ARLINGTON, Va. — The Army has instituted a pilot program that would allow re-enlisting soldiers to share GI Bill benefits with their spouse, an Army news release says.

“A soldier must choose between a full Selective Reenlistment Bonus or a slightly reduced SRB with the ability to transfer over $18,000 in benefits,” said Army spokesman Sheldon Smith.

Soldiers in 120 Military Occupational Specialties deemed critical are eligible for the pilot program, Smith said in a Monday e-mail to Stars and Stripes.

“Enlisted Soldiers who have completed at least six years of service, re-enlist for a minimum of four years, qualify for a Selective Reenlistment Bonus (SRB), and are entitled to a Zone B or Zone C bonus will have the option to transfer up to 18 of 36 months of their MGIB (Montgomery GI Bill) entitlement,” the Army news release says.

Based on the results of the pilot program, the Army will decide whether to make the program permanent, the news release says.

In 2002, Congress gave all branches of the service the power to allow military spouses to receive GI Bill education benefits, but only the Air Force has attempted to implement such a program. Air Force officials canceled the program after a one-year pilot program in which 1,200 airmen were eligible but only 60 families participated.