The Space Force is offering a hefty financial incentive for select guardians to reenlist.
The service recently released its fiscal 2024 selective retention bonus list, which specifies which types of guardians qualify for a bonus that maxes out at $180,000 for certain positions.
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Guardians that reenlisted prior to the announcement of the bonus do not qualify.
“The SRB program serves as a retention tool, targeting experienced enlisted personnel in critical career fields, particularly those with lower manning or retention rates,” said a Space Force press release. “Additionally, specialties involving extensive initial skills training and stringent qualification requirements are considered.”
The $180,000 bonus is an increase of $80,000 over previous years, and the career cap for bonuses is set at $360,000, according to the release.
Career fields eligible for the bonus include: cyber operations, defense cyber operations; cyber operations, network operations; cyber operations, RF operations; cyber operations, systems operations; all source analyst; cryptologic analyst; and space systems operations, according to a Air Force spokesperson.
The bonus amount is calculated by taking one month of a guardian’s base pay, multiplying it by the years the guardian is reenlisting for, and then multiplying it by a zone multiplier that’s based on the number of years the guardian has served, as detailed in the table listed below, according to the Department of the Air Force Instruction 36-2606, Reenlistment and Extension of Enlistment.
Zone A is for guardians who have served between 17 months and six years; zone B is for those who have served between six and 10 years; zone C is for those who have served between 10 and 14 years; and zone E is for those who have served between 18 and 20 years.
Guardians can receive the bonus in a lump sum payment or installments.
The Air Force also updated reenlistment guidelines. Guardians now have up 12 months to reenlist before their service term expires, allowing more time to choose whether they seek to return, according to the release.
The Air Force increased its obligated service cap for accepting bonuses from 72 months to 96 months, a change which the Space Force said will allow guardians to maximize their eligible retention bonuses.
The U.S. Space Force was created in 2019, becoming the first new branch of the U.S. military since 1947. The service employed 14,000 service members and civilians in 2023, according to its website.
Riley Ceder is an editorial fellow at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice and human interest stories. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the ongoing Abused by the Badge investigation.
