ARLINGTON, Va. — Marines who have been off active duty for up to four years may be eligible for a bonus to entice them to join back up, officials said.

The Broken Service Selective Reenlistment Bonus Program is offered to Marines in the Individual Ready Reserve as well as former Marines no longer in the IRR but who have been out of the service for less than four years, officials said.

The program was initially available to Marines who had left active duty within the last year, but the Corps has expanded the eligibility pool for fiscal 2007, according to MARADMIN (Marine Administrative Message) 632/06.

Now Marines who have been off active duty between 91 days and four years can receive a bonus if their Military Occupational Specialties rate a regular Selective Reenlistment Bonus, said Maj. Trevor Hall, of Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Such specialties include but are not limited to infantry, intelligence, air traffic controllers, explosive ordinance disposal technicians and cryptological linguists, officials said.

For the first time, the broken service bonuses are also available to Marines who have re-enlisted at least once and who meet the program’s new expanded eligibility criteria, Hall said.

Under the program, Marines receive more money the more time they spent in the Corps.

Bonuses are capped at between $24,000 and $32,000 for Marines with up to six years’ experience; between $27,000 and $45,000 for Marines with up to 10 years’ experience; and between $36,000 and $48,000 for Marines with up to 14 years’ experience, officials said.

The eligibility changes are part of the commandant’s effort to give Marines more time at home in between deployments by increasing the size of the Corps, Hall said.

In fiscal 2006, the Corps brought 600 Marines back on active duty through the program, and the Corps hopes to surpass that amount this fiscal year, Hall said.

For more information, go to MARADMIN 632/06 at: www.usmc.mil.