The military may offer certain service members an added incentive for extending their overseas tour. Called Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program (OTEIP), this special incentive comes in three forms.
- Monthly Special Pay
- Annual Bonus
- Special Rest & Recuperation (SR&R)
OTEIP Eligibility
Each branch has their own regulations on who is eligible for OTEIP, how much it is, and which options are available. However, generally you must have served your original assignment in a designated overseas area, have a desired military specialty and agree to serve at least 12 additional months at your current overseas location to be eligible.
OTEIP Entitlement
Depending on the needs of the military, you can choose only one of the following three forms of OTEIP:
- Up to $80 monthly special pay
- Up to $2,000 annual bonus paid in lump sum or monthly installments
- Special Rest & Recuperation (SR&R) leave
Note: The entitlement varies by service, location and the "needs of the military."
Special Rest & Recuperation (SR&R) Leave
You have 3 choices if you choose SR&R:
- SR&R leave for not more than 30 days
- SR&R leave for not more than 15 days if your original qualifying tour is 12 months or less. You also get round-trip transportation at government expense from the overseas location to the nearest CONUS port. You can choose government funded transportation to any location in the world as long as it doesn't exceed the cost of the ticket to the states
- SR&R leave for not more than 20 days if your original qualifying tour is longer than 12 months. You also get round-trip transportation at government expense from the overseas location to the nearest CONUS port. You can choose government funded transportation to any location in the world as long as it doesn't exceed the cost of the ticket to the states
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