Q. I am a dual-status federal technician in the Army National Guard. I am looking at an involuntary separation because of losing my dual status (nonmedical related) later next year. I am 48 years old with 12 years of federal service. Would I qualify for any type of involuntary separation payment? A. Since you are not being separated because of a medical disability that disqualifies you from membership in the National Guard, you would be subject to the usual age and service rules governing retirement. Based on your age and service, you would be eligible for a deferred retirement when you…
Browsing: military service
Q. I am currently retired from active-duty military and receiving military retirement pay. If I now accept a position with the USPS, I can forgo my military retirement pay and have those military years credited to my USPS time When I reach retirement time with the USPS, can I retire and draw both the USPS retirement and resume receiving my military retirement pay? A. You’ve got it upside down. You can make a deposit to get credit for your active-duty military service — and the earlier you do that, the less interest you’ll pay — and you can continue to receive your…
Q. My husband did eight years active duty in the Navy, and another 12 in the Navy Reserve. He also has 30-plus years with the U.S. Postal Service (under the civil service retirement plan). He has also bought back eight years of his military time. How will his retirement work with two civil service retirements? He is eligible to retire from the Post Office now and to collect from his military at 59 1/2 years of age (in another 4 1/2 years). Will there be some type of offset or can he collect both retirements with full benefits? He has…
Q: I am thinking about buying back my 20 years of active-duty time to make a deposit. I am a 100-percent combat-disabled vet. I read in the FERS handbook under Creditable Military Service that under certain conditions someone receiving retired military pay may receive that pay and full civilian annuity, but only if a deposit is made to the civilian retirement system for that period of active-duty service. To be eligible, the employee who is receiving retired military pay must have been awarded it (a) on account of service-connected disability incurred in combat with an enemy of the United States…
Q. I am a federal law enforcement officer covered under the 6c LE retirement. I spent eight years on active duty with the Air Force, which I have bought back for my retirement. For the final three of my active-duty years, I was a special agent with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. As such, my duties were “primarily the investigation, apprehension, or detention of individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States” as is the Title 5 definition of a “law enforcement officer.” Civilian AFOSI agents, with the same job title and description,…
Q: My SF-50 shows “no” for veterans preference for a Reduction in Force. My 30-percent disability is from a diving accident that was hazardous duty. How do I get my SF-50 corrected? A: To establish your entitlement to veterans preference, you’ll need to provide your personnel office with proof of your service-connected disability.
Q: My friend served seven years and three months in the Coast Guard and has worked for the post office for 25 years. He’s looking to retire, but was told that his Coast Guard time is not counted, and he would only be entitled to $400 per month. He is turning 56 on Sept. 24. A: Active-duty service in the Coast Guard is creditable for determining his length of service and in the computation of his annuity, but only if he makes a deposit to the civilian retirement system, plus accrued interest, while still employed.
Q: I have 24 years combined service with the postal service and the military. If I retire next year, I will be 58 with 25 years of service. If I retire, would I be charged the 5 percent reduction in retirement for two years because I will be 60 in two years, or would I be penalized the 5 percent for 4 years, since I would not be 62. A: You’d be penalized 5 percent for every year (5/12 percent per month) that you are under age 62.
Q. I have served in the Army Reserve and National Guard for seven years on weekends. Once a year, two complete weeks. The first year I had six consecutive months in training. When added up, it’s about a full year. Can this time be counted as a year toward my retirement time? A. The six months when you were on active duty is potentially creditable. Weekend drills are never creditable, nor are two-week periods of active-duty training if they were with the National Guard. They would only be potentially creditable if they occurred before you were employed by the federal government. Your personnel office…
Q. I have three periods of military service for which I am required to pay a deposit under “Catch 62.” The first period, 1969 to 1972, I paid for when it came due in 1986. This bought me a period of about 2.6 years. Later I was mobilized for Desert Shield/Desert Storm in 1990 to 1991; and Bosnia in 1997; for an additional eight and seven months, respectively. I plan to work off the additional time by delaying my retirement for 15 months or more. When I discussed this plan with our HR office (SSA HQ) I was told that…