Certain Army captains who agree to stay in the Army past their normal date of separation are being offered a "menu of incentives" if they agree to stay in. The incentives include the choice of a lump-sum cash bonus, attendance at a fully funded graduate school, or an option to attend the Defense Language Institute and learn a foreign language.
Eligible captains in basic year group 1999 through 2005 are eligible to apply. Applications must be made between April 7 and November 30. Captains in basic year groups 1999 through 2004 who participated in last year's program are not eligible. Officers must be in the rank of captain in order to participate. Promotable first lieutenants must wait and submit upon promotion to captain before applying. Officers in year groups 1999 through 2001 who will become promotable to major during this time frame must submit their request prior to their effective date of promotion.
Officers who elect to participate may choose oneof the below incentives:
(1) A cash bonus of $25,000, $30,000 or $35,000, based on the officer's accessed branch;
(2) Attendance at a fully funded graduate school; or
(3) The Defense Language Institute (officers must achieve a qualifying score of the Defense Language Aptitude Battery ).
These incentives are similar to the incentives offered in last year's program, except Branch of Choice, Base of Choice, and attendance at Ranger School, which were options in the previous program, are not offered this year.
Officers who choose the cash bonus will incur a three- year non-concurrent active-duty service obligation. Those who elect the graduate school program or Defense Language Institute will an active duty service obligation equal to three times the length of the training.
Human Resources Command estimates that about 8,400 officers will be eligible to participate in this year's program.
Last year 67 percent - 12,000 of 17,700 eligible captains - participated in the incentives program. Human Resources Command estimates that about 8,400 officers will be eligible to participate in this year's program.
