The Air Force is shutting down this year’s selective retention bonus program, and airmen who want to reenlist and get a bonus have less than five days to do so.
The service launched the fiscal 2025 bonus program last December. In a statement Thursday, the service said retention rates have been high, and the service is already projected to fully run through the budgeted amount of bonuses.
Airmen whose jobs are on the list of Air Force specialty codes eligible for bonuses have until May 20 to reenlist or extend their enlistment. They will get their full bonus, the service said.
“Air Force-wide enlisted retention levels continue to meet and, in some AFSCs [Air Force specialty codes], exceed sustainment needs,” the Air Force said. “These higher retention rates led to more airmen using the SRB program, which is expected to utilize the entire budget for the program for FY25.”
The Air Force’s 2025 bonus program included 89 jobs, and are meant to hold on to experienced airmen in important fields that require a great deal of initial training and tough qualification standards. Those jobs include AFSCs in the maintenance, aircrew, cyber, medical and special operations areas, such as pararescuemen, tactical air control party and combat controllers.
A memo posted online on the unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco said Space Force guardians will not be affected by the change.
Find a list of the 89 jobs impacted here.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
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