I was a 97B in the NG for 9 years with a couple deployments and got out in Dec 2006. I am looking to get in the reserves and have been working with a recruiter to do so. I am currently slotted to hit MEPS in June and I was wondering what was the deal with reserve bonuses. When I was in the NG our bonuses were written into our contracts, but the reserve recruiter told me they didn't do that for reservists. I had also heard a rumor that bonuses for prior-service guys had been suspended but have not seen that in any official messages. That being said, I have the following questions:

What bonus(es) are available for a MOSQ 35L with 9 years service and got out as an E-5?

Should any bonus be written into my contract or do I have to just trust that it will get done?

What paperwork is needed to put in for any bonus and who is responsible for that?


Either way I want to get back in but I was looking to sign in for 6 years. If they've suspended bonuses for prior-service guys though then I'd be more likely to just put in for 2 years and try for a bonus later. My concern is that I'll only get one shot at a bonus since a 6 year enlistment would take me beyond 14 at this point.

With that break in service, I would think that you would qualify for a new enlistment bonus, but if not, I know the current reenlistment bonus for 35L is 15K for 6 years, 7.5K for 3. I'm in the same boat. Right now I'm trying to figure out if the bonus will exist in a few months when I get overseas...

YES the bonus should be on paper.
your career counsellor should be taking care of the paperwork for you.

Kalenth, you are about a month late and you do realize that he is trying to get back in so the bonuses that you listed for reenlistment do not count and the career counselor cannot help him.

Reserve contracts are 6 years, period. there is no 2 year contract with the Reserves and your bonus should be on your contract, right now your bonus is to get back in, thats it.

That's funny, I didn't realize I was on a deadline. Chill.

For the original poster, bonuses are possible going into the USAR for Prior Service (PS). Obviously, as a recruiter myself, I dont gaurantee anyone a bonus until its on paper. As PS reserves, you wont have anything on paper until youre with the Guidcance counselor at MEPS. Thats the bottom line. It will be given on paper like TransAm said, but all those terms arent done until you sit with a guidance counselor at MEPS.

The bonus numbers stated above should be about accurate. It is also possible to get a 3 year contract for the USAR. It is not required to do 6. It is more common for prior service to do a 3 year hitch. We just got a guy 3 years and 7500 who was a PS marine. I have also heard of 10 and 20k bonuses for people keeping their MOS, but I have never seen that one executed in practice.

The real trick is finding your MOS in a unit. I know I recently ran a check for it in my battalions area, and couldnt find a single 35L slot. I suppose it just depends what sorta units you have in your area. If you are willing to reclass, then you may be kinda SOL like TranAm said. You will be offered a handful of MOS's really, and theyre gonna be the ones theyre looking to fill.

I am currently a recruiter, and although I am an RA recruiter, a qaurter of my contracts have been USAR. I work very closely with the USAR recruiters in my company, so unless its changed in the last week from when my reserve recruiter wrote that PS contract, my information should be accurate.