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Military service creditable toward civilian service:
As a general rule, military service in the Armed Forces of the United
States is creditable for retirement purposes if it was active service
terminated under honorable conditions, and performed prior to your
separation from civilian service. A DD-214 or equivalent is required to
verify the service dates and discharge.
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Retired Military & Military Deposits: Retired military
members must waive military retired pay in order to receive credit for
military service in a civilian annuity, unless your military retirement is based
on:
- A service-connected disability incurred in combat with an enemy of the
US;
- On account of a service-connected disability caused by an
instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of
war; or
- Under provisions of 10 U.S.C. 12731-12739 (retired members of the
reserves).
If you are retired military and are receiving full military retirement pay,
it is not usually advantageous to make a military deposit, because you must
waive your military retired pay for the service period to be included in the
civilian retirement annuity. Usually the full military retirement is of
greater value than the civilian retirement annuity. If you are uncertain
if making a military deposit is beneficial, simply request two retirement
estimates from your HR office – one with the military service included and one
without, then compare the difference. A deposit is usually required for the
active duty military service to be credited in your civilian retirement annuity.
NOTE: Retired military that
buy back their years service have to waive their military retirement pay
when they retire from federal civil service. You will still collect your
military retirement until you start receiving your civil service retirement.
Many military retirees often enter federal civil service in their early to
mid 40s. It they find it advantageous to buy back their military time and
add that time to their FERS retirement, they will still collect their
military retirement until they elect to retire from the civil service at
their MRA, age 60 or 62 or later.
Review the article on
this subject to determine if it is worth your while to buy back your
retired military time. Also review Chapter 22 of the CSRS and FERS handbook
listed below.
National Guard/Reserve Point retirement (which is less than 7300 Active
Duty points) and receivable at age 60 can be collected concurrently with a
federal civil service retirement. Your Reserve or ANG time will not impact
your CSRS or FERS annuity payments. For additional information on service
credit review
Chapter 22 of the CSRS and FERS handbook.
Former military members wishing to have their military time count towards
federal retirement are should follow these easy steps:
- Obtain your total estimated military earnings by sending
form
RI20-97 and a copy of your DD214 to your respective military pay
representative. Use a separate request for each branch of service, if you
served in more than one branch. Individuals who do not have a DD 214
or equivalent should get a SF 180 from the personnel office and have their
service verified before forwarding the request form to the pay center.
The pay center cannot provide estimated earnings unless verification of
service is attached. The pay center mailing addresses are
listed below. The military
payroll office will send you a short letter or form indicating your total
estimated earnings during your military service.
- With you total military earnings and a copy of your DD-214 in
hand, contact your HR office. You will need to complete one more form
(SF-3108 or SF-2803). This form requires a statement on the form
concerning military deposits, which is not available on the on-line version.
Obtain the edited form from your HR office. HR will forward the
documents to your civilian payroll office. Your payroll office will
bill you directly.
- Make the deposit to your civilian payroll office. You can
pay the deposit in one lump sum, a series of payments, or sign up for
payroll deductions, normally for as little as $50 per pay period. The
deposit must be paid in full while you are employed and cannot be made after
you retire.
Step 4: When the deposit is complete, your payroll office will send you a
letter that the deposit is paid in full. Keep this document for your
permanent retirement records and send a copy to your HR office.
Payroll will not usually notify your HR office of the deposit, so it is very
important that you retain a copy of this letter until you retire.
In order to have military service time considered for civil service
retirement, former military members have to "buy back" that time. To buy
back military service time for civil service retirement, former military
members are required to get their estimated earnings from the appropriate
DFAS center.
- Use a separate request for each branch of service.
- Attach DD 214 or equivalent and any available records of pay or
promotions to the Request for Earnings during Military Service form
provided by the civilian personnel office.
- Individuals that do not have a DD 214 or equivalent should get a SF
180 from the personnel office and have their service verified before
forwarding the request form to the pay center.
- The pay center cannot provide estimated earnings unless verification
of service is attached.
Send or fax the Request for Earnings during Military Service form to the
appropriate address/fax number below:
Army
DFAS-Indianapolis Center
Army Military Pay Operations
Attn: Verifications Section (Estimated Earnings)
8899 East 56th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46249-0875
Phone: (317) 510-2813
Fax: (317) 275-0123
NAVY
DFAS-Cleveland Center
Attn: DFAS-CL/JFLA
1240 East 9th Street
Cleveland, OH 44199-2005
Phone: 1-888-332-7411
FAX: (216) 367-3587 DSN: 580-5060
E-mail: CCL-CATCH-62@DFAS.MIL
MARINE CORPS
DFAS-Cleveland Center
Attn: DFAS-CL/JFLA
1240 East 9th Street
Cleveland, OH 44199-2005
Phone: (216) 522-8762(USMC) select option #6 or DSN 580-8762
FAX: (216) 367-3587 DSN: 580-5060
E-mail: CCL-CATCH-62@DFAS.MIL
Air Force
DFAS-Indianapolis Center
Attn.: DFAS-IN/JFL (Verification)
8899 East 56th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46249-1200
Phone: (317) 212-2813 (For DSN, use "699" prefix)
FAX: (317) 275-0123 (For DSN, use "699" prefix)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center
1315 East-West Highway Rm. 12100
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282
Coast Guard Pay and Personnel Center
444 Southeast Quincy Street
Topeka KS 66683-3591
Phone: (785) 339-2200
Fax: (785) 339-3784
Public Health Service
Division of Commissioned Personnel
Compensation Branch
Parklawn Building Rm. 4-50
5600 Fisher's Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: (301) 594-2963
Fax: (301) 443-0064
Air National Guard
Please contact the ANG Unit you separated from.
Related Links
DAFIS Site (Deposits)
http://www.dfas.mil/dfas/civilianemployees/customerservice.html#Military
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