Prior Service Elistment Bonus

[mattejohnson]

I am prior service army and enlisted in the national guard 1/1/06. I have still not seen my bonus. Everything I signed shows that I should have gotten it 30 days after my contract went into effect. I can't get any answers from my recruiter. Where do I go to get the answers I need? Thanks

[VTguard]

Contact your State incentives office. They will be able to tell you why you haven't received your bonus yet.

[M249James]

I am prior service (4yrs) and considering joining the Guard, but seemed to get mixed info from SGT & SSG Recruiters:

1: SSG said I would have to go back into my original MOS (11M) to get a bonus, as - she said - the Army's paying you for not having to train you. But I thought the bonus was for ENLISTING - in a critical MOS particularly. Can one of you upper-ranking Recruiters clarify if this is true, that I'd have to go back to the same MOS for the bonus?

2: So from what I've read, the 2nd half of the $15,000 bonus they're talking about letting me earn (I've been there - I know they don't GIVE it to you! ) would not be paid until after 3 years? Is this correct?

I also got a printout of various MOS's, which among other things listed under the category "AIT" 13 weeks for an 11M. Now, when I went through Benning in '89 (OSUT) the "AIT", such as it was, was only 2 weeks! This seems to be quite a difference! Have the Bradleys changed that much, or is that sheet perhaps listing BCT & AIT together?

Any assistance any of you recruiting pros could offer would be appreciated.

[M249James]

What? Did all the Recruiters around here get deployed all of a sudden?

If one or more of you gents in the know could address my questions above, I'd sure appreciate it!

[TankerT]

Reenlistment bonuses are given as an incentive to retain soldiers so they do not need to spend the money to retrain them. (It is a cost savings measure.)

However, I looked at the current MOS list, and at ATRRS (the system that lists all the schools) and there is no mention of an 11M. I'm not certain this MOS is valid anymore.

[M249James]

That's odd...I wonder what they now call those guys who are the Drivers, Gunners, Commanders, and Dismounts for the Bradley Fighting Vehicles??

EDIT: Looks like according to the information I found here http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjobs/a/11b.htm, 11M & 11H have been merged into 11B.

So I wonder what that does about the bonus...

I also still had my other questions about how the bonus is paid, and the length of the AIT...

[AbnMtn]

Have both recruiters refer to the new Army National Guard (ARNG) Selected Reserve Incentive Program (SRIP) policy dated 26 May 06. According to the new policy you can either enlist into your previous MOS or "enlist into a NGB Top Ten or State 20 Critical Skill MOS as long as you complete the MOS training within 24 months of the date of enlistment" (that gives you a choice of 30 critical MOS's). If you enlist, you should try to get MOSQ'ed as soon as possible since the payment schedule of the 50% initial payment is dependent on the completion of your AIT (being MOSQ'ed). As mentioned before, the schedule for your final 50% payment is upon your 3 year anniversary.