HUGE reenlistment bonuses for Army Musicians!

[WoodSheddin]

Good News and Bad News.

Good News.

If you are an Army Musician with between 17months and 14 years of service with an ETS before October 1 2008, then you can reenlist for a reenlistment bonus of up to $33,000.

Bad News.

My ETS date is Sep 2009. I just reenlisted 2 months ago so I lost out on $31,000. I am sooooo hatin' life right now.

The memo just came out today, so check with your reenlistment NCO. This covers ranks up to SFC and includes 42S and 42R MOSes.

It is not retroactive and the reenlistment window is between 13DEC2007 and 01FEB2008. The program "could" end at any time though, so reenlist TOMORROW!!!!!

So far at least 2 guys in my section qualify. One is getting $26,500 for a 5 year reenlistment and the other is getting $31,000.

Details https://abi.army.mil/resources/getresource.asp?id=5236

[bearphonium]

My ETS date is Sep 2009. I just reenlisted 2 months ago so I lost out on $31,000. I am sooooo hatin' life right now.

Well that just sucks. Enough to make a guy a little bitter...

Timing is everything. D**M!

[armytuba]

So......

That's enough $$ for at least one handmade, custom 6/4 Baer CC and a couple packs of cigarettes, right?

15+ years in and still going strong (combat arms then 'da band'). In my personal Army dictionary, there's no such thing as a reenlistment bonus, as I hit INDEF status back in 2002. Oh well, who needs the extra money, right

(BTW, I don't smoke)

[windshieldbug]

Hey- look at it this way: you could be a viola player, and then you'd always be late instead of early!

[WoodSheddin]

After talking to our reenlistment guy and rereading the MILPERS message, it appears that anyone within their 24 month reenlistment window ARE entitled to the amounts in Table 2. Not $31,000 like Table 1, but still a good chunk of change.

Paragraph 5 is the one that explains it.

So, it looks like a large chunk of us at work will see money. Woohoo!

Hooah, Army Strong, Be All You Can Be, and All That Jazz.

sean

[LoyalTubist]

This is great. If I had it to do over again, I would have probably stayed in the Army longer.

[Badgley]

If I read everything right it looks like I could get a whopping 6,500 for a three year re-up. Like you said, it's all about timing, and right now just ain't the time....oh well, maybe later.

[greatk82]

If I read everything right it looks like I could get a whopping 6,500 for a three year re-up. Like you said, it's all about timing, and right now just ain't the time....oh well, maybe later.

PCS quickly to a deployed band and get it all tax free!

[WoodSheddin]

If I read everything right it looks like I could get a whopping 6,500 for a three year re-up. Like you said, it's all about timing, and right now just ain't the time....oh well, maybe later.

I assume you are a 42R. I am not sure if you ever get bonuses, but for the 42S people this is historic. We have NEVER had a reenlistment bonus since anyone can remember.

Mine is Table 2, Zone B, 48-59 month, SSG on the chart. Still got to consider taxes and the like coming out first, but I am hoping to do a 6 year contract which gives me a 51 month AOS.

I am not going anywhere as are most people in my band. We are probably going to have a massive reenlistment ceremony in the next week or two so we can all cash in before they figure out that the 42S'es were included and pull them.

[jtuba]

I am not going anywhere as are most people in my band. We are probably going to have a massive reenlistment ceremony in the next week or two so we can all cash in before they figure out that the 42S'es were included and pull them.

And there it is. This looks like an incentive to keep our middle management, esp. those with combat experience. I get that your mission is different than other bands, but I think someone made a clerical error including the 42Ss. At least all of your re-ups will help the numbers look better.

[WoodSheddin]

I think someone made a clerical error including the 42Ss. At least all of your re-ups will help the numbers look better.

Another possible explanation is that most everyone here does 2 year reenlistments. Because sooo many SSGs and SFCs are in their reenlistment window, perhaps it appears that there is a big potential to loose a lot of soldiers unless bonuses are offered.

There is some credibility to this.

Most of us do the minimum 2 years because we like to lesson the roadblocks in separation from the Army in case we find a better job. This has happened several times. People get symphony or teaching gigs and want to split.

While our retention levels in Pershing's Own is really high, I am not sure what the retention is like in the other Special Bands. All 4 bands share the 42S MOS.

Whatever the reasoning, I am going to try to get this bonus in a reenlistment contract immediately. Taking no chances.

sean

[Badgley]

PCS quickly to a deployed band and get it all tax free!

I'm sure there will be more than a few people who do exactly that.

[greatk82]

PCS quickly to a deployed band and get it all tax free!

I'm sure there will be more than a few people who do exactly that.

I wasn't one of them, but I can't fault those who did. I believe 15 months away from your family deserves more than a tax break.

[Eupher6]

Incredible.

Three years in food service and 17 years in Army bands and NOT ONCE was I eligible for a re-up bonus.

I figured unless you were a bassoon, oboe, or pie-anner player, it was never gonna happen.