Bonus Payment Schedule

• You can expect your bonus payout approximately 15 business days after your anniversary date. 

• This is due to the steps and process involved. 

• The steps are listed below for your awareness (Federal and State are not the same process).

• If 15 business days from your anniversary has passed and you did not receive your bonus, please contact me at nicole.heussner@us.af.mil

• Once your payout is submitted I will send you an email notifying you.

Some common reasons for not receiving the payout 

1) You're not in a payout year 

2) Incorrect Banking information or issue with DFAS

3) Request was submitted late (for a variety of reasons)

4) Your bonus was terminated (for a variety of reasons, but you should know of this one)

5) AFSC Conversion issues - this has impact many of our members and is being worked with NGB taking lead. 

Federal Bonus steps

1)        ROM review (prior to anniversary date)

2)        Unit Commander approval (prior to anniversary date)

3)        ROM review again & approval (prior to anniversary date)

4)        Director of Personal approval (prior to anniversary date)

5)        ROM requests payout for member to Finance (earliest is the day after anniversary date)

6)        Finance approves and pays out (takes time for this process to work)

7)        Member receives payout through DFAS (reflected on your myPAY LES, typically within 15 business days)

State Bonus steps

1)        ROM review (in anniversary month)

2)        Unit Commander approval (in anniversary month)

3)        ROM review again & sends to State Incentive Team (in anniversary month)

5)        State Incentive Team works the request (earliest is the day after anniversary date)

6) The member receives payout direct deposit (typically within 15 business days after anniversary date)

Reviewed 1 Oct 2025 - MSgt Nicole Heussner