ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has added more ratings to a bonus program for sailors to extend their sea duty, affecting about 1,500 sailors, Navy officials said.

In another move, sailors who participate in the program can now do back-to-back sea tours.

Under the Sea Duty Incentive Pay pilot program, sailors outside the continental United States can earn between $500 and $750 per month for up to 36 months to extend their time at sea. Sailors can receive payment in one lump sum.

In March, the Navy said about 1,400 sailors in ratings that posed “at-sea manning challenges” were eligible for the pilot program.

The Navy recently announced that sailors in the following ratings are eligible for the program:

E-8 aviation ordnancemen, $750 per month.E-9 damage controlmen, $750 per month.E-5 electrician’s mates (surface warfare), $500 per month.E-9 enginemen, $750 per month.E-7 – E-9 electronics technicians (submarine navigation), $750 per month.E-6 electronics technicians (submarine navigation), $500 per month.E-7 and E-9 machinist mates, $750 per month.“We’re trying to man the fleet so we can fight the war,” said Lt. Cmdr. Al Iannacone, program executor for the SDIP pilot program.

Asked if the ratings added to the pilot program were undermanned, officials said manning is not the issue; rather, the Navy is trying to provide an incentive for sailors to go to sea.

“We need to get those sailors back to sea,” said Joseph Ferdinand, SDIP coordinator.

Typically, Navy programs designed to fill undermanned ratings have been for ratings deemed critical to the global war on terrorism.

Recently, the Navy increased monthly special duty pay for SEALs, explosive ordnance technicians, master divers, fleet Marine force corpsmen and special warfare combat craft sailors.

Additionally, the Navy has offered up to $150,000 for EOD technicians with between 19 and 25 years of experience and up to $125,000 for SEALs with 15 to 25 years of experience to stay in the Navy.

For more information, go to NAVADMIN 162/07 at: www.npc.navy.mil.