United States S 4375: RETAIN Act of 2026

Bill Text

II
119TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION S. 4375
To amend title 37, United States Code, to require the payment of the
maximum amount of aviation incentive pay to aviation officers with
more than 8 years of aviation service and to enhance the retention
incentives available to aviation officers.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
APRIL 22, 2026
Mr. BUDD (for himself, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. KING, Mr. SCHMITT, Mr.
SHEEHY, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. CRAMER, and Mr. KAINE) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Armed Services
A BILL
To amend title 37, United States Code, to require the pay-
ment of the maximum amount of aviation incentive pay
to aviation officers with more than 8 years of aviation
service and to enhance the retention incentives available
to aviation officers.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Retention Enhance-4
ments for Tactical Aircrew INitiative Act of 2026’’ or the 5
‘‘RETAIN Act of 2026’’. 6
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SEC. 2. PAYMENT OF MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF AVIATION IN-1
CENTIVE PAY TO OFFICERS WITH MORE 2
THAN 8 YEARS OF AVIATION SERVICE. 3
Section 334(c) of title 37, United States Code, is 4
amended— 5
(1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘subject 6
to paragraph (5),’’ before ‘‘aviation incentive’’; and 7
(2) by adding at the end the following new 8
paragraph: 9
‘‘(5) MAXIMUM AMOUNT FOR OFFICERS WITH 10
MORE THAN 8 YEARS OF AVIATION SERVICE.—An of-11
ficer who is entitled to aviation incentive pay under 12
subsection (a) and has completed more than 8 years 13
of aviation service shall receive the maximum month-14
ly amount of such pay under paragraph (1)(A).’’. 15
SEC. 3. ENHANCEMENT OF AIR FORCE RATED OFFICER RE-16
TENTION DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. 17
(a) ELIGIBLE OFFICERS.—Subsection (b)(2) of sec-18
tion 604 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Au-19
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117– 20
263; 37 U.S.C. 301b note) is amended— 21
(1) by striking ‘‘and not less than one year’’; 22
and 23
(2) by striking ‘‘under section 653 of title 10, 24
United States Code’’. 25
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(b) WRITTEN AGREEMENTS.—Subsection (c)(1) of 1
such section is amended— 2
(1) by striking ‘‘four years’’ and inserting ‘‘one 3
year’’; and 4
(2) by striking ‘‘under section 653 of title 10, 5
United States Code’’. 6
(c) RETENTION INCENTIVES.—Subsection (d) of such 7
section is amended— 8
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 9
following new paragraph (1): 10
‘‘(1) FLEXIBILITY OF ASSIGNMENT AND DUTY 11
LOCATIONS.—Under the demonstration program re-12
quired under subsection (a), the Secretary shall offer 13
to a rated officer described in subsection (b), to the 14
maximum extent practicable (as determined by the 15
Secretary)— 16
‘‘(A) assignment to the duty location of the 17
rated officer’s preference, including consecutive 18
assignments to the same duty location; 19
‘‘(B) the opportunity to perform a staff as-20
signment that does not require flying remotely, 21
such that the officer may avoid relocation or re-22
main in active flying status; and 23
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‘‘(C) the opportunity to transition indefi-1
nitely to a non-combat aviation service posi-2
tion.’’; 3
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 4
following new paragraph (2): 5
‘‘(2) AVIATION BONUS.— 6
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Under the demonstra-7
tion program required under subsection (a), 8
notwithstanding section 334(c) of title 37, 9
United States Code, the Secretary may pay to 10
a rated officer described in subsection (b) an 11
aviation bonus not to exceed an average annual 12
amount of $100,000. 13
‘‘(B) PAYMENT OF MAXIMUM AMOUNT.— 14
The Secretary— 15
‘‘(i) shall ensure the maximum 16
amount payable under subparagraph (A) is 17
offered to any rated officer described in 18
subsection (b) who executes a written 19
agreement under subsection (c) to remain 20
on active duty for one or more years after 21
the completion of the active duty service 22
obligation of the officer; and 23
‘‘(ii) may not vary the amount of an 24
aviation bonus offered to an officer based 25
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on the active duty service commitment the 1
officer has remaining at the time of 2
offer.’’; and 3
(3) by adding at the end the following new 4
paragraph: 5
‘‘(4) ALIGNING TOTAL FORCE INCENTIVES.— 6
The Secretary