Q. I was medically retired after more than 20 years with the U.S. Army due to a service-connected disability (arteriosclerosis — heart disease — falling under Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War as recognized by the VA and the Army). The medical retirement is reflected on my DD 214, and I have VA documentation of my 60 percent disability. I believe I qualify for receiving credit for my uniformed service toward annual leave accrual. Does this qualify me to receive credit for military service toward annual leave accrual? How do I get OPM to recognize and process my case to see if I can fall under paragraph 2 below?
“Credit for uniformed service is substantially limited for retirement members of the armed forces. When it enacted the Dual Compensation Act in 1964, Congress adopted a compromise between the view that retired members should receive preference and full credit for their service and the view that there should be no advantage for retired members. As a result, retired members only receive leave accrual credit for actual service 1) during a war declared by the Congress or while participating in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign ribbon is authorized or 2) when the retirement was based on a disability received as a direct result of armed conflict or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war.”
A. Only your agency, in consultation with OPM, can answer your question.
