Just need some opinions on this:

I reenlisted last April and took a Critical Skills Retention Bonus for MOS 89D. MILPER Message 08-324. Based on my signing the following, I have been told by my Branch Manager that I can not go to OCS. I am pretty sure that my Branch Manager has no say in the matter:

(OFFICE SYMBOL) (DATE)


MEMORANDUM THRU Commander, (Unit Address)

FOR Commander, HRC, ATTN: AHRC-EPR, 2461 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria, VA 22331-1054

SUBJECT: Request for Critical Skills Retention Bonus (CSRB) Pertaining to (Last, First MI, Rank, SSN)


1. References:

a. ALARACT 084/2002, DAPE-MPE-PD, 5 Sep 02, Critical Skills Retention Bonus (CSRB)

b. MILPER Message (XX-XXX, Issued ________), AHRC-EPR, Critical Skills Retention Bonus (CSRB) Program

2. I hereby request CSRB, in MOS ______ for a period of _______ years, under the provisions of the above referenced messages and agree to complete this period of service. The _____ years of continuous service (obligation) that I agree to serve will begin effective the date as approved by DA HRC endorsement to this request.

3. Statement of Understanding:

a. The CSRB program constitutes a voluntary retention program. Unless a waiver is obtained, I will not be released from active duty before fulfilling the term of continuous active duty agreed to in paragraph 2 above, even if that obligation will extend me beyond 20 years of active federal service.

b. I have been advised and understand that I must remain technically qualified in MOS ______. I understand that I will be considered NOT technically qualified when I am no longer classified in that MOS or because I voluntarily or because of misconduct am precluded from performing my current or any future assignment in that MOS. These actions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) I refuse to perform certain duties for which I volunteered prior to my accepting the bonus and which are required for effective performance in the MOS;

(2) Disciplinary action taken under UCMJ or civil court conviction disqualifies me for future performance in the MOS;

(3) My own misconduct causes injury, illness, or some other condition that interferes with effective performance in MOS;

(4) Withdrawal of the minimum security clearance, loss of qualification under the Personnel Reliability Program (PRP), or loss of any other mandatory qualification required for effective performance in the MOS.

(5) Application for and receipt of conscientious objector status, so that I am no longer qualified in the MOS.

c. Requests for release from active duty or voluntary retirement with an effective date during the period of this agreement will be disapproved except where considered to be in the best interest of the U.S. Army.

d. In the event of termination under subparagraphs b or c above, unearned CSRB payments will be recouped by the government on a pro rata basis, based on length of CSRB active duty obligation actually served, unless the failure to complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement is due to:
(OFFICE SYMBOL)
SUBJECT: Request for Critical Skills Retention Bonus (CSRB) Pertaining to (Last, First MI, Rank, SSN)


(1) Death or disability that is not the result of misconduct or willful neglect and not incurred during a period of unauthorized absence, or

(2) Separation from the military service by operation of law or regulation of DoD or the Army, when waiver for recoupment has been approved by the Secretary of the Army.

e. A discharge in bankruptcy under Title 11, U.S. Code, that is entered less than 5 years after the termination of this agreement does not discharge me from a debt arising from this agreement. This paragraph applies to any case commenced under Title 11, U.S. Code after 30 September 1985.

4. I understand that I accrue no, REPEAT no right to a CSRB solely by signing this application. Upon approval of my application the Army will pay me, subject to availability of funds, a lump sum amount under the provisions of the above referenced message.




IMA G. SOLDIER
SSN
RANK

Please don't post the same exact message in different areas of the forums.

Sorry...it applied to different areas, so I was trying to get the widest disemination.

I'd think with this part:

2. I hereby request CSRB, in MOS ______ for a period of _______ years, under the provisions of the above referenced messages and agree to complete this period of service. The _____ years of continuous service (obligation) that I agree to serve will begin effective the date as approved by DA HRC endorsement to this request.

3. Statement of Understanding:

a. The CSRB program constitutes a voluntary retention program. Unless a waiver is obtained, I will not be released from active duty before fulfilling the term of continuous active duty agreed to in paragraph 2 above, even if that obligation will extend me beyond 20 years of active federal service.


Is what applies to you. I know usually for re-classes/OCS/Green to Gold/etc the Branch manager has to release you since they are responsible for strength management.

quote:

Originally posted by 51C:
.... I know usually for re-classes/OCS/Green to Gold/etc the Branch manager has to release you since they are responsible for strength management.

Emphasis on HAVE TO release you. It's not branch's choice, there are rules that they have to follow.

You should know that with all the time and effort that got put into finally releasing the CSRB to those eligible that they were not going to release you easily. Did you offer to pay a prorated portion back to be released from your end of the obligation to attend OCS? Are you positive you want to be an EOD officer?

Thanks for all of the input. I spoke to a MSG at the Army Retention Center/ School at Ft Jackson on Thursday. He said that the CSRB can not prevent me from applying to OCS. He said that a CSRB is governed like the SRBs using the same regulation AR 601-280. I am an EOD Soldier and the CMF is different for enlisted EOD vs officer EOD. I took a $100,000 CSRB so if I had to pay it back after OCS/ commissioning I would owe around 50K!!! I wonder how they recoup??? In what type of increments??? Paying back 50K could be painful.

quote:

Originally posted by fiend:
Thanks for all of the input. I spoke to a MSG at the Army Retention Center/ School at Ft Jackson on Thursday. He said that the CSRB can not prevent me from applying to OCS. He said that a CSRB is governed like the SRBs using the same regulation AR 601-280. I am an EOD Soldier and the CMF is different for enlisted EOD vs officer EOD. I took a $100,000 CSRB so if I had to pay it back after OCS/ commissioning I would owe around 50K!!! I wonder how they recoup??? In what type of increments??? Paying back 50K could be painful.

With optempo not slowing any time soon, techs are dropping their OCS packets as a way to get a break from deployments. While enlisted and officer fields are critically short for EOD, they are trying to slow the loss of enlisted down. Hence, the 100K CSRB. Monthly allotments will be coming out of your monthly LES for a long time to repay the $50K.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ballandchain,

You don't have to pay back the CSRB. My Platoon Sergeant received a $100K for 35M last year and now is a 2LT. No recoup necessary.

You are correct. I verified, with the some people I know from the Pentagon, that if you have already received the bonus, then you do not have to repay it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: CC Ray,

US_Soldier1976...Did he keep the same job? Just switched over to the officer side or did he go into a whole new field?

CC Ray...sent you a personal message requesting info.

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