SPACE FORCE GUARDIANS WILL SOON RECEIVE $360,000 SELECTIVE RETENTION BONUS
With the economy and the rates of high prices, it is no wonder why most people choose to have multiple jobs to support their families. Inflation is not new to working Americans, and according to studies, inflation in America is around 3.8% per year; an example is an item that cost $100 in the 60s, which would cost around $1,045.29 today. It is sad that everyone is affected by it; even the service members who are sacrificing their lives to protect the country sometimes fall under the problem of not being able to afford basic needs such as housing or even groceries. To combat this, the U.S. Space Force created a selective retention bonus, which will allow those in the program with selective positions to stay. The bonus will also cover reenlisting troops after the announcement.
Who Can Avail the Selective Retention Bonus?
To combat service members from leaving their post, the Space Force has decided to offer up to $180,000 bonus for Guardians in selected positions to reenlist, which is an $80,000 increase from the prior years with a career cap of $360,000 in total.
There are expected to be seven specialty codes from the Space Force for the fiscal year 2024 selective retention bonus, which is quite the same as last year's list.
This aims to target the enlisted personnel who are working in critical fields, and even with those programs with lower retention rates. Those who have stringent qualifications and extensive initial skills training are also considered to be qualified for the selective retention bonus.
Some of the career fields include: defense cyber operations, cyber operations, RF operations, all source analysis, cyber operations, systems operations, network operations, cyber operations, cryptologic analysis, and space systems operations.
How to Calculate Your Bonus Amount
To calculate the bonus amount, take the one-month base pay of a guardian, then multiply it by the years they are reenlisting for, then multiply it by a zone multiplier based on the number of years of service.
Here are the career fields, skill levels, and codes:
- 5C0X1D -- (3,5,7) -- Cyber Operations, Defense Cyber Operations (UFFS)
- 5C0X1N -- (3,5,7) -- Cyber Operations, Network Operations (UFFS)
- 5C0X1R -- (3,5,7) -- Cyber Operations, RF Operations (UFFS)
- 5C0X1S -- (3,5,7) -- Cyber Operations, Systems Operations (UFFS)
- 5I0X1 -- (5,7) -- All Source Analyst (UFFS)
- 5I2X1X -- (3,5,7) -- Cryptologic Analyst (UFFS)
- 5S0X1 -- (3,5,7) -- Space Systems Operations (UFFS)
If a guardian is interested, they can reenlist up to 12 months before the end of their current contracts, ensuring that they will stay in the program.
Even the limit for accepting bonuses has been changed; from the previous six years, it was increased to eight years. They can also have the option to take the payment on a lump sum or installment basis.
With these changes, the Guardians can maximize the amount they receive from the selective retention bonus and have the flexibility to reenlist.
Other Announcements From the Space Force
The service is set to celebrate its 5th anniversary in December, and its officials hope to retain most of its skilled guardians with a selective retention bonus.
In a Congress document, the Space Force had requested an end strength of 9,800 Guardians for fiscal 2025, an increase of 400 from last year. The Air Force officials also made an announcement earlier this year that they are seeking a $25 million budget for the selective retention bonuses, which is a 450% increase over the fiscal 2024 budget.
The good news is that the Space Force has not struggled to hit its quota in terms of required enlistment numbers, unlike its counterparts like the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This is due to the small number of billets that they have to hit and their reliance on service transfers, which have grown the ranks within the service.
Last month, they also announced that they would open applications for the Air Force Reserve to become a part of the Space Force Guardians full-time. This decision was made because the Air Force is slowly shedding some of its space-related career fields.
The Space Force is new; it was created in 2019 and tagged as the first new branch of the military since 1947. In 2023, they were able to employ 14,000 service members and civilians.
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