Navy offers up to $280,000 in bonuses to keep reserve aviators

The Navy is offering as much as $280,000 in bonuses over seven years to reserve aviators, in an effort to “retain skilled personnel for critical naval aviation enterprise billets.”

The incentives are part of the Navy’s annual Training and Administration of the Reserve Aviation Department Head Retention program. This year’s bonuses were announced in a Navy Administrative Message, or NAVADMIN, released in late June and are aimed specifically at personnel currently serving as department head billets. Specifically, they are incentives for members of the Training and Administration of the Reserve program, who are Navy Reserve sailors who are serving as full-time active duty in support of training reservists.

“By encouraging these critical pilots and naval flight officers to continue their service, we ensure our force remains proficient, lethal, and ready for any mission,” Lt. Cmdr. James Adams, a spokesperson for Navy Personnel Command, told Task & Purpose.

Under this year’s announced bonuses, new incentives will be paid in three, five or seven annual installments, according to the NAVADMIN, with the lowest bonus being $15,000 per year and the highest being $40,000. That can be awarded annually for seven years, for a $280,000 bonus payout to eligible aviators.

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Eligibility for the bonuses is limited to lieutenant and lieutenant commanders in the reserves who have completed 12 months as the head of an aviation department. Eligible roles include helicopter sea combat pilots, airborne command and control naval flight officers and electronic attack squadron pilot, among a total of 16 jobs.

“By encouraging these critical pilots and naval flight officers to continue their service, we ensure our force remains proficient, lethal, and ready for any mission,” Adams said.

The amount of eligible aviators fluctuates through the year, Adams said, but “the strategic goal of this program isn’t about hitting a specific quota. It’s a proactive talent management tool designed to retain the leadership capability these individuals represent, which is essential for maintaining full-time readiness within the Navy.”

The bonuses are part of a wider effort in the military to keep experienced pilots in the ranks, rather than lose them to potential private sector positions. This spring the Air Force offered as much as $50,000 per year for eligible active-duty pilots serving as air battle managers or as pilots of manned and unmanned aircraft.

All contracts must be received by the Training and Administration of the Reserve Distribution and Augmentation by Aug. 26, the Navy said.

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