37 U.S.C. § 354 — Special pay: 15-year career status bonus for members entering service on or after August 1, 1986

(a) Availability of the bonus. The Secretary concerned must pay this bonus to an "eligible career bonus member" if the member (1) elects to receive it, and (2) signs a written agreement, in the form the Secretary prescribes, to stay continuously on active duty until completing 20 years of active-duty service creditable under section 1405 of title 10. (b) Who qualifies. An "eligible career bonus member" is a member of a uniformed service on active duty who (1) first became a member on or after August 1, 1986, and (2) has completed 15 years of active duty in the uniformed services, or has been notified under subsection (e) that they're about to. (c) How to elect. The member makes the election in whatever form and time period the Secretary concerned prescribes. Once made, the election can't be taken back. (d) Amount and payment. (1) The bonus equals $30,000. (2) A member who elects to receive it must choose one payment plan: a single lump sum of $30,000; two installments of $15,000 each; three installments of $10,000 each; four installments of $7,500 each; or five installments of $6,000 each. (3) If installments are chosen, each installment after the first is paid on whichever comes earlier: the yearly anniversary of the first payment, or the next January 15. (4) The lump sum, or the first installment if paid in installments, must go out no later than the first month beginning at least 60 days after the Secretary concerned receives both the member's election and, if required, the signed service agreement. (e) Notifying members they qualify. (1) The Secretary concerned must send written notice to every member who meets the definition of eligible career bonus member, no later than 180 days before the member completes 15 years of active duty. (2) The notice must explain (A) the procedure for electing the bonus, and (B) how that election affects the computation of any retired or retainer pay the member may later become eligible for, under sections 1401a, 1409, and 1410 of title 10. (f) Repayment. (1) If a person paid this bonus doesn't complete active duty from their election date through 20 years of service, they must repay it under the repayment rules in section 373. (2) If a person who was paid this bonus later makes the different retirement-plan election described in section 1409(b)(4)(B) of title 10, they must also repay it, the same way, under section 373. (g) Sunset and continuing payments. (1) The Secretary concerned may not pay any new bonus under this section after December 31, 2017. (2) Subject to the repayment rule in (f)(2), the Secretary concerned may still continue making payments for bonuses that were awarded on or before that date.