Thursday, February 22, 2007
10,000 reasons to stay green
Manpower increase leads to $10,000 re-enlistment incentive

By Staff Sgt. B. J. Swenson
Press Chief

According to Marine Corps Bulletin 7220, Marines re-enlisting or choosing to extend on recruiting duty during Fiscal Year 2007 will be entitled to bonuses, which have not been offered before.

Marine Administrative Message 107⁄07, End Strength Incentive, and MarAdmin 106⁄07, Recruiter Extension Program, went into effect Feb. 13 to support the Marine Corps increase in manpower over the next four years, as well as bolster the recruiting force, which will also increase.

The End Strength Incentive program establishes the Assignment Incentive Program for Marines who will re-enlist or have re-enlisted in FY 2007. Qualified Marines who re-enlisted after Oct. 1, 2006 will be issued the AIP.

To qualify, Marines must be a lance corporal or above and have less than 27 years of service. Active duty Marines with less than 20 years of service must re-enlist for a period of four or more years to be eligible for the $10,000 AIP. Marines with 20 to 27 years of service must re-enlist for three years to be eligible for the $10,000 AIP.

According to Capt. Phillip Bonincontri, compensation policy chief for Manpower Military Policy, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the AIP does not replace or supersede any selective re-enlistment bonuses for which a Marine may be eligible. A Marine does rate both the AIP and bonus if his military occupational specialty offers a SRB bonus and the Marine is entitled to receive it.

‘‘Marines must meet with their Career Retention Specialist to ensure eligibility and prepare AIP agreements along with the re-enlistment paperwork,” Bonincontri said. He also said CRSs must submit the paperwork through the chain of command along with the re-enlistment request.

The Recruiter Extension Program also offers an AIP for recruiters wishing or willing to extend their current recruiting tours by six to 12 months. Qualified canvassing recruiters will receive a $500 per month AIP in addition to all other pay and allowances, including their current special duty assignment pay - $450 per month.

To be eligible for the AIP, canvassing recruiters must have less than 180 days remaining on their 36-month recruiting tour and be on track to complete a successful recruiting tour.

‘‘The recruiter’s command must favorably endorse the Marine’s extension package to receive the AIP. The extension and AIP do not take effect until the beginning of the first month after completion of the original 36-month recruiting tour, and only one extension is authorized,” Bonincontri said.

Career recruiters and Extension on Active Duty recruiters, reserve Marines who return to active duty to serve on recruiting duty, are not eligible for the AIP.

However, if a canvassing recruiter is selected as a career recruiter during the extension period, he will continue to receive the AIP through the duration of the extension period. Canvassing recruiters currently on an extension may be eligible for the AIP provided they meet the prescribed requirements, but will only be paid for the remainder of the extension they are currently on.

Recruiters are also eligible to receive the End Strength Incentive AIP, provided they qualify to all terms and conditions, Bonincontri added.

As with the End Strength AIP, recruiters wishing to take advantage of the AIP must contact their CRS to complete the agreement.

Deployed Marines may also take advantage of MarAdmin 108⁄07, Deployment Extension Program. This program offers a $500 per month AIP for deployed Marines who voluntarily extend their contracts past their Expiration of Active Service in order to stay with their deployed units that were involuntarily extended on their current deployments.

Marines may apply for the Deployment Extension AIP only if they have less than 12 months remaining on their current enlistment. The AIP does not begin until the first month following the Marine’s original EAS and only runs until the Marine executes terminal leave, the deployment terminates, or the Marine re-enlists to take advantage of the End Strength Incentive AIP.

According to Bonincontri, the Deployment Extension AIP will only apply to a handful of Marines currently deployed. He also stated M&RA anticipates an estimated 17,000 re-enlistments under the End Strength AIP and only 100 to 200 recruiting duty extensions.

For more information, consult your unit Career Retention Specialist, or visit the MarAdmin Web site at http://www.usmc.mil⁄maradmins⁄maradm...8260;maradmins.

Ellie