More pilots than ever before -- including, for the first time, drone pilots -- are eligible for the massive nine-year, $225,000 Aviator Retention Pay that until now had only been available to fighter pilots.
But not every pilot, or combat systems officer, will be eligible for the maximum biggest retention bonus, according to a document provided by the Air Force at Air Force Times' request. The bonuses range from annual installments of $10,000 to $25,000, for anywhere from five years to nine years -- that is, anywhere from $50,000 to $225,000 total.
The Air Force's document spelled out six categories of aviators who are eligible for the bonus, and how much they might receive:
Which pilots can get $225,000
All pilots in the 11X category -- those who fly any manned aircraft -- are will be eligible for the maximum $225,000 bonus, or $25,000 for each additional year they sign up for. Those pilots can either sign up to extend their contracts by five years -- or $125,000 -- or until they reach 20 years of aviation service, up to nine years. These pilots will not receive any up-front, lump sum money, meaning they only get annual payments, not up-front lump sums. meaning they get annual bonuses, not the lump sum?mh//sl yes
11X pilots who signed up for a five-year contract extension last year also have the option of extending their contract agreement length to 20 years of aviation service, up to nine years. Those extensions of the 2014 agreements are not eligible for up-front money.
Three specific categories of pilots are eligible for the up to $225,000 bonus, with a 50 percent lump sum paid up front: 11F fighter pilots, 11U remotely piloted aircraft pilots, and 11X pilots who agree to retrain and transition to the 11U RPA field, and serve as a drone pilots for the rest of their his careers.
Which pilots can get smaller bonuses less
A lower bonus could be in store for some "uncommitted" manned aircraft pilots and those who have switched to becoming drone pilots. If their undergraduate flying training active-duty service commitment already expired before fiscal 2015, or if they and/or who had already completed 11 years of aviation service before fiscal 2015, they could receive $15,000 for each year they extend their contracts. Their extensions could be for five years, or until they reach 20 years of service, up to nine years. That means those pilots could get anywhere from $75,000 to $135,000. $135,000?mh//sl yes
Pilots who have switched to the 11U drone field have the option of getting a 50 percent up-front payment.
Combat systems officers
Certain combat systems officers -- who typically operate from an aircraft and include navigators, electronic warfare officers and weapons systems officers -- are also eligible for retention bonuses, though not the maximum. They are not eligible for the $25,000 annual, max $225,000 bonus.
12U drone CSOs can extend their contracts by five or nine years, and receive $15,000 per year annually. They can have the option to choose whether to get 50 percent up front.
12H rescue CSOs and 12F fighter CSOs only have the option of extending for five years, with annual installments of $15,000. They do not have the lump-sum option.
And finally, 12U drone CSOs whose undergraduate CSO training service commitment expired before fiscal 2015, and/or who had already completed seven years of aviation service before fiscal 2015, can get a five-year or a nine-year extension, as at $10,000 annual installments.
The Air Force said that roughly 1,500 officers in all will be eligible to take the bonuses. A little more than 750 of those will finish their 10-year undergraduate flying training service commitment this year, and the rest will finish it next year.
The Air Force said that it expects 50 percent to 60 percent of aviators who are initially eligible in fiscal 2015 will take the bonuses, meaning anywhere from 375 to 450 of those officers could sign up for longer contracts.
Aviators who will finish their undergraduate flying training service commitment anytime in fiscal 2016 will be deemed "early eligible" and can apply to lock in a contract extension next year, under this year's terms and conditions. The Air Force expects between 25 percent and 35 percent of those early-eligible officers will take that option, or between 187 and 262 officers. In all, the Air Force expects 562 to 712 officers to take the retention bonus.
It is unclear how many pilots and CSOs will be eligible for, and are likely to take, the bonuses. The Air Force said that it expects 50 percent to 60 percent of aviators who are initially eligible in fiscal 2015 will take the bonuses.
"Having aviators take any one of the available categories at these rates provides a stable, predictable inventory of mid-career pilots and combat systems officers with the requisite knowledge, skills and experience to fill requirements," Capt. Brooke Brzozowske said in a statement.
Aviators who will finish their undergraduate flying training service commitment anytime in fiscal 2016 will be deemed "early eligible" and can apply to lock in a contract extension next year, under this year's terms and conditions. The Air Force expects between 25 percent and 35 percent of those early-eligible officers will take that option.
The Air Force did not say how many aviators are eligible for the bonuses.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
