Posted on Aug 11, 2024
Can you retire with 20 years AFS plus 20 years reserve time before age 60?
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If you have 20 years AFS plus 20 years reserve time, can you retire before age 60.
HRC
Retirement
Posted 4 mo ago
Responses: 3
I assume you mean "start collecting retired pay immediately" instead of "retire", however your question is either missing some key information as it doesn't seem to make sense.
If you have 20 years AFS then you can retire and start receiving retirement pay immediately, regardless if you have reserve time or not (if you do, then the reserve time is converted to "equivalent AFS years"). So yes, you would be able to retire before 60.
Did you mean something else such as reduced retirement age based on certain categories of active duty time? If so, then that could be reduced down to 50 (no lower) if you have periods of qualifying active duty service days on or after Jan. 29, 2008.
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* DFAS Different types of retirement overview - https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement/
If you have 20 years AFS then you can retire and start receiving retirement pay immediately, regardless if you have reserve time or not (if you do, then the reserve time is converted to "equivalent AFS years"). So yes, you would be able to retire before 60.
Did you mean something else such as reduced retirement age based on certain categories of active duty time? If so, then that could be reduced down to 50 (no lower) if you have periods of qualifying active duty service days on or after Jan. 29, 2008.
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* DFAS Different types of retirement overview - https://militarypay.defense.gov/Pay/Retirement/
Military Pay and Benefits Website sponsored by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
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MAJ (Join to see)
Thank you. If you’re on ADOS and have reached retirement, can you still put in a retirement packet.
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COL Randall C.
I think the answer to your question is "Yes", but I'm not sure of your situation. Depending on your situation (based on your original question):
(BTW, while they are often referred to as an "active duty retirement" and "reserve retirement", the correct nomenclature is "regular retirement" and "non-regular retirement")
• If you have 20+ years of 'active duty' (i.e., applicable creditable service which you commonly referred to as "AFS" (Active Federal Service) - however see below*), you can apply for a regular retirement. [see DoD 7000.14-R*, Section 3 for full details on creditable time]
• If you have 18+ years of 'active duty', then you can apply for sanctuary which will lock you in to reach 20 years and you're been retired with a regular retirement. You must request sanctuary while still on active duty (HRC* states "must be mobilized", but it is "active duty (other than for training)*", so ADOS, mobilization, etc.
• If you have 20+ years of total time, and aren't eligible for regular retirement, then you can apply any time. There isn't a stipulation (unless you're an AGR) that you must be off of active duty in or submit a retirement request.
Since you're asking these questions and indicated that you're close to being retirement eligible (or currently are), then I assume you haven't talked to retirement services on the AC or RC side. You REALLY need to do that ASAP as there are a lot of things that go into retiring other than "drop your papers". My advice:
• First, if you are over 18 years of qualifying service and not eligible yet for a regular retirement, you need to apply for Sanctuary. Just my opinion, but even if you have a reduced retirement age that would allow you to start collecting a non-regular retirement immediately, your TRICARE coverage won't start until you're 60 years old.
• Start with the Soldier For Life page on retirement (https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Retirement/retirement-planning) and look over the different briefs, checklists, and guides. They ARE very useful in providing answers for many of your unasked questions as well as providing questions/answers to questions you should have, but don't (i.e., the "known unknowns" as well as the "unknown unknowns").
• Contact your applicable Retirement Service Officer (https://soldierforlife.army.mil/retirement/rso) to get the ball rolling on signing up for the mandatory retirement briefings (regardless if you're getting a regular or non-regular retirement).
While it's possible to "punch out" with your retirement, my experience is that you will be doing yourself a great disservice and play "catch-up" after you're retired. A "proper" retirement can be years in planning if you don't have many of the things addressed already.
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* DoD 7000.14-R (Initial Entitlements - Retirements) - https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/documents/fmr/Volume_07b.pdf
* Active Federal Service (AFS) is a bit misleading as it gives the impression of "federal active duty time", however periods of service which count towards a regular retirement are generally Active Duty in COMPO 1, ADT, ADSW, ADOS, FTNG, and AGR.
* Sanctuary (Officer, Army) - https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Officer%20Sanctuary%20Program
* 10 U.S. Code § 12686 (Sanctuary Law for Reservists) - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/12686
(BTW, while they are often referred to as an "active duty retirement" and "reserve retirement", the correct nomenclature is "regular retirement" and "non-regular retirement")
• If you have 20+ years of 'active duty' (i.e., applicable creditable service which you commonly referred to as "AFS" (Active Federal Service) - however see below*), you can apply for a regular retirement. [see DoD 7000.14-R*, Section 3 for full details on creditable time]
• If you have 18+ years of 'active duty', then you can apply for sanctuary which will lock you in to reach 20 years and you're been retired with a regular retirement. You must request sanctuary while still on active duty (HRC* states "must be mobilized", but it is "active duty (other than for training)*", so ADOS, mobilization, etc.
• If you have 20+ years of total time, and aren't eligible for regular retirement, then you can apply any time. There isn't a stipulation (unless you're an AGR) that you must be off of active duty in or submit a retirement request.
Since you're asking these questions and indicated that you're close to being retirement eligible (or currently are), then I assume you haven't talked to retirement services on the AC or RC side. You REALLY need to do that ASAP as there are a lot of things that go into retiring other than "drop your papers". My advice:
• First, if you are over 18 years of qualifying service and not eligible yet for a regular retirement, you need to apply for Sanctuary. Just my opinion, but even if you have a reduced retirement age that would allow you to start collecting a non-regular retirement immediately, your TRICARE coverage won't start until you're 60 years old.
• Start with the Soldier For Life page on retirement (https://soldierforlife.army.mil/Retirement/retirement-planning) and look over the different briefs, checklists, and guides. They ARE very useful in providing answers for many of your unasked questions as well as providing questions/answers to questions you should have, but don't (i.e., the "known unknowns" as well as the "unknown unknowns").
• Contact your applicable Retirement Service Officer (https://soldierforlife.army.mil/retirement/rso) to get the ball rolling on signing up for the mandatory retirement briefings (regardless if you're getting a regular or non-regular retirement).
While it's possible to "punch out" with your retirement, my experience is that you will be doing yourself a great disservice and play "catch-up" after you're retired. A "proper" retirement can be years in planning if you don't have many of the things addressed already.
---------------------------------------
* DoD 7000.14-R (Initial Entitlements - Retirements) - https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/documents/fmr/Volume_07b.pdf
* Active Federal Service (AFS) is a bit misleading as it gives the impression of "federal active duty time", however periods of service which count towards a regular retirement are generally Active Duty in COMPO 1, ADT, ADSW, ADOS, FTNG, and AGR.
* Sanctuary (Officer, Army) - https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Officer%20Sanctuary%20Program
* 10 U.S. Code § 12686 (Sanctuary Law for Reservists) - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/12686
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Most of the Soldiers that might fall into this category without further details from you would be a reserve Soldier with prior active duty that over the course of both active and reserve time accumulated 20 years AFS while also accruing a number of years of reserve service. For the most part once you qualify for the 20 AFS you retire. That said there are exceptions to every rule here. Based on the mathematical formula Reserve Soldiers use having just under 20 AFS with 20 plus good years in the reserve would be 40 years for points which would increase ones retired monthly pay exponentially higher !
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Short answer is Yes.
I'm a reservist with 28 years of those I have a little over 20 years AFS. I'm in the process of retiring now but IPPSA has delayed things a bit. It's rare but it happens.
I'm a reservist with 28 years of those I have a little over 20 years AFS. I'm in the process of retiring now but IPPSA has delayed things a bit. It's rare but it happens.
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