New Orleans -- MARADMIN 596/14 announces eligibility and procedures for Marine Corps Reserve fiscal year 2015 aviation retention pay bonuses. ARP is a special pay determined annually, with contract amounts and allocations varying depending on the size of aviation officer inventories assigned to Selected Marine Corps Reserve squadrons. The intent of the pay is to provide an incentive for transitioning active component aviators to affiliate with SMCR squadrons.
Reserve aviators who meet the eligibility requirements and are approved by Reserve Affairs can receive an ARP bonus in exchange for three years of satisfactory service in a Selected Marine Corps Reserve squadron.
To be eligible for the bonus, captains and majors interested in applying for the pay must be qualified and approved to perform operational flying duty with 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, be entitled to aviation career incentive pay, have no more than 15 years of commissioned service before applying and agree to affiliate or remain affiliated to an approved SMCR unit in a duty involving flying operations billet in an approved SMCR unit for a period of three years.
Current Reserve officers may serve no more than 16 cumulative months in any of the eligible SMCR squadrons before the time of application. Active component applicants must have an end of service no later than Jan. 31 or Jul. 31, 2015, and be joined to an SMCR unit and approved ARP billet no later than Feb. 1 and Aug. 1, 2015.
Active Reserve officers and aviators who are serving or have served in an SMCR squadron under a prior contract to receive a monetary incentive or retraining funds are not eligible to apply. All applicants must receive a favorable endorsement and billet confirmation through routine correspondence from the commanding general of 4th MAW through a squadron or group commanding officer.
All applications must be submitted electronically to Reserve Affairs Personnel Plans & Policy's section mailbox. Applications must include a statement of understanding, associated chain of command applications endorsements and a 4th MAW endorsement with duty involving flying operations certification.
Due to the limited availability of this bonus, a board will convene to select the best qualified officers to receive the bonus.
For more information and a complete list of requirements, see the MARADMIN.