Q. I am 55 and have five years’ military time (paid deposit for both — Army two years and Navy three years) and will have 27 years with my agency this year when I reach my MRA for FERS.
Three years of my military time were with the Navy, and I have a general discharge (two years Army is an honorable discharge). I read that the military time must be honorable and thus am concerned if my Navy time will be allowed for service credit regardless of paying the deposit on it more than eight years ago. Boy, I’d sure hate to retire in December and have someone from OPM in Boyertown, Pa., finalizing my retirement let me know I have only 29 years of creditable service (only counting Army service) and will only qualify for MRA+10 retirement. I need the Navy service to get the full 30 years’ government service credit or I will need to work another year to December 2013 to reach my 30 years under FERS to get the unreduced pension and the special supplement pay. (I was hired in November 1985).
A. Assuming your general discharge was under honorable conditions, that time will be creditable. For confirmation, go to www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/handbook.pdf and scroll to Section 22B2.1-2.