SPECIAL REUP BONUS

With a few strings attached. Looks from here like an effort to overcome potential reenlistment shortfalls due to the deployments.

Capitalism at work in the ranks. Sort of fitting, eh?

Soldiers in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iraq or Korea who are up for reenlistment can score an additional $5,000 bonus if they do the deed by Sept. 30 and commit another three years to the Army.

A soldier’s military occupational specialty (MOS) doesn’t matter, but he or she must be currently deployed to Afghanistan, Kuwait or Iraq, or assigned to Korea, in order to qualify for the money.

To get the bonus, soldiers must complete their deployment with their current unit, or, if they are in Korea, must voluntarily extend their Korea assignment by an additional six months from the date they are scheduled to move to another assignment, Carroll said.

The extra six-month commitment “reduces turbulence, stabilizes the soldier, and [temporarily] eliminates the [Army’s] requirement to replace that soldier in Korea,” Carroll said.

The minimum re-enlistment is three years. Soldiers who don’t complete that commitment risk having to pay back some or the entire bonus, depending on circumstances, Carroll said.

The bonus is not retroactive for deployed soldiers who reenlisted before Sept. 19, Carroll said.