Posted on Mar 27, 2018
If I switch from the Reserves to Active Duty, do I have to return my enlistment bonus?
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Re-enlistment
Prior Service
Re-enlistment Prior Service
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 3
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It depends on a couple things. 1. Did you get a lump sum or split payment bonus? 2. How long have you served of your contract? These are questions a recruiting and retention NCO would need the answers to in order to get you the correct answer. Honestly that’s who you will have to talk to in order to get an answer. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
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SGT Lee Jamison
I will add, if you got a split payment bonus and have served half your contract and have not received the second half. it is strong possibility you will not have to repay. If you got a lump sum more than likely yes you will have to.
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SPC (Join to see)
Thanks for the quick response SGT. So, I'm still in the first year of my contract (total is 6 years) and I recently received a lump sum amount which part of it went into the TSP. So, the best choice would be to look into Tour of Duty?
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SGT Eric Davis
If you in your 1st then more than likely you will have repay the bonus back! Also will your unit release you? If you really wanna go active don’t worry about the bonus
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SGT Lee Jamison
Yes I would look into tour of duty, just know if you get accepted for a position your command still has to release you for that time period. Most commands will because it is for the betterment of you and your career and there will be no consequences as far as paying back your bonus. You can only access TOD from a govt computer as well, you can’t do it from home.
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It really depends on how your contract is structured. I lost my bonus when I went from Guard to Active duty and then I was going to have to give back my next bonus when I accepted a green to gold. They finally let me keep it but it was a fight.
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SPC (Join to see)
I was planning on going from active to reserves (with bonus) then back to active (with bonus) then dropping my green to gold packet. Would I be able to keep my bonuses?
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This is crazy. Makes no sense to me that you would need to give any of it back. You are INCREASING your commitment to the U S Army and to the United States as a whole. You are giving more than your original signing bonus contemplated. I don't know, but does the Army have some sort of TO&E rules concerning Reserves and NGs? Sounds like a bean counter creation to me (and I apologize to all you accountants.) But, good for you, I am proud that we have Americans like yourself, willing to go the distance for his country. Far different than Vietnam. You typify the all-volunteer military.
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SPC (Join to see)
A lot of it has to do with funding. The NG is state funded, where AD is federal. Although the reserves are a federal component, they offered the bonuses because they are suffering a shortage on your MOS. Once you leave to AD, it is the same to them as getting out. They now have to pay another SM a bonus to take that slot until the numbers are met. If you do not fully meet the obligations on that first contract, there is a good chance you will have to pay a portion, if not all, of the bonus back.
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