Should I get my Congresswoman involved with my not having received my Reserve signing bonus?

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 05:22:37 -0400

Hello Everyone!

I have been having a lot of issues with receiving my Bonus and I am on the verge of trying to get my Congresswoman involved, but before I do, I want to see if anyone has any insight into other steps that can be taken, I might have overlooked.

I served, originally, as a Chemo in the Active Army for 4 years. After my Active Duty contract ended, I was looking to get out but stay in Europe (where I was stationed) to start a master's degree. I talked to a Reserve recruiter who told me of an option where I could transfer branches and receive a $10,000 bonus on top of it.

It sounded too good to be true... But I went for it.

I decided to stay in Germany while also transferring to the reserves and changing branches to MI. In my reserve contract, the only stipulation to receiving this $10,000 bonus is to complete MICCC within two years of being in the Reserve (I will be going to Ft Huachuca in a week to complete the course which leaves me with 6 months to spare).
In preparation, I started doing the necessary paperwork to apply for the bonus and sent it off to my unit who eventually sent it to HRC. Upon HRC receiving it, they discovered that I do not meet the qualifications to receive any bonus. In regulation, it turns out, I must complete a minimum of 8 years total service before I can be offered any bonus.

This was news to me, especially because I signed a contract stating I was entitled to the bonus, and the main reason I stayed with the Army here in Europe, was because of the bonus that was offered.

I found that information out 8 months ago and have gone through every avenue I could, with my unit's G1, G8, my unit's JAG, IG (who told me they can't help with this issue), and ACTS (where my application for review of my contract has sat unread for the last 6 months).

I don't know what to do.

If anyone has any suggestions, contacts, or leads, I would greatly appreciate it.

-1LT Robinson

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Sep 25 at 2023 8:31 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:31:38 -0400

Did you address this with who previously signed you up for the bonus? So is the general consensus with everyone is that you shouldn't have been offered the bonus because you don't have the required minimum 8 years time in service? Or do you just have to hit the 8 year mark and have the course complete to receive it? You need to define if the contract was done incorrectly or if you just haven't hit the required threshold of eligibility yet. That clarification makes all the difference in the world. Contacting your Congressional representative is an option but you need to understand that once you break that glass for emergency you can't put the genie back in the bottle afterwards. You change everything when you do that to include how people will interact with you afterwards. If you feel that is needed, do what you have to but it needs to be your last option on the table because when you go outside of the circle it changes everything. It may work but it might not depending on the details I mentioned before. But regardless of the outcome you will be kept at an arms distance by a lot of people afterwards because they will know you as the congressional whistle blower. I'm not trying to shame you or guilt you out of your decision but you just need to know how people will react and perceive you once you go outside of the Army to address your problem.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2023 9:41 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 09:41:17 -0400

You state that the total bonus amount was $10K and you were allowed to reclass.
That sounds like you signed for just the Officer/Warrant Affiliation Bonus (OAFB/WOAFB) alone and not in conjunction with Officer/Warrant Officer Transfer Bonus (OTB/WOTB), which would have been an additional $10K but not authorized if you were reclassing.

Now, the retention bonus, ORB (for current USAR Officers) requires MSO to be complete prior to contract, whereas the OAFB does not.
And the 8 year question sounds like they are hung up on the MSO requirement.

Check out the USAR SRIP policy for the FY this contract was signed.
This one was FY22
https://www.usar.army.mil/Portals/98/Documents/Incentives/FY22%20SRIP%20Effective%2011%20January%202022.pdf?ver=ylqzliwWA0WBf2CLWEs4Yw%3D%3D

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Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2023 10:05 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 10:05:03 -0400

I highly recommend you review your contract. There is nothing your congress person can do if you signed something that states you serve 8 years in the reserves or you must complete branch reclass before being elligible for the bonus. Retention/recruiters are known for not telling the whole truth - their job is to get bodies. It sounds like you have reached out to a number of people ( G1, G8, my unit's JAG, IG) who have already told you the same thing - there is nothing they can do to get you this money. Just like we cannot provide you additional information or a back door to get you the bonus.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2023 12:19 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 12:19:02 -0400

You'll need to have a contract that shows the $10K bonus and the terms of that bonus. That however can be forged in its entirety by retention. So on the other end of that you'll probably need a MilPer or recruiting memo for the period you signed to show the policy of said bonus (the authority authorizing the bonus).

If there is no authority authorizing the bonus then that's that. If there is no signature on a contract at the time of your commission or package that claims as such (using the authority memo/MilPer) then you are dead in the water, because you would have basically signed a contract without that as a condition.

*********************
I hear your plight. I personally got said bonus for $10K for 92A. My two peer LT's at the time that literally commissioned in the same month into the same unit as me (we all were different PLs) as me DID NOT get that bonus.

My retention NCO set me up, and the administrative process I pushed my paperwork through once I was done with BOLC magically worked. I had two things in hand. My direct commission application with the $10K referenced with my signature on it, and the signature of a officer (I think it was a Major) that was part of that paper work. Then there was a MilPer at the time as the authority.

My peers did not have that paperwork in hand, but that said, we were all different commissioning sources to boot. I was Direct, one was ROTC, and the other was Green to Gold.

****************
Oh, forgot to mention you'll need proof of your commission, and proof you finished BOLC, and possible proof you are in a slot that the bonus requires (and not a generic 01A slot) usually a memo from your first line commander.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Sep 25 at 2023 4:27 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:27:56 -0400

Not to throw rocks but you do know that RA are praying they will get paid on Oct 1. right

Response by SGT Glenn E Moody made Feb 25 at 2024 4:20 PM

SGT Glenn E Moody — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 16:20:30 -0500

requiters lie all the time. looks like you got the green weenie. as i did when I joined I wanted to get certified in mecanics was told sure no problem that MOS is 11-B I had no clue it was the INFANTRY. I tried to transfure to a MECH INFANTRY UNIT got all the way through it. only one to sign off on it was the BN. COMMANDER. he would not sign off told me he needed to keep his meal roster full. the kick in the balls to that was less than A year later they let me go to GERMANY on Reforger 1985 with the unit i was held back from. not allowed to be transfered to. & put in the MECHINCS SLOT I was to be in. that is what i did in my civilan job. when we returned back to my unit after REFORGER the MECH INFANTRY CAME TO ME ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO WORK FULL TIME IN THE MOTOR POOL another greenweenie kick in the balls. at this time I was short plus I kept A trump card when I joined no high School or GED I was told I had to get it or be discharged never got it. it hurt me some they wouldn't give me my E-5 rank they only gave me SP-4 my PLT LT pinned me CPL-E-4 hard stripes JR.NCO job of the E-5 without the paygrade. just another GREEN WEENIE KICK IN THE BALLS AGAIN. after that the new CO had me arested on the AWOL LIST I put A doctors note in the 1st SGT in box on his desk relieving me form duty the next green weenie kick in the balls.I wouldn't get in the AWOL team's JEEP my personal TRUCK had A base sticker on it. I followed them back to the ARMORY check the 1st SGT box there is the note I took it made A copy put it back in the box noone ever loocked at it. i went back home. after that I kicked them in the balls back. i took my gear & ID CARD flicked it at them said I quit the only thing they could do is take 2 paygrades away give me an honorable discharge as a PVT-2 with out any renlistment restrictions I tried to after 9/11 /2021 next monday I went ti sign on the dotted line again turned i failed the EKG & they said i was color blind. so now i serve as SGT AT ARMS 26th (YANKEE) INFANTRY DIVISION VETERANS ASSOCIATION BOSTON MA. CHAPTER I ALMOST FORGOT THE WORST WEENIE OF ALL MY GRAND MA DIED MY DAD WAS PULLING UP TO THE ARMORY THEY LET THE BUS PULL AWAY WITH ME ON IT THE REDCROSS CALLED THEM TOLD THEM MY DAD WAS ON HIS WAY TO BRING ME HOME I FOUND OUT THAT NITE ABOUT 2AM THE BUS LEFT @ 6am I DIDN"T GET A RIDE HOME UNTIL ABOUT 7AM THE NEXT MORNING from CAPE COD CAMP EDWARDS LESS THAN A ONE HOUR DRIVE THE ONLY THING I GOT FROM ANY OF THEM WAS SORRY TO INFORM ME THAT MY GRAND MA PAST FROM THE CHAPLIN THE ONLY ONES THAT MATTERED WAS FROM MY BUDDYS & 1st SGT he was my MILITARY DAD MY PLT SGT & MY PLT LT that pinned me CPL E-4 the only thing that sucked is they took my M-60 AWAY gave me my M16 A-1 back but as an JR NCO I GOT TO KEEP MY M1911 .45 side arm I had as A M-60 GUNNER we had to QUILFI WITH BOTH THE M-60 & M1911 .45 pistol