Expandin' the Ranks
Air Force Offering Enlistment Bonuses for New Job Fields in 2025 - Here's the List
The Air Force is shakin' things up in '25 by beefin' up bonus opportunities for active duty troops. Specific career fields are cherry-picked for reenlistment bonuses if they decide to play along in '25.
In early December, they threw an extra 16 AFSCs into the mix, bringing the grand total to a solid 89 from a lousy 73 last year, and only 51 the year before. The leak of the career field list on social media was confirmed as the real McCoy by a service spokesperson to Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Previously, the Air Force was shy when it came to publicizing career fields eligible for retention bonuses and special duty assignment pay, keeping them under wraps on myFSS, which, fun fact, is for Active-Duty folks only. An Air & Space Forces Magazine records request for these lists remains unfulfilled.
Coinin' It
The reenlistment bonus program tends to ebb and flow like the tide, expanding and contracting in response to broader retention trends within the Air Force. In 2020, during the heart of the COVID pandemic, the program tightened its belt to just 37 career fields, but by 2019 it was extendin' a hand to over a hundred.
The new career fields in 2025 include some of the Air Force's hottest platforms, such as boom operators for the KC-46, C-130J loadmasters, and maintenance techs for the EA-37B. Cyber ops specialists and technicians, human intelligence analysts, and special investigation folks also got the green light.
The cyber career fields' inclusion is particularly interesting given the Air Force's recent decision to reinstate warrant officers in the cyber and IT fields. While the program starts small, the additional bonuses could be a sneaky way to keep experienced enlisted troops from boltin' out the door.
Many of the career fields from last year carried over, including those that service officials struggle to staff, such as special ops commandos, bomb disposal experts, and military dog trainers. However, some career fields, such as nuclear weapons maintenance, were left out this go-around. Airmen whose career fields were cut can still snag last year's perks till mid-February.
Gettin' Paid: The Nitty-Gritty
The exact amount a troop collects in bonus dough depends on several factors, includin' their basic pay, the length of reenlistment, and their experience level. The leaked list shows four zones, range from just 17 months of service up to 20 years.
Last year, the Air Force upped the maximum allowable reenlistment bonus to a whopping $180,000 with a career cap set at $360,000. These figures remain the same for '25.
The Fine Print
Always read the fine print, folks! Keep in mind that these details are subject to change, and the situation may evolve as we get closer to 2025. So, stay tuned for updates, and good luck with those reenlistment decisions!
- The Air Force is offering reenlistment bonuses to active duty troops in various career fields for 2025, expanding the list from 51 in the previous year to 89, with 16 new AFSCs added.
- The new career fields eligible for reenlistment bonuses in 2025 include boom operators for the KC-46, C-130J loadmasters, maintenance techs for the EA-37B, cyber ops specialists, human intelligence analysts, special investigation personnel, and more.
- The inclusion of cyber career fields is noteworthy, as it comes shortly after the Air Force announced the reinstatement of warrant officers in the cyber and IT fields.
- Some career fields from the previous year have carried over, such as special ops commandos, bomb disposal experts, and military dog trainers. However, nuclear weapons maintenance was not included in the 2025 list.
- The amount of bonus money a troop receives depends on factors like their basic pay, length of reenlistment, and experience level, with four zones ranging from 17 months of service to 20 years.
- The maximum allowable reenlistment bonus for 2025 remains the same as last year at $180,000, with a career cap set at $360,000.
- It's important to note that these details are subject to change and updates may be announced closer to 2025, so it's advised to stay informed about any changes in the reenlistment bonus program.
