Eligibility Requirements and Payment Amounts for Welcome Home Bonus

A bonus for active or discharged veterans who have served after September 11, 2001.

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First Time/One Time Bonuses

6 months of continuous active service within Continental United States (CONUS) or outside the continental U.S (OCONUS), other than Iraq, Afghanistan or other DoD designated imminent danger location	$500
Service in Iraq, Afghanistan, or other imminent danger location Current DoD imminent danger list Previous DoD imminent danger list	$1,000
If died while on active service Apply for a Bonus on behalf of a Deceased Veteran | Mass.gov	$1,000

 

Subsequent Deployment Bonuses

Subsequent deployment in Iraq, Afghanistan, or other DoD designated imminent danger location	$500
Subsequent 6 months of continuous active service CONUS or OCONUS deployment in direct support of a GWOT operation (Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Noble Eagle, Inherent Resolve, Freedom's Sentinel or any successor or related operation)	$250

 

Deployment Defined

1. For the purposes of this program, a member of the armed forces shall be considered to be deployed or in a deployment on any day on which, pursuant to orders, the member is performing service in a training exercise or operation at a location or under circumstances that make it impossible or infeasible for the member to spend off-duty time in the housing in which the member resides when on garrison duty at the member's permanent duty station or homeport, as the case may be.

2. In the case of a member of a reserve component who is performing active service pursuant to orders that do not establish a permanent change of station, the housing referred to in paragraph (1) is any housing (which may include the member's residence) that the member usually occupies for use during off-duty time when on garrison duty at the member's permanent duty station or homeport, as the case may be.

3. For the purposes of this program, a member is not deployed or in a deployment when the member is--
   1. performing service as a student or trainee at a school (including any Government school);
   2. performing administrative, guard, or detail duties in garrison at the member's permanent duty station; or
   3. unavailable solely because of--
      1. a hospitalization of the member at the member's permanent duty station or homeport or in the immediate vicinity of the member's permanent residence; or
      2. a disciplinary action taken against the member