A retention incentive program featuring annual bonuses of up to $25,000 for warrant officer pilots assigned to special operations units is set to expire Sept. 30, the end of fiscal 2014.
The 2014 Aviation Continuation Pay program is targeted at Regular Army aviation warrants who are assigned to SOF units, and who have completed the six-year service obligation incurred upon graduation from flight school, but who have not yet completed 25 years of aviation service.
The bonuses are not available to branch commissioned officers, mobilized National Guard and Army Reserve officers or members of the Active Guard and Reserve.
This incentive program is reviewed annually by the Defense Department and there is no guarantee that aviation continuation pay will be offered in the future.
Officers are eligible for ACP four years after they complete the four-year active-duty service obligation incurred upon completion of the special operations aviation initial entry training program.
Pay eligibility begins on the first day of the fifth year of special operation aviation service and ends on the last day of the 10th year of that service.
Applicants for this special pay must:
■ Be entitled to Aviation Career Incentive Pay, which commonly is known as regular flight pay.
■ Be in the grades of chief warrant officer two through chief warrant officer five.
■ Hold a primary military occupational specialty of 152C (OH-6 pilot), 152D (OH-58D pilot), 152F/H (AH-64 pilot), 153D/M UH-60 pilot), 153E (MH-60 pilot), 154C/F CH-47 pilot), 154E (MH-47 pilot), 155A/D/E/F/G (fixed wing pilot), and an additional skill identifier of K4 (special ops aviation), K5 MH-60K pilot) or K6 (MH-47E/G pilot).
■ Be assigned to a special operations aviation flying position and remain in that status for the entire period of the ACP agreement.
Payment levels are:
■ $25,000 annually if signed before the second anniversary of an officer's initial ACP eligibility date. Officers in this category will draw $150,000 in total ACP if they extend their careers by six years.
■ $18,000 annually if signed before the fourth anniversary of an officer's initial ACP eligibility date.
■ $12,000 annually if signed before the fifth anniversary of an officer's initial ACP eligibility date.
For application details and other ACP information, consult MilPer Message 14-278, dated Sept. 24.
