Separated Marines offered bonus to re-up - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Separated Marines offered bonus to re-up

The Marine Corps is offering former Marines who have been off active duty for as long as four years cash incentives to rejoin the ranks, while boosting bonuses for others, according to a Dec. 30 Corps-wide message.

Under the old policy, only first-term Marines who came back within a year of leaving the Corps were eligible to return. And if no more than 90 days had passed since their end of active service, it was as though they never left.

But MarAdmin 632/06 changes that policy by opening the door for returnees who did as many as 14 years on active duty before getting out sometime in the last four. Everyone who comes back is eligible to cash in on their military occupational specialty’s current Selective Re-enlistment Bonus, but only if they have been gone for fewer than 90 days will get the full payment, according to the message.

Marines who have been out of uniform for more than 90 days but less than one year rate 80 percent of their bonus. Those who have been gone longer than that are authorized to receive 60 percent of their bonus.

Bonuses for first-time re-enlistments are capped at $40,000 for those who rate a 100 percent bonus, $32,000 for those who rate 80 percent and $24,000 for those who rate 60 percent.

Broken service Marines who served either two or three contracts before getting out are eligible for 100 percent bonuses capped at $45,000, 80 percent bonuses capped at $36,000 and 60 percent capped at $27,000, according to the message.

But intelligence specialists, reconnaissance men, explosive ordnance disposal technicians and Middle East cryptologic linguists returning for a third or fourth contract are eligible for larger 100, 80 and 60 percent bonuses that cap out at $60,000, $48,000 and $36,000 respectively, according to the message.