FY23 AVIATION BONUS

MARADMINS : 610/22

R 221630Z NOV 22 MARADMIN 610/22 MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP// SUBJ/FY23 AVIATION BONUS (AVB)// REF/A/MSGID: DOC/SECNAV/06FEB2018// REF/B/MSGID: MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP/061432ZNOV17// REF/C/MSGID: MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP/061820ZJUL18// REF/D/MSGID: MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP/111457ZJUL19// REF/E/MSGID: MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP/081735ZSEP20// REF/F/MSGID: MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP/071431ZOCT21// REF/G/MSGID: DOC/OMB CIRCULAR A-94/-// REF/H/MSGID: DOC/DOD FMR 7000.14-R/-// NARR/ REF (A) IS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY INSTRUCTION 7220.88, AVIATION INCENTIVE PAYS AND BONUS PROGRAM. REF (B) IS MARADMIN 614/17, FY18 AVIATION BONUS (AVB). REF (C) IS MARADMIN 382/18, FY19 AVIATION BONUS (AVB). REF (D) IS MARADMIN 388/19, FY20 AVIATION BONUS (AVB). REF (E) IS MARADMIN 514/20, FY21 AVIATION BONUS (AVB). REF (F) IS MARADMIN 534/21, FY22 AVIATION BONUS (AVB). REF (G) IS OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET CIRCULAR A-94 TRANSMITTAL MEMO NUMBER 64. REF (H) IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION.// POC/R. ESTREMADURA/GYSGT/CMC MMOA-2/-/TEL: DSN 278-9267// POC/M. STOLZENBERG/LTCOL/CMC MPP-30/-/TEL: DSN 278-9366// GENTEXT/REMARKS/ 1. Purpose. The purpose of this MARADMIN is to provide information on the Marine Corps Aviation Bonus (AvB) Program for FY23. Reference(a) provides the legal authority for the AvB Program. 2. Background. The AvB is a special pay utilized to increase the community stability of the aviation officer population. The program provides a proactive, short-term incentive for aviation officers in certain grades and communities with current or forecasted shortfalls as well as to those communities that help mitigate the overall pilot shortfall. Contract lengths and monetary amounts are set based on current and projected aviation officer community health. The AvB will be offered to Marine aviation officers who meet eligibility requirements defined in paragraph 3. 3. Eligibility Requirements. To receive the AvB, officers must meet the following non-waiverable criteria during the effective dates of the FY23 AvB Program: a. Be qualified to perform operational flying duty and maintain a current medical up-chit. Exceptions will apply only to those aviators who are medically disqualified from flight status due to conditions, such as pregnancy or temporary downing for a broken bone, from which a medical professional attests that they are sure to recover and return to an up status. b. Be eligible for Aviation Incentive Pay (AvIP) at the time of application. c. Have less than 14 years commissioned service (YCS) at time of contract start date. d. Aviation officers with 7532, 7563, 7565, or 7566 PMOS need to be complete with or will complete, by the end of FY23 (30 Sep 2023), their Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC) incurred for undergraduate aviation training. Aviation officers with 7509, 7518, 7523, 7556 or 7557 PMOS need to be complete with or will complete, by the end of FY24 (30 Sep 2024), their ADSC incurred for undergraduate aviation training. The ADSC for Naval Flight Officer to Naval Aviator transitions is based on their aviator undergraduate aviation training. e. Agree to remain on active duty as a Marine Corps aviator for the defined contract term. f. Maintain one of the following primary Military Occupational Specialties (MOS): 7509 (AV-8 Pilot) 7518 (F-35 Pilot) 7523 (F/A-18 Pilot) 7532 (MV-22 Pilot) 7556 (KC-130 Co-Pilot) 7557 (KC-130 Pilot) 7563 (UH-1 Pilot) 7565 (AH-1 Pilot) 7566 (CH-53 Pilot) g. Applicants must be recommended for the AvB by an endorsement from their Commanding Officer (or the first O-5 or above in applicant’s chain of command) and receive final approval from Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) (MMOA-2). h. Submit application to CMC (MMOA-2) no later than 1 Jun 23. Late applications will not be accepted. i. Captains who have previously failed selection to the rank of Major are ineligible. Those Captains may apply if subsequently selected for Major. j. Must be in and remain in the Active Component. k. Aviators under a current officer service obligation for inter-service transfer (IST) are not eligible for AvB and may not apply until completion of IST ADSC. 4. Prior Aviation Bonus Takers. Individuals with a MOS of 7563, 7565, or 7566 and contracted for a lesser amount on a previous bonus may apply for the FY23 AvB higher amount per reference (a) as long as they meet the criteria in paragraph 3. Example: a 7565 applied for the FY22 AvB amount of $10k for 4 years of obligated service. That individual meets the eligibility criteria for the FY23 AvB and may apply for the amount of $20k for 4 years of obligated service or $25k for 5 years of obligated service. All other individuals currently under a previous AvB contract are not eligible for the FY23 AvB; however individuals who have completed a prior AvB contract obligation are eligible. 5. Aviation Transition/Conversion. Aviation personnel undergoing transition or conversion training will be eligible for AvB if they meet the requirements in paragraph 3, once they have completed the applicable FRS and obtained a PMOS listed in paragraph 3.f. 6. Payment Provisions. The FY23 AvB opportunities can be broken down into two categories (based on MOS and YCS on contract start date, as defined in paragraph 6f). Start date for calculating YCS is date accepted first commission (DAFC). a. Category 1: (MOS: 7509, 7518, 7523, 7556 and 7557) (1) Less than 12 YCS 72-Month Contract Length for 210,000 dollars 48-Month Contract Length for 100,000 dollars (2) Less than 14 YCS but greater than 12 YCS 60-Month Contract Length for 175,000 dollars 48-Month Contract Length for 100,000 dollars b. Category 2: (MOS: 7532, 7563, 7565, 7566) (1) Less than 12 YCS 60-Month Contract Length for 125,000 dollars (2) Less than 14 YCS but greater than or equal to 12 YCS 48-Month Contract Length for 80,000 dollars c. These amounts will be paid out in equal annuities over the length of the contract. For example, an AV-8B pilot with less than 12 YCS, with a 72-month contract will receive six equal payments of 35,000 dollars. d. Contract lengths will be 48, 60, and 72 months beginning on the contract start date. e. Contract start date is defined as: Date of application package approved by MMOA-2 or ADSC completion date, whichever is latest. f. Incomplete application package submission, packages requiring resubmission, or submission of excess information, beyond the requirements, may result in a processing delay and could result in a delay of contract start date. 7. Payment and Repayment Provisions a. Officers shall be required to repay the unearned portion of prepaid amounts on a pro-rated basis in the following circumstances: (1) Involuntary separation from active duty or discharge within the related contract extension time. (2) Loss of designation as a naval aviator (except as specified in para 7b). (3) Termination of AvIP entitlement (except as specified in para 7b). (4) Medical incapacitation or physical disability resulting from misconduct, gross negligence, or incurred during a period of unauthorized absence. (5) Separation or dismissal for cause, resignation in lieu of court martial, or resignation in lieu of processing from administrative separation. (6) Involuntary separation from military service by operation of law, or involuntary separation by operation of military service or policy. b. Officers will not be required to repay the unearned portion of prepaid amounts of AvB if eligibility is terminated in the following circumstances: death or disability, including medical grounding or suspension, which is not the result of misconduct, willful negligence, and not resulting from a period of unauthorized absence. c. An officer may only be released from their service obligation upon approval by CMC (MP). 8. Provisions for re-application following termination of eligibility. Officers whose eligibility for AvB is terminated may re-apply, prior to 1 Jun 23, once returned to a status that allows that individual to meet the eligibility requirements in paragraph 3. Officers re-applying under this circumstance will be approved only under the conditions of the previously terminated AvB contract, and will resume the terms of that contract. 9. Application Procedures. a. Applicants must submit their AvB application package to CMC (MMOA-2) by 1 Jun 23 and need to include: (1) Part One: Application form (as defined in paragraph 10) (2) Part Two: Endorsement (as defined in paragraph 11) (3) Part Three: Copy of the officer’s initial obligation contract, which will identify the initial length of undergraduate training obligation incurred. If an applicant’s service agreement is not present in their OMPF, and they are unable to produce a copy of their service agreement then complete the following step: Add the following statement: “My aviation contract is not present in my OMPF, nor was I issued one for records. Per Title 10 section 653, I am eligible for (6 or 8) years of obligated service as a 75(underscore)(underscore).” to your application form. (4) Part Four: Print out and add as an enclosure the first page of the TMOS, AVIP, TBIR, D942, and OFFD screens from Marine Corps Total Force System (MCTFS). D942 screen will be blank if SNO has not had a previous bonus. b. The documentation needed for processing is a scanned electronic copy, with appropriate signatures, sent via unencrypted email to SMB_officer_aviation@usmc.mil. c. Applications will be reviewed for eligibility and approved by CMC (MMOA-2). Applicants can expect a confirmation of receipt of application via email from MMOA-2 within 10 business days. Processing and approval may take up to 8 weeks. If approved, the effective date of AvB contracts will be the contract start date, as defined in paragraph 6f. Payments will start no earlier than an individual’s contract start date. 10. Application Form. Applicants will submit a Standard Naval Letter in the following format: From: (Applying Officers Grade, Name, EDIPI/MOS) To: CMC (MMOA-2) Via: (Commanding Officer or appropriate designee) Subj: Request for FY22 Aviation Bonus Ref: (Cite Subject MARADMIN) 1. Per the Reference, I hereby apply for the FY22 Aviation Bonus (AvB). Contingent on approval of my application for this special pay, I agree to accept an officer service obligation to complete __ additional years of service beginning the effective date of my AvB contract, in exchange for __ dollars annually for each full year of service. I agree not to tender a resignation that would be effective during this AvB service obligation or voluntarily terminate my flight status. I understand that, upon receipt by MMOA-2, this application becomes a binding contract and an officer service obligation for the duration of the contract period. 2. I have read, understand, and agree to be bound by the provisions of the reference and MARADMIN, including all provisions relating to termination of payments to be made pursuant to this agreement, termination of the service obligation, and the circumstances under which recoupment by the government of sums paid may be required. 3. I affirm that I meet the eligibility requirements and understand CMC (MMOA-2) must validate my eligibility for AvB. In the event it is determined I am not eligible for AvB, this application will be returned with no action taken and I may reapply at a later date if my eligibility changes. 4. I am not currently obligated under an Aviation Bonus program or I have a PMOS of 7563, 7565, or 7566 and am eligible per paragraph 4. 5. The following information is provided and certified to be true and accurate: Date Accepted First Commission: YYYY/MM/DD Current Years of Commissioned Service: XX yrs XX mos Date Designated Naval Aviator: YYYY/MM/DD Length of Initial Aviation Contract: XX mos Work Phone Number: E-Mail Address: Pending Legal Action: (Yes/No, provide amplifying information if Yes) (Signature of Officer) 11. The endorsement from the Commanding Officer or the first O-5 or above in applicant’s chain of command must contain: a. “Forward recommending approval” or “Forward not recommending approval.” b. “I verify this officer is not under command or legal investigation or under Field Flight Performance Board/Flight Status Selection Board investigation, and this officer meets the eligibility criteria.” d. “Applicant possesses a current medical up-chit.” 12. Upon confirmation of eligibility and AvB approval, MMOA-2 will send an e-mail detailing the applicant’s AvB start date. MMOA-2 will send an official letter detailing the applicant’s service obligation and monetary amounts to the officer upon contract start date. Selection for the AvB is not intended to be a career enhancement and shall not be annotated in a Marine’s fitness report. 13. AvB payments will be taxed as per Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation, except for those identified in Volume 7A, Chapter 44, Paragraph 440202, reference (g). 14. Financial Planning Consideration. Resources are available aboard each installation in order to discuss the significant financial decisions associated with the receipt of bonuses such as changing tax brackets, savings, investments, and retirement planning. Local resources available include Personal Financial Managers (PFM), contracted Personal Financial Counselors, and unit Command Financial Specialists. 15. All AvB correspondence shall be submitted to: SMB_officer_aviation@usmc.mil. 16. AvB execution, application, processing, and administrative issues point of contact: GySgt R. Estremadura, MMOA-2, 703-784-9267/8. 17. AvB policy point of contact: LtCol M. R. Stolzenberg, MPP-33, 703-784-9366. 18. This MARADMIN does not apply to the Marine Corps Reserve. 19. This MARADMIN cancels on 1 Oct 23. 20. Release authorized by LtGen James F. Glynn, Deputy Commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.//