# Enlistment Bonus Question



## Flex1510 (Sep 17, 2008)

Hello, I will be graduating with a bachelor's degree next month and have a question for those of you who are/ were in the National Guard or Army Reserves. I have always wanted to join the military and have lately been leaning towards the Guard/ Reserves. However, in six months I will have a significant amount of loans to start paying off which may put a wrench in my plans. My question is this, do you get the bonus that I always hear people talking about up front, or is that paid out over the course of your enlistment? I figured I would ask here before meeting with a recruiter. Thanks.


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## Beowolf (Jan 27, 2006)

It depends on your MOS and the need for same. Some have high bonuses up to 20K i think depending on the enlistments. Check w/ a recruiter who enlists officers for more info

Good luck,


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## HELPMe (Dec 17, 2004)

my brother did armor and got a 20k sign on bonus. Its up to MOS and where they need bodies. Also your ASVAB comes into play. Why not just do OCS if you already have a degree?


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## WaterPistola (Nov 4, 2007)

Navy Security/Police gets a 40k bonus...or at least that's what they say


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## PearlOnyx (Jun 28, 2002)

Flex,

Use caution. If you are going in to the Guard with a degree, and are trying to go officer through 09S or some other program, the bonus' are significantly different than the regular enlistment bonus. Currently, under the tradtiaional guard OCS program (09S), there is no enlistment bonus per se, but a $6000K acession bonus when you meet your OCS requirements. Also, no student loan repayment for officers, just the GI Bill. That being said, you need to chose your path and decide what your motivating factors are when choosing whether to go enlisted or commissioned.


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## HELPMe (Dec 17, 2004)

WaterPistola said:


> Navy Security/Police gets a 40k bonus...or at least that's what they say


you mean Master-At-Arms. There is no such MOS as Navy Police. Unless your a DOD Cop but that isnt a branch of service.


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

While I can only speak for the Army Reserve, it's not like you sign on the line and they hand you money.

The standard schedule for the common "6 and 2" initial Reserve enlistment works like this: You get 50% after completing basic training and AIT, 20% at 2 years, and 30% on at 4 years.

The bonus amounts vary wildly depending on the needs of the Army, your ASVAB score, previous brushes with the law, and the nature and difficulty in retention/enlisting into certain crucial MOS's. 

I say ASVAB score for two reasons: First, you must score above 50% on the ASVAB to even be bonus eligable at all. Second, usually the specialties that have the highest bonuses usually require high ASVAB and GT scores anyways. I say brushes with the law becuase these same specialites also almost always require a security clearance.

Historically since 9/11, MP bonues have been fairly high. Recently I've heard numbers in the $20,000-25,000 range thrown out there for eligable 6/2 reserve enlistees, and probably more for active duty enlistees. Other specialties include intel and other jobs which are both in high need and highly specialized. Plus, if you choose to stay in, retention bonuses for highly specialized MOS's will be more as well.

As far as your loans go, they have separate loan repayment programs (usually about $10k) that you can also qualify for, though the specifics of which I'm not well versed in. Note though, that they also don't just give you the entire amount and say "here, pay off your loan". Instead, they doll it out slowly so that to use the entire amount, you actually have to do quite a few years past your intial enlistment. 

On a side note, if you've almost got a bachelor's degree, I'd at least give some serious consideration to becoming an officer. If you insist on enlisting in the Army, you could go right in as an E-4 specialist. Just make sure you push the recruiter--you need to do your research, because they don't just tell you about these things, you need to seek them out and make sure they know you know. 

Just like buying a used car, but you can't sell your enlistment in two years if you don't like the color.


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## TacEntry (Nov 29, 2006)

Aside from the Enlistment Bonus, you now get up to 20K in Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP).


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## Duff112 (Apr 14, 2006)

Although I have never had the honor and pleasure of serving our great nation in the armed forces doesn't it make sense that bonuses (At least in the amounts they are talking about now) are going the way of the "Dodo Bird" with the state of the economy, jobless numbers and the fact that all of the branches of the armed services are meeting their recruitment quotas?

Someone in the know might be better in educatiing me on this???


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## OfficerObie59 (Sep 14, 2007)

Duff112 said:


> Although I have never had the honor and pleasure of serving our great nation in the armed forces doesn't it make sense that bonuses (At least in the amounts they are talking about now) are going the way of the "Dodo Bird" with the state of the economy, jobless numbers and the fact that all of the branches of the armed services are meeting their recruitment quotas?
> 
> Someone in the know might be better in educatiing me on this???


All branches may be making their quotas, but that doesn't mean all specialties (MOS's) are as well.

Say you get a kid who comes in to MEPS and scores off the charts on the ASVAB, but he has his heart set on bing an infantryman. The bonuses help steer this kid into say, satellite telecommunications, where his intellect may be better utilized.

Read my previous posts. Not everyone gets bonues, and most of the ones that do, well, they're not that much. Like I said, certain specialties like MP have be hurting ever since 9/11. The very fact that I know of MP's getting pulled from the IRR within the past couple months means that need is still pretty heavy.



TacEntry said:


> Aside from the Enlistment Bonus, you now get up to 20K in Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP).


 Very good. I stand corrected.


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## WaterPistola (Nov 4, 2007)

sorry I DID mean Master of Arms, it's been a while since I saw that bonus amount.


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## Flex1510 (Sep 17, 2008)

OK, thank you for all the responses.


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## Hawk19 (Jan 9, 2009)

OfficerObie59 said:


> All branches may be making their quotas, but that doesn't mean all specialties (MOS's) are as well.


Are they? According to Time (not exactly unbiased) there have been more than a few suicides among the recruitment officers, supposedly driven by the incredible pressure they're under to recruit more successfully.

Why Are Army Recruiters Killing Themselves? - TIME


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## TRPDiesel (Nov 28, 2008)

I have spoken to a couple of people recently and the bonuses are drying up and the waiver's to get in are not as readily available. So $hit or get off the pot if you still have one in your contract before they get you for "free"


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