Reservists who re-enlist to fill specific jobs or active-duty Marines willing to go Reserve can pocket thousands of dollars in bonuses in 2017 along with more cash for college.

The Marine Corps wants to keep reservists in critical positions, and it's offering cash bonuses to those in certain communities Retention bonuses in two amounts will be used to keep Marines with critical skills, according to Marine administrative message 365/16, which was released July 13. The bonuses are available to certain Marines willing to serve another three years 36 months.

Those who enlist in the Reserve A $5,000 bonus is also available to those who enlist between Oct. 1 and Aug. 26, 2017, can also pocket a $5,000 and a as is the Montgomery GI Bill kicker, which can run up to $350 monthly for 36 months. To qualify, an individual must enlist under the Reserve Optional Enlistment Program for eight years — six years in an inactive duty training status in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve, and the remaining time in the Individual Ready Reserve. Applicants who enlist under the Incremental Initial Active Duty Training program are not eligible for the enlistment bonus, but remain eligible for the GI Bill kicker once they complete the first increment of training.Details are contained in Marine administrative message 366/16, signed July 13 by Col. J. M. Morrisroe, the acting director of the Reserve Affairs Division.

For sReserve staff sergeants and staff sergeant-selects with less than and staff sergeant-selects who have fewer than 14 satisfactory years of service and no more than two years of time in grade can pocket, a bonus of $20,000 if they move into the following military occupational specialties: offered for those with the MOS of counterintelligence/human intelligence specialist; imagery analysis specialist; reconnaissance Marine; cyber security technician; explosive ordnance disposal technician; and ground electronics systems maintenance technician.

A bonus of $15,000 bonus is available to those in the same ranks who move into these MOSs: offered to staff sergeants and staff sergeant-selects with an MOS of light armored vehicle vehicle Marine; water support technician; assault amphibious vehicle Marine; V-22 avionics technician; AAV repairer/technician; main battle tank repairer/technician; and LAV Light Armored Vehicle repairer/technician.

Cpls. Branelon Porter, Isaiah Kenney and Rusty Defoe, avionics technicians with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 369, perform maintenance on an MV-22 Osprey.

Photo Credit: Air Force

Gunnery sergeant-selects are not eligible for these bonuses.

Noncommissioned officers in certain fields are also eligible for bonuses. Sergeants with less than 10 years of service can earn A bonus of $20,000 by re-upping or moving into the following jobs: offered to sergeants with fewer than 10 satisfactory years of service and an MOS of counterintelligence/human intel specialist; imagery analysis specialist; geographic intelligence specialist; scout sniper (must fill that billet within 23rd or 25th Marine Regiments only); reconnaissance Marine; cyber security technician; and EOD tech. and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician.

Marines in the same rank can pocket A bonus of $15,000 in the following MOSs: is offered to sergeants with fewer than 10 satisfactory years of service and an MOS of LAV Vehicle Marine; water support technician; AAV Marine; criminal investigator Criminal Investigation Division agent; U/AH-1 avionics technician; V-22 avionics technician; AAV repairer/technician; main battle tank repairer/technician; and LAV repairer/technician.

Corporals less than with fewer than five satisfactory years of service can earn get the $20,000 in the  bonus if they have the MOS of geographic intelligence specialist or scout sniper MOSs. Scout snipers must fill that billet within the 23rd or 25th Marine Regiments.

E-4s are eligible for $15,000 in the following MOSs: offered to those with an MOS of water support technician; AAV Marine; KC-130 aircraft crew chief; UAS avionics/maintenance technician; V-22 avionics technician; AAVssault Amphibious Vehicle repairer/technician; main battle tank repairer/technician; and LAV Light Armored Vehicle repairer/technician.

Marines in these ranks and MOSs are disqualified if they have received a bonus in the past three years, are currently serving under any other contractual obligation requiring continued affiliation in the Selected Reserve, have been reduced in grade to their current grade, or have previously passed over for promotion in any component, according to the message. Anything more than a three-year break from service in the active component or active reserve is also a deal breaker, unless the Marine has earned at least 50 points for each anniversary year during that time.

A $5,000 bonus is also available to those who enlist between Oct. 1 and Aug. 26, 2017, as is the Montgomery GI Bill kicker, which can run up to $350 monthly for 36 months. The details are contained in Marine administrative message 366/16, signed July 13 by Col. J. M. Morrisroe, the acting director of the Reserve Affairs Division.

To qualify, an individual must enlist under the Reserve Optional Enlistment Program for eight years — six years in an Inactive Duty Training status in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve, and the remaining time in the Individual Ready Reserve.

A Marine must complete MOS Military Occupational Specialty school and be joined to the appropriate Reporting Unit Code to receive the bonuses lump-sum enlistment bonus, according to the message. If a Marine, through no fault of his or her own, is reclassified to an alternate MOS, he or she will not lose the bonus.

Marines who do not complete their required six-year service obligation may have to  be required to repay the bonus unless they are part of an approved early release program.

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