Military News, News From Iraq & Afghanistan - Military Times

Army renews pilot continuation pay program

The Aviation Continuation Pay program has been renewed for fiscal 2010, with bonuses of $12,000 and $25,000 annually for experienced Regular Army warrant officer pilots who extend their careers.

Some senior special operations pilots can get as much as $150,000 for signing up for six years.

The bonuses are not available to branch commissioned officers, members of the Active Guard and Reserve, or mobilized National Guard and Army Reserve officers.

The target population includes pilots who have completed their initial six-year service obligation and have fewer than 25 years of aviation service.

Applicants must hold skill qualification identifier “I” (tactical operations aviator) or be assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

The retention incentives are in addition to Aviation Career Incentive Pay, which ranges from $125 to $840 per month, depending on years of aviation service.

The bonuses are tax-free if an officer’s service extension agreement is signed in a combat zone.

For example, if an officer signs a four-year, $100,000 retention contract in Afghanistan, the $25,000 annual payments will be tax exempt, regardless of where the officer serves in the future.

Service extension contracts must be signed before Oct. 1, 2010, for an officer to qualify for a bonus.

All applicants must be drawing regular flight pay and be medically fit for aviation service.

Here are requirements and bonus rates for the two basic categories:

Tactical operations

Annual payments of $12,000 are available to helicopter and fixed-wing pilots who:

• are assigned to an SQI I position.

• have completed tactical operations course 2C-SQII and electronic warfare course 2C-ASIH3.

• sign a three-year service agreement.

Service agreements of 24 to 35 months are authorized for officers who cannot complete a three-year commitment before reaching 25 years of flight service.

Special operations

Annual payments of $25,000 are available to members of the Special Operations Aviation Regiment who:

• hold a designated skill (K4, K5 or K6).

• extend their flying careers by two to six years.

Service agreements of 12 to 23 months, and monthly bonuses of $1,000, are available to officers who cannot complete a two-year commitment before reaching 25 years of flight service.

Officers who are in their 19th year of service in fiscal 2010 are eligible to sign a six-year contract and receive a $75,000 lump-sum payment upfront for the first year, and follow-on payments of $15,000 annually for the remaining five years of the contract.

Officers can apply for the Aviation Continuation Pay program by submitting an electronic DA form 4187, personnel action request, through command channels to the incentive pay branch of Human Resources Command.

Applications should include documents that verify an officer’s aviator status and authorization for flight pay.