Cash bonus to replace stop-loss for deploying Guard Soldiers.

A new program that provides special pay for Soldiers deploying past their end-of-service dates is set to take effect Sept. 1 for the National Guard.

The Deployment Extension Stabilization Pay program replaces the stoploss program and pays a cash bonus of up to $6,000 to Soldiers in units set to deploy who elect to stay in past their end-of-service date in order to deploy, said Col. Marianne Watson, Army National Guard personnel officer.

The bonus is not a lump-sum payment and the amount of the incentive depends upon when Soldiers decide to extend their enlistment contract. If Soldiers agree to extend 180 to 365 days before the mobilization date, they will receive $500 each month on active duty, but, that rate drops to $350 a month for those who extend between 90 and 179 days.

Soldiers who elect to take advantage of this program would have their enlistment contracts extended for the length of the deployment plus 90 days, said Watson. However, in order to qualify for the incentive pay, Soldiers must make it through readiness processing at the mobilization station.

Those Soldiers who have enlistment contracts that expire during the deployment and who choose not to extend may still have to deploy.

"Anybody with a contract expiration date of mobilization-day-plusone-year, we're taking to theater," said Watson.

But Soldiers may rotate out of theater up to three months early if need be in order to have them take part in the 30-, 60- and 90-day reintegration programs prior to the end of their term of service.

Staff Sgt. Jon Soucy/National Guard Bureau