Can you say no to a bonus?
Probably a weird question and situation.
I’ve been a non-rate for awhile and recently decided to go a rate that happens to be critical and comes with a small bonus. The issue is that taking the bonus also comes with a 4-year obliserve extension.
The thing is… I genuinely don’t care about the money.
What I care about is being happy with the actual work I do and keeping my long-term options outside the Coast Guard open. Non-rate life hasn’t been great for me, and a few thousand dollars honestly doesn’t feel worth potentially getting locked into a job I may end up disliking.
I’m not choosing a rate I currently dislike. I’m just not sure how I would potential feel year into the rate or with my first unit or how I want to continue my life beyond the Coast Guard.
I want to pursue this rate, but being forced to extend my contract for a pretty meager bonus I don’t even want feels like a con and honestly weirdly frustrating. It feels weird to be hesitant on pursuing a rate simply because it offers a bonus.
Has anyone else been in this situation? Can I simply refuse? Can I pay it back at the end of my contract if I choose to get out?