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U.S. Code as of:
01/19/04
Section 302d. Special pay: accession bonus for registered nurses
(a) Accession Bonus Authorized. - (1) A person who is a
registered nurse and who, during the period beginning on November
29, 1989, and ending on December 31, 2004, executes a written
agreement described in subsection (c) to accept a commission as an
officer and remain on active duty for a period of not less than
four years may, upon the acceptance of the agreement by the
Secretary concerned, be paid an accession bonus in an amount
determined by the Secretary concerned.
(2) The amount of an accession bonus under paragraph (1) may not
exceed $30,000.
(b) Limitation on Eligibility for Bonus. - A person may not be
paid a bonus under subsection (a) if -
(1) the person, in exchange for an agreement to accept an
appointment as an officer, received financial assistance from the
Department of Defense to pursue a baccalaureate degree; or
(2) the Secretary concerned determines that the person is not
qualified to become and remain licensed as a registered nurse.
(c) Agreement. - The agreement referred to in subsection (a)
shall provide that, consistent with the needs of the uniformed
service concerned, the person executing the agreement will be
assigned to duty, for the period of obligated service covered by
the agreement, as an officer of the Nurse Corps of the Army or
Navy, an officer of the Air Force designated as a nurse, or an
officer designated as a nurse in the commissioned corps of the
Public Health Service.
(d) Repayment. - (1) An officer who receives a payment under
subsection (a) and who fails to become and remain licensed as a
registered nurse during the period for which the payment is made
shall refund to the United States an amount equal to the full
amount of such payment.
(2) An officer who voluntarily terminates service on active duty
before the end of the period agreed to be served under subsection
(a) shall refund to the United States an amount that bears the same
ratio to the amount paid to the officer as the unserved part of
such period bears to the total period agreed to be served.
(3) An obligation to reimburse the United States imposed under
paragraph (1) or (2) is for all purposes a debt owed to the United
States.
(4) A discharge in bankruptcy under title 11 that is entered less
than five years after the termination of an agreement under this
section does not discharge the person signing such agreement from a
debt arising under such agreement or this subsection. This
paragraph applies to any case commenced under title 11 after
November 29, 1989.
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