ACCESSION BONUS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES APPOINTED AS COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AFTER COMPLETING OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL.

SEC. 622. ACCESSION BONUS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES APPOINTED AS COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AFTER COMPLETING OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL.(a) Accession Bonus Authorized.—(1) In general.—Chapter 5 of title 37, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 329, as added by section 621 of this Act, the following new section:“§ 330. Special pay: accession bonus for officer candidates“(a) Accession Bonus Authorized.—Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary concerned, a person who executes a written agreement described in subsection (c) may be paid an accession bonus under this section upon acceptance of the agreement by the Secretary concerned.“(b) Amount of Bonus.—The amount of an accession bonus under subsection (a) may not exceed $8,000.“(c) Agreement.—A written agreement referred to in subsection (a) is a written agreement by a person—“(1) to complete officer candidate school;“(2) to accept a commission or appointment as an officer of the armed forces; and“(3) to serve on active duty as a commissioned officer for a period specified in the agreement.120 STAT. 2256“(d) Payment Method.—Upon acceptance of a written agreement under subsection (a) by the Secretary concerned, the total amount of the accession bonus payable under the agreement becomes fixed. The agreement shall specify whether the accession bonus will be paid in a lump sum or installments.“(e) Repayment.—A person who, having received all or part of the bonus under a written agreement under subsection (a), does not complete the total period of active duty as a commissioned officer as specified in such agreement shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.“(f) Termination of Authority.—No agreement under this section may be entered into after December 31, 2007.” .(2) Clerical amendment.—The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 329, as added by section 621, the following new item: “330. Special pay: accession bonus for officer candidates.”. (3) Effective date.—The amendments made by this subsection shall take effect on October 1, 2006.(b) Authority for Payment of Bonus Under Earlier Agreements.—(1) Authority.—The Secretary of the Army may pay a bonus to any person who, during the period beginning on April 1, 2005, and ending on April 6, 2006, executed an agreement to enlist for the purpose of attending officer candidate school and receive a bonus under section 309 of title 37, United States Code, and who has completed the terms of the agreement required for payment of the bonus.(2) Amount of bonus.—The amount of the bonus payable to a person under this subsection may not exceed $8,000.(3) Relation to enlistment bonus.—The bonus payable under this subsection is in addition to a bonus payable under section 309 of title 37, United States Code, or any other provision of law.