ALCOAST 316/08 
COMDTNOTE 7220
SUBJ: CRITICAL SKILLS TRAINING BONUS (CSTB) PROGRAM 
A. PERSONNEL MANUAL, COMDTINST M1000.6 (SERIES) 
1. THIS ALCOAST ANNOUNCES THE CONTINUATION OF THE CSTB PROGRAM FOR THE ET RATING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM FOR THE EM RATING.
2. THE CSTB PROGRAM AUTHORIZES INCENTIVE PAYMENTS TO NON-RATED MEMBERS IN THE FIELD WHO AFFILIATE WITH CRITICAL RATINGS BY ATTENDING CLASS-A-SCHOOL TRAINING OR ENROLLING IN A STRIKER PROGRAM.  A CSTB IS SIMILAR TO AN ENLISTMENT BONUS (EB), BUT IS INTENDED FOR CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY MEMBERS RATHER THAN RECRUITS.
3. ALTHOUGH THE LAW AUTHORIZES CSTBS FOR ALL CRITICAL RATINGS, SINCE THE ET AND EM RATINGS HAVE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ENTRY LEVEL GAPS, THIS YEAR CSTBS WILL BE OFFERED ONLY TO ET AND EM A-SCHOOL CANDIDATES AND MEMBERS WHO ENROLL IN THE EM STRIKER PROGRAM.
4. THE ET RATING CSTB WILL CONTINUE UNCHANGED.
5. EFFECTIVE 16 JULY 2008, QUALIFIED NON-RATED MEMBERS IN THE FIELD WHO AGREE TO ATTEND EM A-SCHOOL OR ENROLL IN THE EM STRIKER PROGRAM MAY BE AWARDED A CSTB. IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE CSTB, A MEMBER
MUST:
  A. GRADUATE FROM EM A-SCHOOL OR ADVANCE TO EM3 THROUGH THE STRIKER PROGRAM.
  B. AGREE TO OBLIGATE A MINIMUM OF FOUR YEARS ACTIVE SERVICE UPON GRADUATION OR ADVANCEMENT TO EM3.
6. THE AUTHORIZED MAXIMUM BONUS AMOUNT FOR THE EM RATING IS 4,000 DOLLARS, PAYABLE IN LUMP SUM UPON GRADUATION FROM EM A-SCHOOL OR ADVANCEMENT TO EM3.  MEMBERS WHO WILL EARN A CSTB THROUGH A STRIKER PROGRAM MUST COMPLETE AND SIGN A CSTB AGREEMENT PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE PROGRAM.
7. THE COMPLETE POLICY, INCLUDING THE CSTB AGREEMENT FORM THAT MUST BE SIGNED BY THE PARTICIPATING MEMBER, CAN BE FOUND IN CHAPTER THREE OF REF A. FOR QUESTIONS, A DESIGNATED ADMIN SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE FOR EACH UNIT MAY CONTACT COMDT (CG-1221), CWO JOANNE LOPEZ, AT 202-475-5372 OR LT DAVE SOLORZANO AT 202-475-5375.
8. COS AND OICS WILL BRING THE CONTENTS OF THIS ALCOAST TO THE ATTENTION OF ALL PERSONNEL.
9. RDML DANIEL A. NEPTUN, DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, SENDS.
10. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.