UNCLASSIFIED ROUTINE R 281726Z APR 15 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC TO NAVADMIN BT UNCLAS NAVADMIN 101/15 SUBJ/RENEWAL AND MODIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL WARFARE OFFICER CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM// MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/281257ZOCT11/ REF/B/DOC/USC/TITLE 37 U.S.C./3JAN12/ REF/C/DOC/DOD/31MAY13// NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 322/11, EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL CRITICAL SKILLS RETENTION BONUS PROGRAM. REF B IS TITLE 37 UNITED STATES CODE, SPECIAL PAY: RETENTION INCENTIVES FOR MEMBERS QUALIFIED IN CRITICAL MILITARY SKILLS OR ASSIGNED TO HIGH PRIORITY UNITS. REF C IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1341.13, POST-9/11 GI BILL.// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces the redesignation/renewal and modification of the Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) officer warfare critical skills retention bonus (CSRB) for qualified EOD warfare officers and supersedes reference (a). Retaining EOD warfare officers is a top priority for the Navy. 2. Program Authority. This bonus is authorized under section 355 of reference (b). All applications for this bonus will be submitted to EOD Officer Assignments and Placement (PERS-416) for approval, payment processing, and tracking. 3. Program Overview. Qualified lieutenants (LT) will be offered the opportunity to commit up to a four-year agreement. Qualified lieutenant commanders (LCDR) will have the opportunity to commit up to a three-year agreement. Program eligibility and ineligibility requirements are listed in paragraphs 4 and 5 respectively. Bonus amounts for each agreement are listed in paragraph 7. These agreements will be eligible for prorated payments. 4. Program Eligibility. a. LT EOD CSRB: (1) Unrestricted line (URL) officers (designator 1140) that qualified EOD Officer Warfare and EOD department head; awarded the Navy additional qualification designations (AQDs) of KG5 and KG0. (2) Completed seven years of commissioned service (YCS). (3) Bonus contract cannot extend an officer past 12 YCS. (4) Completed any service commitment incurred through original commissioning. (5) Medically and physically qualified for assignment to sea duty. b. LCDR EOD CSRB: (1) URL officers (designator 1140) that qualified EOD officer warfare and EOD department head; awarded the Navy AQDs of KG5 and KG0. (2) Completed 12 YCS. (3) Bonus contract cannot extend an officer past 16 YCS. (4) Medically and physically qualified for assignment to sea duty 5. Program Ineligibility. a. Officers who have transferred their Post-9/11 GI Bill or Montgomery GI Bill selected reserve education benefits to a dependent or spouse are not eligible for a bonus in accordance with reference (c) until the service obligation for the transfer is served. b. An officer is not eligible for the CSRB if the officer has more than 26 years of active qualifying service or commissioned service. 6. Program Execution. a. As the program manager, the EOD Warfare (BUPERS-311E) Officer Community Manager has been delegated the authority to administer the EOD CSRB program per applicable laws, DoD directives/instructions, and this NAVADMIN. b. Submit applications to PERS-416 using format in paragraph 7. PERS-416 is delegated the authority to: (1) Evaluate the eligibility of EOD officers applying for the EOD CSRB. (2) Accept EOD officer agreements to remain on active duty for the stated period in exchange for an EOD CSRB. c. Service members will receive the initial installment of their bonus after the acceptance of the agreement by PERS-416; future payments will occur on their anniversary date through the terms of the agreement. d. Upon acceptance of an officer*s agreement by the program manager, the amount of the bonus becomes fixed and the officer will incur a firm service obligation. e. CSRB requests for personnel who are being processed for officer designation removal or restoration will be held in abeyance, pending final resolution of action in question. f. Annual LT EOD CSRB contract quotas will be based on LCDR requirements for the EOD warfare officer community and special and incentive pay funding controls. If the number of LT initial contracts exceeds the available fiscal year EOD CSRB budget, approval criteria will be determined by the EOD warfare CSRB program manager, EOD warfare community leadership, and PERS-416. g. Annual LCDR CSRB contract quotas will be based on commander requirements for the EOD warfare officer community, as well as special and incentive pay funding controls. If the number of LCDR initial contracts exceeds the available fiscal year EOD CSRB budget, approval criteria will be determined by the EOD warfare CSRB program manager, EOD warfare community leadership, and PERS-416. h. All commanding officers (CO) shall encourage qualified officers to submit applications for EOD CSRB and must endorse all requests in writing. Commands must ensure applications are accurate and verify applicants meet the eligibility requirements, including no pending actions which may render an applicant ineligible for the EOD CSRB. Application delays increase the likelihood that the community quotas will be met before an officer*s application is received. 7. Bonus Amounts. a. EOD CSRB agreement obligations will run concurrently with any obligated service the officer has incurred for education or fellowships, post graduate education, or due to a permanent change of duty station. Officers who choose to transfer their Post-9/11 GI bill benefits, per reference (c) and paragraph 5a above, are not eligible for a CSRB agreement until completion of that service obligation. b. LT EOD CSRB: Members will have the opportunity to receive up to $80,000 for a four-year agreement. This contract cannot extend an officer past 12 YCS. (1) Four-year agreement. Qualified officers who commit to four years of additional active-duty service will receive $20,000 per year, paid in equal installments over the course of the agreement. (2) Three-year agreement. Qualified officers who commit to three years of additional active-duty service will receive $15,000 per year, paid in equal installments over the course of the agreement. c. LCDR EOD CSRB: Members will have the opportunity to receive up to $46,000 for a three-year agreement. This contract cannot extend an officer past 16 YCS. Qualified officers who commit to three years of additional active-duty service will receive $22,000 upon their 12 YCS and $12,000 per year thereafter over the course of the agreement. 8. Transition to the renewed and modified EOD CSRB. For officers currently in the application window for future contracts, the following has been authorized: a. LT EOD CSRB: Officers must be eligible for a minimum three-year contract. (1) Officers who have received any installment for their LT three- year contract previously authorized under reference (a) are not eligible to apply for the renewed and revised EOD LT CSRB. (2) Year Groups (YG) 2007 and junior are eligible to apply for the renewed and modified CSRB. (3) Officers in Year Groups 2007 and 2008 only, who are board- eligible for EOD department head but have not yet received their KG0 AQD from the EOD Warfare Department Head Administrative Screen Board, will be eligible to apply for the LT CSRB. b. LCDR EOD CSRB: Officers with at least 12 YCS who meet the eligibility requirements of this NAVADMIN are eligible to apply. This contract cannot extend the officer past 16 YCS. 9. Application Process. a. Officers within one year of eligibility may apply for the EOD CSRB via their CO or delegated authority. b. Scanned copies of applications for EOD CSRB are requested to be e-mailed to PERS-416, EOD Officer Assignments and Placement, Administrative Assistant (PERS-416A), and BUPERS-311E. Submission of the signed original contracts and endorsements are no longer required to be submitted by mail. c. General Notes. (1) Applications will be held until payment eligibility date. (2) Applications will be binding upon the date of approval. d. Sample application format for EOD CSRB can be found on the EOD Warfare OCM website at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers- npc/officer/communitymanagers/Unrestricted/Pages/ExplosiveOrdnanceDisposalOCM .aspx. 10. Recoupment and Repayment Policy. a. EOD CSRB payments will be stopped for officers who become ineligible for this incentive or fail to complete the full period of additional obligated service. Situations requiring recoupment are in accordance with section 373 of reference (b). b. If an officer becomes ineligible for the EOD CSRB for any of the reasons below, payments will stop, but repayment of payments already received will not be required: (1) Disability not the result of misconduct or willful negligence, or not incurred during a period of unauthorized absence. (2) Separation from the naval service by operation of laws or regulations independent of misconduct. (3) Death (see subparagraph c below). (4) Where the Secretary of the Navy determines repayment would be against equity and good conscience, or would be contrary to the best interests of the United States. c. For officers who die while serving under an EOD CSRB service agreement, the remaining EOD CSRB balance will be paid as a lump sum as part of the settlement of the officer’s final military pay account. If death is determined to be the result of the member’s own misconduct, future payments will be stopped and unearned portions of the bonus will be recouped, as applicable, in accordance with procedures established for members whose inability to complete a contracted period of service is voluntary or the result of misconduct. 11. Additional guidance, information, and updates regarding the EOD CSRB are available at the EOD warfare officer community manager’s website. 12. Point of Contact: CDR Michael Tollison, EOD Officer Community Manager, (BUPERS-311E) at (901) 874-4991/DSN 822 or via e-mail at michael.tollison(at)navy.mil. 13. This NAVADMIN will remain in effect until superseded or canceled, whichever occurs first. 14. Released by Vice Admiral W. F. Moran, N1.// BT #0001 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//