37 U.S.C. § 302e

(a) Special Pay Authorized .— (1) An officer described in subsection (b)(1) who, during the period beginning on November 29, 1989 , and ending on December 31, 2018 , executes a written agreement to remain on active duty for a period of one year or more may, upon the acceptance of the agreement by the Secretary concerned, be paid incentive special pay in an amount not to exceed $50,000 for any 12-month period. (2) The Secretary concerned shall determine the amount of incentive special pay to be paid to an officer under paragraph (1). In determining that amount, the Secretary concerned shall consider the period of obligated service provided for in the agreement under that paragraph. (b) Covered Officers .— (1) An officer referred to in subsection (a) is an officer of a uniformed service who— (A) is an officer of the Nurse Corps of the Army or Navy, an officer of the Air Force designated as a nurse, or an officer designated as a nurse in the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service; (B) is a qualified certified registered nurse anesthetist; and (C) is on active duty under a call or order to active duty for a period of not less than one year. (2) The Secretary of Defense may extend the special pay authorized under subsection (a) to officers of the armed forces who serve in a nursing specialty (other than as nurse anesthetists) that— (A) is designated by the Secretary of the military department concerned as critical to meet requirements (whether such specialty is designated as critical to meet wartime or peacetime requirements); and (B) requires postbaccalaureate education and training. (c) Termination of Agreement .— Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, with respect to the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with respect to the Public Health Service, the Secretary concerned may terminate an agreement entered into under subsection (a). Upon termination of an agreement, the entitlement of the officer to special pay under this section and the agreed upon commitment to active duty of the officer shall end. If such entitlement is terminated, the officer concerned shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title . (d) Payment .— Special pay payable to an officer under subsection (a) shall be paid annually at the beginning of the 12-month period for which the officer is to receive that payment. (e) Repayment .— An officer who does not complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement entered into under subsection (a) shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title .