Q. My brother-in-law is retired military and has worked for the Air Force as a civil servant for approximately 25 years (FERS). He is 64. His job is offering a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment, but he was told he could not get the VSIP because he receives a military retirement pension. My benefits specialist said this was not true — that VSIP has nothing to do with the military pension. Have you heard of this? If so, what regulation?
A. What he was told is completely untrue. The fact that he is receiving military retired pay has no bearing on his ability to accept a VSIP if one is offered to him, nor will accepting it have any effect on his FERS annuity.