Eighty-nine Air Force career fields will be eligible for retention bonuses in 2025, according to a service memo leaked online last week.
Though the list was not made readily available by the service, a copy of it providing the names of the eligible career fields circulated on social media, making an appearance on the popular Facebook group, “Air Force amn/nco/snco.”
An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the list’s authenticity, whose existence was first reported by Military.com on Friday.
The document, titled “United States Air Force Fiscal Year 2025 Selective Retention Bonus Listing,” details 89 career fields eligible for bonuses that begin at $180,000 and cap out at $360,000.
In 2024, 73 career fields were eligible for retention bonuses, according to Military.com.
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The list includes a myriad of career fields, such as airborne cryptologic language analyst-Chinese, pararescue, special mission aviator-MC-130J, human intelligence specialist, special reconnaissance, refuel/bomber aircraft maintenance craftsman, explosive ordnance disposal and surgical technologist-urology.
In March, the Department of the Air Force requested $217.5 billion for the 2025 fiscal year, with the Air Force making up $188.1 billion of that ask, Military Times previously reported.
The request targeted a $1.1 billion allotment for bonus and retention pay for 118,000 critical positions, including $327 million for aviation jobs and $21 million to retain cyber specialists.
The bonuses also come after the Air Force fell short of meeting recruitment goals by 10% in 2023. The service recently expanded medical waivers to cover asthma, food allergies, and hearing loss, in a bid to bring more recruits into the fold.
The new eligibility list went into effect Dec. 16, according to the document, and can be viewed in its entirety here.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
