PUBLIC LAW 109–163—JAN. 6, 2006
119 STAT. 3303
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘designated critical military skill’’ and inserting ‘‘critical military skill designated under subsection (b) or accepts an assignment to a high priority unit designated under such subsection’’; (2) in subsection (b)— OF CRITICAL (A) by striking ‘‘DESIGNATION SKILLS.—’’ and inserting ‘‘ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—(1)’’; and (B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: ‘‘(2) The Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, may designate a unit as a high priority unit regarding which a retention bonus will be provided to a member of the armed forces who agrees to accept an assignment to the unit under subsection (a).’’; and (3) in subsection (h)(1), by striking ‘‘members qualified in the critical military skills for which the bonuses were offered’’ and inserting ‘‘members of the armed forces who were offered a bonus under this section’’. (c) MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF BONUS FOR RESERVE COMPONENT MEMBERS.—Subsection (d)(1) of such section is amended by inserting after ‘‘$200,000’’ the following: ‘‘(or $100,000 in the case of a reserve component member)’’. (d) EXTENDED ELIGIBILITY PERIOD FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS.— Subsection (e) of such section is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following new paragraphs: ‘‘(2) The limitations in paragraph (1) do not apply with respect to an officer who, during the period of active duty or service in an active status in a reserve component for which the bonus is being offered, is assigned duties as a health care professional. ‘‘(3) The limitations in paragraph (1) do not apply with respect to a member who, during the period of active duty or service in an active status in a reserve component for which the bonus is being offered— ‘‘(A) is qualified in a skill designated as critical under subsection (b)(1) related to special operations forces; or ‘‘(B) is qualified for duty in connection with the supervision, operation, and maintenance of naval nuclear propulsion plants.’’. (e) REPAYMENT REQUIREMENTS.—Subsection (g)(1) of such section is amended by striking ‘‘If’’ and all that follows through ‘‘under this section,’’ and inserting ‘‘If a member paid a bonus under this section fails, during the period of service covered by the member’s agreement, reenlistment, or voluntary extension of enlistment under subsection (a), to remain qualified in the critical military skill or to satisfy the other eligibility criteria for which the bonus was paid,’’. (f) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— (1) SECTION HEADING.—The heading of section 323 of such title is amended to read as follows: ‘‘§ 323. Special pay: retention incentives for members qualified in critical military skills or assigned to high priority units’’. (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 5 of such title is amended by striking the
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