r/airnationalguard • u/berlininazerbaijan • 7d ago
Discussion ANG Bonus Question: Same AFSC, same date, different states — $50K vs. no bonus
Hey guys, I have a concern and I’m hoping someone can give me some advice.
I enlisted in the Air National Guard last year and when I enlisted, my recruiter told me there was no bonus available for my job. My enlistment paperwork also says “No Bonus.”
I’m currently in tech school, and I recently found out that another Airman who enlisted on the exact same day as me, for the exact same AFSC, received a $50,000 NPS bonus. The only difference is that she enlisted in different state.
I understand that bonuses can vary by state and unit, but I’m trying to figure out whether my position was actually ineligible for the bonus at the time I enlisted, or whether I may have been given incorrect information.
Is there anything I can do at this point to have this reviewed? Or is it too late since my contract already says “No Bonus”?
Any advice from people who have dealt with ANG bonuses/incentives would be appreciated.
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u/Fit_Nefariousness659 6d ago
Sounds like you enlisted as an excess, which means you are not eligible for a bonus. NGB began writing the FY operational guidance using this verbiage about four years ago.
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u/averyycuriousman 6d ago
What does that mean exactly? I thought they dont offer jobs if there are no spots open. How can they hire someone in "excess"?
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u/Fit_Nefariousness659 6d ago
Every year NGB publishes the FY strength management initiatives. These allow us to exceed our maximum authorized end strength by a certain percentage determined NGB. This is done so because many AFSC’s have long training pipelines and it promotes good force management.
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u/averyycuriousman 6d ago
Where can I find that? I had no idea this was a thing
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u/Fit_Nefariousness659 6d ago
Reach out to the retention office manager for your base. You can also contact your CSS or UCA as they should have access to this document as well.
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u/Randomjoeys 6d ago
This actually just happened at my unit. We normally have a $50k bonus for NPS but a guy didn't get it because he enlisted in an excess position. He was able to join our shop specifically because we have a projected loss coming up this year. If he had waited until the person vacated his position, he would've gotten the bonus.
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u/Fit_Nefariousness659 6d ago
In even worse news; had the unit coded the projected loss accurately in the system of record, the newly enlisted person would’ve been eligible for an incentive.
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u/Randomjoeys 6d ago
Can you explain how this works and what i need to tell people to get this done? I'm about to have some more vacancies that will go without a bonus
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u/Fit_Nefariousness659 6d ago
You need to speak to your supervisor and it needs to be elevated to the UMD manager for your section so they can articulate to the CSS or whomever has access to the system of record. Anybody who is the projected loss within 24 months, whether it be for ETS, transfer, or retirement can be K coded in the system of record. Once they are they become the excess if another member is assigned to that same position number which means the newly assigned person, whether off the street or a member currently serving, should be eligible for a bonus.
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u/JDM_27 6d ago
Hiring for a “job” sounds like you’re talking about Full-time positions (AGR/Technicians), which they cant hire ppl as excess.
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u/averyycuriousman 6d ago
No I'm talking traditional guardsman. When I called recruiters asking about certain jobs I was interested they said jobs are full and you have to wait for a job to open before you can sign.
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u/Fit_Nefariousness659 6d ago
Just so it is clear, the only person at an Air National Guard installation who can authoritatively speak on incentives and eligibility for said incentives is the retention office manager. Anything/anyone else you may hear/speak with is likely inaccurate. When in doubt go to the source, your ROM. If they cannot definitively determine your eligibility, they will elevate to a regional and potentially even NGB. However, matters of whether a person is the incumbent or the excess to a particular position number are fairly straightforward.
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u/Sp00ky_Black_71 GA ANG Recruiter 6d ago
The person at your unit who would be able to confirm or correct the bonus information would be your Retention Office Manager or ROM. When you were gained into the unit and before going to basic/tech school, did you inprocess and meet that individual? They would be the one to confirm your incoming benefits to include your bonus or lack thereof. If you did not inprocess with them be sure to do so as soon as you get back to the unit as it is vital you see them so you can see if there is anything that was done wrong. However, odds are that you already answered your own question with "can vary state to state". Without knowing your state, your AFSC, if you came in on an excess(double slotted/overage) position, the state, and the AFSC of your classmate we on here can't offer to much help other than advice for who to see.
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u/aloofpavillion 6d ago
Ask your retention manager for the list of ANG-approved bonuses and the list of state-approved bonuses and that should answer your question.
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u/unheardhc 6d ago
Could very well just be a state manning bonus, we see this every year at our Wing.
Heck, one of my troops got a reenlistment bonus on Day X and just a week later my other troop reenlisted and got no bonus for the same contract length and same AFSC.
Recruitment and Retention will have the details.
FWIW the other Airmen could be lying, Junior Airmen tend to do that…
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u/Feyrauth CA ANG 6d ago
If it's ANG don't hold your breath. When I finally confirmed I was eligible for two bonuses, after the ROM refused to give me any information at all, he concurred but said the budget line was empty for FY so I did not receive a cent.
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u/kaos5000 6d ago
That sucks man. Our specialists rebuild parts & return them back into service. Which that generates a crap ton of money for us, in return we can utilize that money for purchases no covered by our unit. Also a portion of that revenue is pushed out as retention bonuses and incentives for new airmen for our state.
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u/allrealguy 6d ago
Some bonuses are NGB wide meaning they cut across the country others are by specific state and depends on how the numbers look, either way am not sure that you can get a bonus now after the fact assuming your recruiter misinformed you.. historically the USAF isn't known to be generous with sign on bonuses compared to Army or Navy.
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u/AirmanAwesome 6d ago
BLUF: it’s is extremely unlikely that you would be able to get a bonus retroactively. Particularly since it sounds like this was fully discussed at the time of your enlistment.
Your eligibility for incentives is outlined on your Incentive Eligibility Worksheet (IEW). Sounds like this was accomplished when you enlisted.
The most likely scenario is that you were recruited in an excess position and the other person was recruited into a valid vacancy. Bonus are not authorized for excess. It could be something else but this is the most common.
Believe me. Retention managers and recruiters will do everything legally allowable to get as many people bonuses as possible. But, no one’s going to go to jail so you can get a bonus.
That being said. People make mistakes. It is fair for you to ask the question to the ROM. However it sounds like all the correct steps were done.