The Navy is offering up to $175,000 to officers serving as aviation department heads — doling out roughly the same or smaller amounts to these officers as the service did last year, with a few exceptions.
Those eligible for the bonuses are those selected for lieutenant commander, who then are considered for department head during the Aviation Department Head Screen Board. Those who sign up for a five-year, early commitment — that is, those who submit five-year contracts prior to the publishing of ADHSB results — receive the largest bonuses, while those who sign on for a standard five or three-year obligation receive smaller bonuses.
Pilots in the helicopter mine countermeasure (HM) community who sign on early for a five-year commitment are being offered $35,000 annually — the same rate they were offered last year. Those who sign up for a five-year, standard rate and a three-year commitment are offered $30,000, also the same rate as last year.
Meanwhile, pilots from the helicopter sea combat (HSC) communities who agree early to another five years will receive $25,000 annually — a drop from the $35,000 they received last year. Standard five-year and three-year obligations will receive a $20,000 bonus, no change from last year.
Pilots in the helicopter maritime strike (HSM) community who agree early to another five years will receive $25,000 annually, the same rate they were offered last year. There is also no change this year to the $20,000 these pilots are offered for standard five and three-year commitments.
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Electronic Attack Squadron pilots and naval flight officers are offered $35,000 if they agree early to another five years. That is the same bonus option offered to electronic attack squadron pilots as last year, but is a $10,000 increase. Both pilots and naval flight officers who agree to another five years or three years are slated to receive $30,000 bonuses annually, the same rate electronic attack squadron pilots were offered last year, but a $10,000 increase for naval flight officers.
Additionally, pilots from carrier airborne early warning squadrons are offered $35,000 annual bonuses — a $10,000 increase from last year — provided they agree early for a five-year contract. Annual bonuses of $30,000 are offered to pilots from these squadrons for standard five- and three-year commitments, whereas these pilots were only offered $20,000 for those obligations last year.
Naval flight officers from carrier airborne early warning squadrons (VAW) are offered $15,000 annually for early, five-year commitments, and $10,000 each year for standard five and three-year commitments, just as they were last year.
There are no changes in bonuses for the strike fighter (VFA) community. These pilots and naval flight officers are offered $35,000 and $15,000 each year, respectively, for early five-year commitments. There is also no change in bonuses this year for those who sign on for standard five and three-year contracts; these pilots will receive $30,000 and naval flight officers will receive $10,000 annually.
Likewise, there is no change this year for pilots assigned to patrol and reconnaissance squadrons and pilots assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 based out of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. They are set to receive $35,000 annually if they agree early to a five-year obligation, and $30,000 for standard five and three-year obligations, just like last year.
Meanwhile, naval flight officers from patrol and reconnaissance squadrons and Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 are eligible for a $15,000 annual bonus for an early five-year agreement – a slight bump from the $10,000 they were offered last year. They can also receive $10,000 for a five or three-year agreement, up from the $5,000 they were offered last year.
There is no change in the bonuses offered to pilots and naval flight officers assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 3 and 4 out of Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, who are also eligible for $25,000 and $15,000 annual bonuses respectively for early five-year agreements, along with $20,000 and $10,000 annual bonuses for five and three year contracts, respectively.
Applications for the bonuses close on August 31.
