A special bonus program that allows soldiers in overstrength specialties to migrate to military occupational specialties with better promotion and career opportunities has been updated by the Army.
Under changes to the MOS Conversion Bonus (MOS-CB) program that are now in effect, Regular Army soldiers in the ranks of staff sergeant and below can earn lump-sum cash bonuses of $2,000 or $4,000 if they retrain and reclassify into one of five specialties that have good career prospects for the future.
The MOS-CB complements the Special MOS Alignment Promotion Program (SMAPP), last updated in June, which features accelerated promotions to sergeant and staff sergeant, for soldiers who retrain and reclassify to priority specialties.
Soldiers who are reclassifying to an MOS-CB specialty that also is in the SMAPP program are eligible for the bonus level to which they are promoted upon completion of retraining.
The specialties included in these programs are "by application" MOS, meaning they have rigorous application criteria, to include a security clearance screening.
Specialties included in the Oct. 26 update to the MOS-CB are 25D (cyber network defender), 29E (electronic warfare specialist), 35L (counterintelligence agent), 79R (recruiter) and 79S (career counselor).
Applicants for reclassification not only must be in the rank of non-promotable staff sergeant or below, but meet the eligibility requirements established by the MOS proponent.
Cyber network defender is one of the Army's newest, and hottest, jobs.
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Also, at the time an application is approved, soldiers cannot have more than 12 years of service, and must have completed all service obligations incurred as a result of accepting an enlistment, re-enlistment or retention bonus.
Soldiers who are eligible for a Selective Retention Bonus as a result of their MOS transfer must choose between the SRB and the MOS-CB bonus.
Federal law and regulations do not allow soldiers to receive dual bonuses for the same period of service.
Soldiers who participate in this program must agree to serve at least 36 months of continuous active duty upon award of the new MOS.
For specific program details, to include the availability of training seats, soldiers should contact their servicing career counselor.
Career counselors also can assist soldiers in determining if they are eligible for accelerated promotions under the SMAPP program.
Specialties included in the June update to SMAPP are:
Promotion to sergeant
MOS 31D, Criminal Investigation Command (CID) special agent, a military police specialty for soldiers who investigate criminal allegations and offenses against the Army, including felony-level crimes, espionage, treason and terrorism.
MOS 35L, counterintelligence agent, a military intelligence specialty for soldiers who conduct, or assist in conducting, counterintelligence surveys and investigations to detect, identify, assess, counter, exploit and neutralize threats to the Army and national security.
MOS 29E, electronic warfare specialist, a high-tech specialty for soldiers who use electromagnetic energy to determine, exploit, reduce or prevent hostile use of the electromagnetic spectrum.
MOS 12P, prime power production specialist, an engineer MOS for soldiers who work with power generation and distribution systems for theater commanders.
Promotion to staff sergeant
MOS 51C, acquisition, logistics and technology contracting NCO, a specialty for soldiers who provide operational and contingency contracting support to deployed forces and Defense Department agencies.
MOS 25D, cyber network defender, a signal MOS being transitioned to the new Cyber branch. Soldiers must be conditionally accepted by the Signal Center of Excellence before taking the 25D in-service screening test.
MOS 25E, electromagnetic spectrum manager, a signal MOS for soldiers who develop, produce and distribute the signal operating instructions for units.
