Active-duty time doesn't count

2

Q: I read your Q&As and found the answer I was looking for, but with one variable missing. I see that active-duty years cannot count toward the 25-year retirement from federal firefighting without being called to active duty while in a covered position. What if all of your active-duty years were as a firefighter — does that make a difference? My question comes from the fact that my Total Workforce Management System early retirement date would only be possible if my active years counted. I have bought back my years.

A: No, it doesn’t make a difference. Your active-duty time as a firefighter can’t be treated as covered service for retirement purposes under the special provision.

Share.

About Author

Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com.

2 Comments

  1. Bradley Robinson on

    I am being medically retired from military service with a “permanently retired” rating of 70%. I am retiring under Special Provisions Disability Retirement as MilTech. VA rating 90%. I have active duty service I was buying back into FERS. I am told I cannot continue to buy back or write a check for the remaining amount based on what my orders say. Is this true and why? It’s a substantially different sum if I buy back my time. I was told that I will be refunded the sum I have already bought back.

    Retirement type and allotment code: Permanent/12
    Component: ARNG
    Authority: AR 635-40
    Statute authorizing retirement: 1204
    Other eligible laws: Not Applicable
    Disability retirement: 13 Year(s), 09 Month(s), 05 Day(s)
    Basic Pay: 18 Year(s), 00 Month(s), 15 Day(s)
    Completed over 4 years of active service as Enl or WO: N/A
    Disability is based on injury or disease received in LOD as a direct result of Armed Conflict or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the LOD during a war period as defined by law: YES
    Member of an armed force on 24 Sep 75: NO
    Disability resulted from a combat related injury as defined in 26 USC 104: YES
    Disability incurred in the line of duty in a combat zone or result of performing combat related operations YES
    Format: 687

    • I’m not aware of anything that would prevent you from making a deposit to get credit for your active duty service.

Leave A Reply