(a) Authority and Eligibility Requirements.—(1) The Secretary concerned may pay a bonus as provided in subsection (b) to an eligible person who reenlists, enlists, or voluntarily extends an enlistment in a reserve component of an armed force for assignment to an element (other than the Selected Reserve) of the Ready Reserve of that armed force if the reenlistment, enlistment, or extension is for a period of three years, or for a period of six years, beyond any other period the person is obligated to serve.

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(2) A person is eligible for a bonus under this section if the person—

(A) is or has been a member of an armed force;

(B) is qualified in a skill or specialty designated by the Secretary concerned as a critically short wartime skill or critically short wartime specialty; and

(C) has not failed to complete satisfactorily any original term of enlistment in the armed forces.

(3) For the purposes of this section, the Secretary concerned may designate a skill or specialty as a critically short wartime skill or critically short wartime specialty for an armed force under the jurisdiction of the Secretary if the Secretary determines that—

(A) the skill or specialty is critical to meet wartime requirements of the armed force; and

(B) there is a critical shortage of personnel in that armed force who are qualified in that skill or specialty.

(4) The Secretary concerned may waive the eligibility requirement in paragraph (2)(B) in the case of a reenlistment or voluntary extension of enlistment by a member of the armed forces that is entered into as described in this subsection while the member is serving on active duty in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(b) Bonus Amounts; Payment.—(1) Eligibility for and the amount and method of payment of a bonus under this section shall be determined under regulations to be prescribed under subsection (f).

(2) The amount of a bonus under this section—

(A) may not exceed $3,000, in the case of a person who enlists for a period of six years; and

(B) may not exceed $1,500 in the case of a person who enlists for a period of three years.

(3) A bonus paid under this section shall be paid as follows:

(A) In the case of a bonus under paragraph (2)(A)—

(i) $500 shall be paid at the time of the reenlistment, enlistment, or extension of enlistment for which the bonus is paid; and

(ii) the remainder shall be paid in equal annual increments.

(B) In the case of a bonus under paragraph (2)(B), the amount of the bonus shall be paid in equal annual increments.

(4) A person entitled to a bonus under this section who is called or ordered to active duty shall be paid, during that period of active duty, any amount of the bonus that becomes payable to the member during that period of active duty.

(c) Repayment.—A person who does not complete the period of enlistment or extension of enlistment for which the bonus was paid under this section shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.

(d) Regulations.—(1) This section shall be administered under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for the armed forces under his jurisdiction and by the Secretary of Homeland Security for the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy.

(2) Regulations under this section may require that as a condition of receiving a bonus under this section the person receiving the bonus agree to participate in an annual muster of the Reserves, or in active duty for training, as may be required by the Secretary concerned.

(e) Termination of Authority.—A bonus may not be paid under this section to any person for a reenlistment, enlistment, or voluntary extension of an enlistment after December 31, 2018.