Navy Bonuses Out Of Date, Report Says

The Navy could save nearly $50 million over the next four years by ending $10,000 annual cash bonuses for specially trained officers on nuclear-powered submarines and ships, a congressional report said Friday.

The bonuses began in the late 1960s to entice the nuclear-trained officers to stay in the service rather than pursue lucrative offers in a growing civilian nuclear power industry.

Now, as the industry declines and the number of nuclear engineering jobs is projected to drop, the additional pay may be no longer necessary, the Congressional Budget Office said.