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Related Resources • Bonuses • Military Pay Charts • Money Matters

The Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB) Program is a monetary incentive offered to qualified soldiers who reenlist in the Regular Army for continued duty in certain military occupational specialities (MOSs).

The PERSCOM conducts periodic analysis of each MOS in the inventory to ensure the SRB program is supporting its objective and adjusts the list of bonus MOSs, as appropriate.

The SRB is designed to increase the number of reenlistments in critical MOSs and is paid by specialty and grade within established zones. The three zones are:

(1) Zone A - reenlistment between 21 months and six years of active service.

(2) Zone B - reenlistment between six to 10 years of active service.

(3) Zone C - reenlistment from 10 to 14 years of active service.

The amount awarded for an SRB is computed as follows:

(MONTHLY BASE PAY) X (YEARS, OR FRACTIONS OF A YEAR (MONTHS) OF ADDITIONAL OBLIGATED SERVICE) X (SRB MULTIPLIER) = SRB AWARD.

For example, let's say that the SRB Chart shows the following:

That means a soldier in the rank of SPC (E-4), who held the MOS (job) of 12B, Combat Engineer, with six or less years of service, reenlisting for four years would receive .5 X 4 X the amount of their monthly base pay.

The same soldier, holding the rank of SGT (E-5), with the same MOS, who had 8 years of service (Zone B), reenlisting for four years, would receive 2 X 4 X the amount of their monthly base pay.

The 2003 pay chart shows than an E-5 with 8 years of service receives $2151.90 per month in base pay. So, the above soldier would receive 2 X 4 X $2151.90, or $17,215.20 for reenlisting for 4 years.

Fifty percent of the awarded bonus is paid at the time of reenlistment. The remaining bonus amount is paid in equal annual installments over the reenlistment contract.

Reenlistment bonuses are fully taxable, unless the soldier reenlists in a designated combat zone which has been declared a tax-free zone. In that case, the entire amount of the reenlistment bonus is tax-free (federal income tax), regardless of when it is actually paid.

The eligibility criteria for awarding the SRB and other program features are outlined in AR 601-280, Army Retention Program, Chapter 5.