In 2025, the Air Force will introduce retention bonuses for a total of 89 career fields, according to a recently leaked memo that has been circulating online.
Although the Air Force has yet to make an official announcement about this list, it has become a hot topic on social media platforms, particularly within the Facebook group “Air Force amn/nco/snco.”
Retention Bonuses Overview
Military.com was among the first to confirm the authenticity of this document, which is titled “United States Air Force Fiscal Year 2025 Selective Retention Bonus Listing.” The memo details various roles that will be eligible for bonuses ranging from $180,000 to $360,000.
This marks a significant increase from the previous fiscal year, which offered bonuses to 73 career fields.
The new list covers a wide array of occupations, such as airborne cryptologic language analysts with a focus on Chinese, pararescue specialists, and special mission aviators operating the MC-130J.
Other roles include human intelligence specialists, special reconnaissance personnel, maintenance craftsmen dedicated to refueling and bomber aircraft, explosive ordnance disposal technicians, and urology surgical technologists.
Budget Allocations
In its budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, the Department of the Air Force has requested a total of $217.5 billion, with the Air Force portion amounting to $188.1 billion.
Among this budget, they plan to allocate $1.1 billion specifically for bonuses and retention efforts targeting 118,000 critical positions.
This includes $327 million intended for aviation roles and $21 million set aside for retaining cyber specialists.
The increase in eligible positions for these bonuses comes as a direct response to the Air Force’s challenges in meeting recruitment goals, which fell short by 10% last year.
To combat this issue, the Air Force has begun to widen the scope of medical waivers to include candidates with conditions like asthma, food allergies, and hearing loss, aiming to draw in a broader range of recruits.
Eligibility Criteria
The criteria for bonus eligibility detailed in the recent memo became effective on December 16, setting the stage for the changes to come in the new fiscal year.
Source: Militarytimes