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The Army BEAR Program is a re-training program. Soldiers in overmanned MOSs (jobs) can volunteer to re-train into a BEAR MOS, then re-enlist and receive a monetary bonus.

The amount of bonus depends on the "Multiplier" assigned to the MOS, the individual's rank, the member's time in service, and the number of years the individual re-enlists for.

The Bonus "Zone" is simply the amount of time the person has been in the military:

Zone A -- Soldiers who re-enlist with between 17 months and 6 years of service.

Zone B -- Soldiers, who -- at the time of re-enlistment -- have between 6 years and 10 years of service.

Zone C -- Soldiers who re-enlist with between 10 and 14 years of service.

For example, let's say the BEAR Bonus chart shows the following information:

This means that a specialist/corporal (E-4) who re-trained into this MOS, with between 17 months and 6 years of service (Zone A) at the time of re-enlistment would have a "Bonus Multiplier" of "1.5." A Sergeant (E-5) who re-trained into this MOS with between 17 months and 6 years of service (Zone A) would have a "Bonus Multiplier" of "1." If the Sergeant had between 6 years and 10 years of service (Zone B), he/she would have a "Bonus Multiplier of "1.5." There is no bonus authorized here for a Sergeant with between 10 and 14 years of service. A Staff Sergeant (E-6) with less than six years of service (Zone A) would have a "Bonus Multiplier" of "2." The same Staff Sergeant would have a "Bonus Multiplier" of "3" if he/she had between 6 and 10 years of service (Zone B), and a bonus multiplier of "4" if he/she had between 10 and 14 years of service (Zone C).

The formula to compute the bonus amount is:

(BONUS MULTIPLIER) X (MONTHLY BASE PAY) X (NUMBER OF YEARS RE-ENLISTING FOR)

Below are the Bonus Multipliers established by the Army for the BEAR Program. This list is current as of Feb 6, 2006.

Bonuses are subject to change. For the very latest in enlistment bonuses, check the Army MILPER Messages.  

Other information contained in the message:

A. A SOLDIER WILL NOT FORFEIT ANY PORTION OF AN SRB WHEN THE SOLDIER IS NO LONGER CLASSIFIED IN THE BONUS SPECIALTY WHEN THE SOLDIER IS RECLASSIFIED WITHIN THE SAME CMF OR INTO CMF 18, UNLESS OTHERWISE DIRECTED BY DA HRC.

B. TOTAL SRB MAY NOT EXCEED AMOUNTS LISTED IN THE CURRENT SELECTIVE REENLISTMENT BONUS MESSAGE AT TIME OF REENLISTMENT. SOLDIER WILL BE PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH BONUS MESSAGE IN EFFECT AT TIME OF EXTENSION OR REENLISTMENT WHICHEVER IS HIGHER. ALL BONUS PAYMENTS MADE UNDER THIS AND ALL BONUS MESSAGES WILL BE ON A LUMP SUM BASIS.

C. A MINIMUM REENLISTMENT TERM OF THREE YEARS IS STILL A REQUIREMENT FOR SRB ENTITLEMENT. A TWO-YEAR REENLISTMENT TERM DOES NOT ENTITLE A SOLDIER TO AN SRB.

D. SOLDIERS WHO HOLD MOS 98G AS THEIR PMOS AND WHO RETRAIN INTO ANOTHER LANGUAGE MAY REENLIST UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING IN THE NEW LANGUAGE AND RECEIVE AN SRB PROVIDED OTHERWISE QUALIFIED. SOLDIERS MUST GRADUATE FROM THE ASSOCIATED AIT TO MAINTAIN ENTITLEMENT TO THE SRB.