The Space Force is offering up to $180,000 for Guardians in certain career fields to reenlist, an $80,000 increase over previous years. The move is part of a wider Department of the Air Force effort to make reenlisting easier and offer more incentives to do so.
The seven Space Force specialty codes on the Fiscal Year 2024 Selective Retention Bonus list are the same as the 2023 list. While the Department of the Air Force did not publicly release the career fields, a list leaked to social media, and a department spokesperson confirmed its veracity. The career fields include:
- cyber defense
- cyber network operations
- cyber radio frequency operations
- cyber systems operations
- all source analyst
- cryptologic analyst
- space systems operations
The size of the bonus depends on each Guardian’s time of service. Those with 17 months to six years of continuous active service are generally eligible for higher bonuses than those with more time in service. A Guardian’s time in service determines his or her “zone,” each of which is assigned a selective retention bonus multiplier, a number between 1 and 7.
To calculate their selective retention bonuses, Guardians multiply one month’s base pay by the number of years they are re-enlisting for by their zone multiplier, according to Air Force regulations. This year, both the Air Force and Space Force raised their maximum bonus from $100,000 to $180,000, with a career cap of $360,000. The bonuses are taxable outside of certain exceptions such as reenlisting in a combat zone. Guardians can receive the bonus either in partial payments or as a lump sum.
Cyber defense operations appear to be eligible for the highest bonuses in 2024, with their zone multipliers being generally higher than those of the other career fields.
“The SRB program serves as a retention tool, targeting experienced enlisted personnel in critical career fields, particularly those with lower manning or retention rates,” the Space Force explained in a July 22 press release. “Additionally, specialties involving extensive initial skills training and stringent qualification requirements are considered.”
Most Guardians stay in uniform past their first enlistment: Space Force data shows the average retention rate across the enlisted and officer corps above 90 percent in 2022 and 2023. But the competition with the private sector for high-demand skills such as cybersecurity is fierce, which in part drives the rising retention bonuses.
To make the process easier, the Air Force updated its regulations to allow Airmen and Guardians to reenlist up to 12 months before their term of service expires, which gives them more time to decide to reenlist, widens the pool of eligible Guardians, and maximizes the amount of money their receive, the Space Force explained.
The branch also extended its service cap from 72 months (six years), to 96 months (eight years), which the Space Force says will help Guardians receive larger bonuses and allow more flexibility in their reenlistment contract.