FY24 NAVY ACTIVE DUTY NURSE CORPS SPECIAL PAYS GUIDANCE
1. Accession Bonus
a. Eligibility. To be eligible for Accession Bonus (AB), an individual must:
(1) Be a graduate of a school of nursing accredited by the Accreditation Commission for
Education in Nursing (ACEN) (formerly known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting
Commission (NLNAC)) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) with a
baccalaureate degree or higher in nursing.
(2) Have successfully passed the Registered Nurse National Council Licensure
Examination (NCLEX). For those nurses who are licensed in Puerto Rico, or were licensed in
Puerto Rico, and have subsequently received licensure in the state of Florida, verification of
passing the NCLEX exam must be completed as Puerto Rico does not require passing the
NCLEX exam to be licensed.
Note: Newly graduated nurses who have not successfully passed, or taken, the NCLEX can
enter an agreement for the AB, but must pass the NCLEX IAW BUMED 6550.14.
(3) For the Critical Care Nurse Accession Bonus, eligibility consideration for limited
quotas must include 2 or more years of full-time clinical experience as a critical care registered
nurse in the preceding two years before accession. To be considered working full time in this
paragraph is working 36 hours per week. Relevant clinical experience must be obtained while
working as a registered nurse; however, relevant experience can be obtained prior to a qualifying
degree as defined in paragraph 1(a)(1) & (2).
(4) Be fully qualified to hold a commission or appointment as a commissioned officer in
an Active Component of the Nurse Corps.
(6) At the time of commission or appointment, have completed all mandatory service
obligations if financial assistance was received from the Department of Defense to pursue a
course of study to become an officer, or pursue a course of study leading towards appointment in
the Nurse Corps. This includes, but is not limited to, participants and former participants of a
Military Service Academy, Reserve Officers Training Corps, Armed Forces Health Professions
Scholarship Program, Financial Assistance Program, Uniformed Services University of the
Health Sciences, Nurse Candidate Program, Seaman to Admiral (STA-21), and other
commissioning programs.
(7) Execute a written agreement to accept a commission or appointment as an officer of
the Nurse Corps to serve on active duty for a specific period. An individual who holds an
appointment as a Nurse Corps officer in either the Active or Reserve Component is not eligible
for an AB. A former officer who no longer holds an appointment or commission, and is
otherwise qualified and eligible must have been honorably discharged or released from
uniformed service at least 24 months prior to executing the written agreement to receive AB.
2
b. Accession Bonus Amounts. Nurse Corps Accession Bonus amounts are listed in Table 1.
c. Service Obligations. During the discharge of the service obligation associated with AB,
those individuals meeting eligibility requirements for Incentive Pay (IP) in those specialties
where IP is available, are eligible to apply for and receive IP. Any additional obligation incurred
by these pays shall be served concurrently. During the discharge of the service obligation
associated with AB, individuals are not eligible for a Retention Bonus (RB).
d. Authorized Accession Bonus. The Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, upon
acceptance of the written agreement, approves AB to an eligible individual in the amount in
Table 1 for a three, or four, year obligation. Eligible individuals who sign a written agreement to
serve on active duty or in an active status in exchange for receiving AB are authorized to receive
AB. Based on Service-unique requirements, the Commander, Navy Recruiting Command may
decline to offer AB to a Nurse.
2. Incentive Pay
a. Eligibility. A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is eligible for IP if he or
she is a credentialed and practicing CRNA, and has completed the qualifying training required to
be designated as a CRNA in the Navy:
(1) Assigned a Primary Specialty of CRNA (1972).
(a) For Active Component (AC): active duty for a period of not less than one year.
(b) For Reserve Component: active duty for a period of more than 30 days, where the
officer’s orders state the officer’s billet while on active duty is the same specialty for which the
IP is being requested. If the orders do not state the same specialty, the officer must obtain written
verification of privileged and practicing the specialty at a Military Treatment Facility, while on
active duty for eligibility, and the eligibility date is the date privileges are granted while on AD.
(2) Must be certified by the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse
Anesthetist (NBCRNA).
(3) Executes a written agreement to remain on active duty for a minimum period of one
year beginning on the date the contract is executed, by submitting the appropriate template on the
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) Special Pays website to request the IP. After
entering the initial IP agreement there is no requirement to submit annual IP requests/agreements
to continue receiving the IP.
(4) Possesses an unrestricted license.
(5) Subject to acceptance by Chief, BUMED, a CRNA must be credentialed, privileged,
and practicing at a facility designated by the Surgeon General, in the specialty of CRNA.
3
(a) The Chief, BUMED, may also approve recommendations on a case by case basis
for IP payments to CRNAs assigned to positions requiring a substantial portion of time
performing military-unique duties under adverse conditions, or in remote locations outside the
United States, or that preclude the ability to spend appropriate time in a clinical setting.
(b) In such cases the member may submit a request to Chief, BUMED for a waiver of
the requirements, which will be reviewed on an individual basis. Format of the request is a
standard Navy formatted letter and routed through the member’s chain of command for
recommendation.
b. Monthly Payments. Annual payment amounts for IP are listed in Table 2 and will be paid
in equal monthly installments. After the initial year agreement, the IP payments will continue, at
the rate in the agreement, with no requirement for additional IP agreements or requests unless the
officer becomes eligible for a different IP rate.
c. Not Under Retention Bonus Agreement. Subject to acceptance by the Chief, BUMED, a
CRNA not under an RB agreement, who becomes eligible for a higher IP rate, may request to
terminate and renegotiate for a higher rate IP.
d. Under Retention Bonus Agreement. CRNAs who enter an RB contract shall continue IP
eligibility at the IP rate in effect at the time the RB contract is effective and will continue for the
duration of the RB agreement.
e. Completion of Qualifying Training. The eligibility date of IP shall be calculated from the
completion of the qualifying training plus three months.
3. Retention Bonus.
a. Eligibility. To be eligible for RB, a Nurse Corps officer must be on permanent active
duty, and meet the following requirements:
(1) Must have completed:
(a) Any, and all, active duty service commitment incurred for participating in a
commissioning, or pre-commissioning program, or any program(s) where government funding
was provided prior to reporting to active duty, also
(b) The active duty service obligation (ADSO) for AB or Accession Health
Professions Loan Repayment Program (HPLRP) is paid as an accession incentive, and must be
served prior to eligibility for a RB.
Note: Commissioning and pre-commissioning programs include, but are not limited to Military
Service Academy, Reserve Officers Training Corps, Armed Forces Health Professions
Scholarship Program, Financial Assistance Program, Uniformed Services University of the
Health Sciences, Health Services Collegiate Program, Seaman to Admiral (STA-21), and any
other programs funded by the government.
4
(2) Hold a primary specialty code listed in Table 2, which the RB is being paid for,
throughout the duration of the RB agreement, and only those listed in subparagraphs (12) and
(14) below are eligible to enter the authorized DUINS program while under an RB.
(3) Must have completed either a specialty nursing course approved by the Navy Surgeon
General or a graduate program in the clinical specialty for which the RB is being paid, and that
training must have been completed before the beginning of the FY during which the RB is
effective, but no earlier than 3 months after completing the qualifying training.
(4) All specialties must have the education suffix of the member’s primary subspecialty
code of “C”, “Q,” or a “K”. Specialties with the “K” code must also have the tertiary “V” in the
same specialty.
(5) Required to be certified by a recognized board listed in Table 3 to be eligible for a
RB.
(6) All Nurse Specialties must have no obligation, which includes, but is not limited to
obligation for accession such as accession obligation associated with funded education or
commissioning programs, Accession Bonus, active duty education/training, HPLRP, or Career
Intermission Program (CIP). Nurse Specialties eligible for an RB, and under the Blended
Retirement System (BRS) Continuation Pay are eligible to enter into retention agreements, and
the obligation is concurrent with the RB obligation.
(7) Reserve NC officers reporting to permanent indefinite recall to AC from RC are
considered to have an accession obligation, and are not eligible for an RB until completion of
obligation, except for CRNA (1972), Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (1973), and Critical Care
Nurses (1960) who will be eligible upon reporting to an AC command, and meet all other
eligibility requirements listed, to include completion of the qualifying training prior to the
beginning of the FY, which the RB agreement is effective per paragraph 3.a(3) above.
(8) A NC LT and LCDR who are a Failed to Select (FOS) to the next higher grade are
ineligible to enter a new RB agreement until either selected for promotion or offered
continuation.
(9) Execute a written agreement, accepted by the Chief, BUMED, to remain on active
duty in the specialty for which the RB is being paid.
(10) Possesses an unrestricted state license, or approved waiver.
(11) Subject to acceptance by the Chief, BUMED, Nurse Corps specialties requiring
privileges to practice are required to be credentialed, privileged, and practicing at a facility
designated by the Surgeon General, in the Nurse Corps specialty for which the RB is being paid.
5
(a) Those Nurse Corps specialties not required to be privileged to practice will be
required to be credentialed and practicing the specialty at a facility designated by the Surgeon
General, in the Nurse Corps specialty for which the RB is being paid.
(b) The Chief, BUMED, may also approve recommendations on a case by case basis
for RB payments to individuals assigned to positions requiring a substantial portion of time
performing military-unique duties under adverse conditions, or in remote locations outside the
United States, or that preclude the ability to spend appropriate time in a clinical setting. Requests
for waivers may be submitted by the member per paragraph 2a(4) above.
(12) Psychiatric Nurse (1930) must be LCDR/O-4 and below and must enter Duty Under
Instruction (DUINS) for Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (1973) program to be eligible to enter
a 6 year RB at the annual rate of $10,000. The RB will start the day prior to the start of the
Mental Nurse Practitioner (1973) program, the RB obligation will run concurrent with the
Mental Health Nurse Practitioner training, and obligation, for the length of the RB. The request
must be submitted prior to starting the DUINS, and no earlier than 60 days prior to the effective
date of the RB.
(14) Other than the specialties listed below who are eligible to enter DUINS while under
an RB, no other specialty is eligible to enter DUINS while under an RB.
(15) CRNA (1972), under an RB may enter a Duty Under Instruction (DUINS) CRNA
Ph.D. Clinical Research Program while under an RB agreement. The obligation for the RB will
be concurrent with the CRNA Ph.D DUINS program, and obligation, for the length of the RB
agreement, but must be effective and submitted prior to the start date of the DUINS.
(16) Critical Care Nurse under an RB may enter a Duty Under Instruction (DUINS)
Master’s Degree Program for Critical Care while under an RB agreement.
(17) For Nurse Specialties Medical Surgical (1910) and Emergency Room (1945), with an
approved graduate degree qualifying for a primary specialty code with an educational suffix of
“Q” or “C” according to the Navy Nurse Corps Subspecialty Code Management Guidance are
eligible for an RB.
b. Service-Unique Requirements. Based on Service-unique requirements, the Chief,
BUMED, may decline to offer an RB to Nurses or may restrict the length of an RB contract
based on service needs or requirements.
c. Termination and Renegotiation of Prior RB. Subject to acceptance by the Chief,
BUMED, an officer with an existing RB contract, who has served at least half of the existing
contract, may request termination of that contract, to enter into a new RB contract with an equal
or longer obligation, at the RB annual rate in effect at the time of execution of the new RB
contract. The new obligation period shall not retroactively cover any portion or period that was
executed under the old contract.
6
Example: An officer who entered a 3 year RB effective 1 October 2022, will reach half the
agreement period the end of March 2024 (18 months), and is eligible to Terminate and
Renegotiate effective 1 April 2024, provided the member meets all other eligibility requirements.
d. Active Duty Service Obligation. ADSOs for RB shall be established in accordance with
the following:
(1) ADSOs for education and training and previous RB agreements shall be served before
serving the RB ADSO.
(2) Obligations for an RB may be served concurrently with other service obligations, to
include IP, Board Certified Pay (BCP), promotion, Blended Retirement System (BRS)
Continuation Pay, and non-Nurse specific military education/training.
e. Annual Pay Amounts for RB. Annual payment amounts for multi-year RB contracts shall
be in the amounts in Table 2. The RB shall be paid annually on the anniversary date of the
contract.
4. Board Certification Pay. CRNA, Nurse Practitioners, and Midwives are eligible to receive
BCP at the annual rate as indicated in Table 5, paid in equal monthly amounts. To be eligible for
BCP, an officer must:
a. Hold the eligible Primary Specialty for the duration of BCP.
b. Have a post-baccalaureate degree in the clinical specialty. A post-master’s certificate
acceptable to the Chief, BUMED can satisfy this requirement.
c. Be certified by a recognized professional board, in a designated health profession clinical
specialty contained in Table 6.
d. Execute a written agreement to remain on active duty beginning on the date the contract is
executed, for a minimum period of one year. After entering the initial BCP agreement there is no
requirement to submit annual BCP requests/agreements to continue receiving the BCP.
e. Members receiving $6,000 BCP, may submit for the increase to $8,000 effective as early
as 1 October 2023, provided the member meets the eligibility for BCP, and has not, or does not,
submit for a resignation, or retirement, less than one year after the effective date of change in
BCP amount. A member must obligate for one year from the start date of the new BCP rate. A
member must obligate for a period of one year of active duty from the start date of the new BCP
rate.
Example: A member who has submitted for resignation/retirement effective prior to 30
September 2023 is not eligible to submit for the increase in BCP, since the date of resignation/
retirement is less than one year from the earliest eligible effective date of 1 October 2023.
7
5. Payment. IP and BCP shall be paid monthly, and will reflect on the LES as SAVED PAY.
RB shall be paid in annual installments for the length of the agreement, an AB will be paid in a
lump sum, except CRNA and Critical Care AB will be paid in equal annual installments, as listed
in Table 1. Upon acceptance by the Chief, BUMED, the total amount paid under the agreement
shall be fixed during the length of the agreement. The amount of each bonus or pay is listed in
Tables 1-3.
8
GLOSSARY
PART I. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AB
ACEN
ADSO
APRNs
ASD(HA)
CCNE
CRNA
CSP
HPLRP
IP
MP
NCLEX
NLNAC
RB
9
PART II. DEFINITIONS
Accession Bonus (AB). Bonus paid upon accession pursuant to USC Title 37, Chapter 5,
Section 335, paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2).
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. Includes certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse
practitioners, and nurse midwives.
Board Certification Pay (BCP). A pay authorized to health professions officers who earn board
certification by an approved certifying agency. Pay authorized under USC Title 37, Chapter 5,
Section 335, paragraph (c).
Credentialed. A qualification held by a health professions officer constituting evidence of
qualifying education, training, licensure, experience, current competence, etc.
Nurse Corps officer. An officer of the Nurse Corps of the Army, Navy, or Air Force.
Incentive Pay (IP). A pay authorized to a health professions officer serving on active duty in a
designated health profession specialty for a healthcare related skill. Pay authorized under USC
Title 37, Chapter 5, Section 335, paragraph (b).
Multi-year Pay (MP). Pay given for obligated service of two, three, or four years.
Commissioning Program. Any program of education or training funded by the government
authorizing commissioning, such as Military Service Academy, Reserve Officers Training
Corps, Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program, Financial Assistance Program,
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Nurse Candidate Program, or any other
commissioning programs.
Practicing. Meeting the practicing requirements to maintain privileges by the Privileging
Authority.
Privileged. Permission/authorization for an independent provider to provide medical or other
patient care services in the granting institution or billet. Clinical privileges define the scope and
limits of practice for individual providers and are based on the capability of the healthcare
facility, the provider’s licensure, relevant training and experience, current competence, health
status, and judgment.
Retention Bonus (RB). A multi-year bonus paid to obligate an officer for a specified period of
time over one year authorized under USC Title 37, Chapter 5, Section 335, paragraph (a)(3).
10
Table 1: NURSE CORPS ACCESSION BONUS (AB) AND CRITICALLY SHORT
WARTIME SPECIALTY ACCESSION BONUS (CSWSAB)
1
SPECIALTY AB
Rate is for Entire Period of Accession Obligation
3-Year Obligation
4-Year Obligation
Any Specialty
$30,000 (Lump Sum)
$50,000 (Lump Sum)
Critical Care Nursing
-
$100,000 (Paid in 4 annual
installments of $25,000)
Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
-
$120,000 (Paid in 4 annual
installments of $30,000)
SPECIALTY CSWSAB
Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetist
-
$250,000 (Paid in 4 annual
installments of $62,500)
Table 2: NURSE CORPS IP & RB
2, 3, 4
NURSE CORPS
Fully
Qualified
IP only 1-
year rate
(prorated
monthly)
RB 2-
Year
Rate
(Paid
Annually)
RB 3-
Year Rate
(Paid
Annually)
RB 4-
Year
Rate
(Paid
Annually)
RB 6-
Year
Rate
(Paid
Annually)
Medical-Surgical Nursing
-
$10,000
$15,000
$25,000
-
Labor and Delivery Nursing
$10,000
$15,000
$25,000
-
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse
-
-
-
$10,000
Emergency Room Nursing
-
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
-
Perioperative Nursing
-
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
-
Critical Care Nursing
-
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
-
Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetist
$15,000
$10,000
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
-
$10,000
$15,000
$35,000
$50,000
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
-
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
-
Family Nurse Practitioner
-
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$35,000
Nurse Midwife
-
$10,000
$15000
$20,000
-
Table 3: Recognized boards for IP AND/OR RB
Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses Certified
Medical-Surgical Registered (CMSRN)
Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing
(BCEN)
American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
National Certification Program (AANP)
Competency & Credentialing Institute Certified
(CCI)
American Association of Critical Care Nurses
(AACN)
National Board on Certification and
Recertification of Nurse Anesthetist (NBCRNA)
11
American Midwifery Certification Board
(AMCB)
Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
National Certification Corporation (NCC)
Table 4: Eligibility Requirements by Specialty
NURSE CORPS
Required
Education
Suffix
Tertiary
Suffix “V”
Required
if
Education
Suffix “K”
Eligible
For RB if
Under
DUINS
Obligation
Period
Eligible to
Enter
DUINS
Master’s
Degree
Program
for Same
Specialty
Receiving
RB
Eligible to
Decline
Accession
Bonus and
Enter RB
Agreement
Upon
Meeting
Eligibility
Medical-Surgical Nursing
Q or C
NA
No
No
No
Labor and Delivery Nursing
K, Q or C
Yes
No
No
No
Psychiatric/Mental Health
Nursing
K, Q, or C
Yes No Yes No
Emergency Room Nursing
Q or C
NA
No
No
No
Perioperative Nursing
K, Q, or C
Yes
No
No
No
Critical Care Nursing
K, Q, or C
Yes
No
Yes
No
Certified Registered Nurse
Anesthetist
Q or C
NA
No
No
No
Family Nurse Practitioner
Q, or C
NA
No
No
No
Table 5: Board Certification Pay (BCP) Rate
Board Certification Pay (BCP) 1-year
rate (prorated monthly)
$8,000
Table 6: Recognized boards for BCP
Specialty
Sponsor
Responsibility
Board
CRNA
American Association of
Nurse Anesthetists
National Board of
Certification and
Recertification for
Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse Anesthetist
NP
American Nurses
Association
American Nurses
Credentialing Center,
American Academy of
Nurse Practitioners or
Pediatric Nursing
Certification Board
Family Nurse Practitioner
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse
Practitioner
Nurse
Midwife
National Commission for
Certifying Agencies
American Midwifery
Certification Board
Nurse Midwife
12
Footnotes:
1
Must be a graduate of a school of nursing accredited by the Accreditation Commission for
Education in Nursing (formerly the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) or
the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) that conferred a baccalaureate degree
or higher in nursing. Information found at: http://www.acenursing.org/. Nurse Corps CSWSAB
lists HPO specialties designated by the Secretary of Defense as critical to meet a Military
Service's healthcare wartime missions. Justification for a critical designation consists of the
criticality of the HPO skill, officer shortages due to recent force structure changes, or extremely
high replacement or training cost.
2
As a Health Care Provider (HCP), AC HPOs must be currently credentialed, privileged
(Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)), and practicing at a facility designated by the
military Service, in the Nurse Specialty for which the IP and/or RB is being paid. Nurses
assigned to positions requiring a substantial portion of time performing military-unique duties
under adverse conditions or in remote locations outside the United States, or that preclude the
ability to spend appropriate time in a clinical setting, may request a waiver from the Chief,
BUMED. General/Flag officers at the rank of O-7 and above are eligible for the IP and BCP in
their credentialed specialty.
3
To be paid IP and BCP under the 1/30
th
rule, RC HPOs must be credentialed by the military
Service in the specialty for which the incentive is being paid, while on Active Duty.
4
To be eligible for a Nurse IP and/or RB, the Nurse must be board-certified in the specialty
concerned by the applicable Board listed in Table 3.
5
In order to be eligible for a retention bonus, member must have completed a specialty nursing
course approved by the Service Surgeon General or a graduate program in one of the clinical
specialties listed.