiving the bonus from the debt arising under paragraph (1).

(c) Relation to Prohibition on Bounties.-The enlistment bonus authorized by this section is not a bounty for purposes of section 514(a) of title 10.

(d) Regulations.-This section shall be administered under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense and by the Secretary of Transportation for the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy.

(e) Duration of Authority.-No bonus shall be paid under this section with respect to any enlistment in the armed forces made after December 31, 2001.

(Added Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title VI, §624(a)(1)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654 , 1654A-152.)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 309, Pub. L. 87–649, Sept. 7, 1962, 76 Stat. 468 , related to authority of Secretary concerned to provide for additional pay for performance of administrative functions by officers of the National Guard and reserve components, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 96–107, title IV, §404(a)(1), (b), Nov. 9, 1979, 93 Stat. 808 , 809, applicable only with respect to administrative functions performed after September 30, 1980.

Effective Date

Pub. L. 106–398, §1 [[div. A], title VI, §624(c)(1)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654 , 1654A-153, provided that: "The amendments made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on October 1, 2000, and apply with respect to enlistments in the Armed Forces made on or after that date."