Q. I am thinking about buying back my time on active duty, 22 years, to make a deposit so that I can retire early from the Foreign Service. If I do, will I lose any of my military retirement privileges.
A. If you make a deposit for your active-duty service, just before you retire from your civilian job, you will also have to waive your military retired pay. Doing so will have no affect on any other entitlements you have based on your active-duty service.