Q. I am a federal employee who worked for the Navy from 2002 to 2006, then had a break in service, and have been back working as a GS employee for the Navy since June 2009. From 2004 to 2006 and June 2010 to February 2011, I was involuntarily mobilized and returned to active duty with my Marine Corps Reserve unit. Am I able to count this time toward the five-year vesting requirement for FERS? A. No, not even if you make a deposit to get credit for that time.
Browsing: military service
Q. I’m a dual-status federal tech. I am 47 and have 16 years under FERS counting 10 years of military service I bought back. I was injured during military duties that will make me unfit for my position in the Air National Guard. Will I be eligible for the 60/40 annuity when the ANG finds me unfit? If I receive disability payments from the Veterans Affairs Department, how will they affect my FERS disability annuity? I am out of sick and annual leave and have been told from the beginning there is no limited or light duty — if I…
Q. I have 30-plus years total; 11 years and nine months of that is military time I bought back. The rest of it is in the USPS. I will be 52 and am being offered early retirement. When I reach my MRA, will I be eligible for the special retirement supplement? A. While you’ll be eligible for the special retirement supplement when you reach your MRA, it will be based solely on your years of actual FERS employment. Active-duty service for which you’ve made a deposit will not be included in that computation.
Q. I am retired under CSRS and have Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage. In June, I will begin drawing my Navy Reserve retirement and will be eligible for Tricare. What is the best way to handle both coverages together? I have heard that if I am covered under FEHB, that has to be the primary and Tricare will be secondary. A. You are correct that your FEHB enrollment would be primary and Tricare secondary. Whether you should keep both enrollments or suspend your FEHB coverage is a matter you’ll have to decide.
Q. I was born on Aug. 2, 1967, and was in the military for nine years and three months (Feb. 25, 1992, to June 13, 2001). I worked at the VA hospital for 11 months (October 2003 to September 2004) and while there received my 10 years of service pin. I am looking to obtain GS employment again (soon) and wanted to know if I could retire and receive a retirement check once I complete 10 more years of service, giving me 20 years of service. If I am unable to receive my retirement check after 20 years of service,…
Q. I got the gist of how this works — however, I did not see this. As a reservist and able to go on deployments (active-duty mobilization) or take orders (active duty, then drop back to reserve status), as a reservist I can rack up a good 15 years’ worth of active-duty points toward my reserve retirement. How many of those years can I buy back in the federal retirement system without affecting my reserve retirement? Can I go as high as 19 active-duty years and ride out with a reserve retirement and buy back 19 years? A. You may…
Q. I am on active duty. If I leave active duty and buy back my time to work at another federal job and at the same time do time with a National Guard component, will I be eligible to receive two retirements once I turn the right age? A. If you work for the federal government, you can make a deposit to get credit for that time. If you are eligible for reserve retired pay, you can receive that pay and the annuity of your civilian position. If you are eligible for military retired pay, you’ll have to waive that…
Q. I was hired in 1993 by the federal government under FERS. I made a military deposit for more than 10 years I served in the Army. I then joined the National Guard in 1995. I then transferred to the Army Reserve in 2000. In 2002, I was mobilized for 12 months (title 10) for Operation Noble Eagle. I returned to work. Then, in November 2004, I was mobilized again (title 10) for more than four years, I returned to work and made a deposit on that time. Then, in September 2009, I was mobilized again (title 10), and then…
Q. I am a military reservist. If I am activated/mobilized into active duty, can I use annual leave with my military leave to cover some of the time I will be activated? Can I use sick leave as well? I do not want to take leave without pay if I can help it. A. You may only use annual leave.
Q. I am looking at a job with the USPS. I have 10 years of active-duty service in the Air Force and three or four good years in the Reserve. I never reached 20 years to receive military retirement. How do these years in military service apply toward retirement and benefits if I get a job with the USPS? Do I have to buy back these years if I never received retirement, and how does that work? Then how long would I need the USPS job to gain retirement from the USPS? A. If you worked for the federal government,…