Two Cautions for Our Military Reservist Readers
A number of our readers are current or former Reserve Component (RC) personnel. Some of those may be still serving in the Reserve Components while also approaching the age at which contingency service would allow early receipt of retired pay.
For that likely small subset, I’d like to offer two points for consideration.
First: early receipt of retired pay does not equate to all of the bennies of full military retirement. Specifically, RC personnel receiving early retired pay are NOT eligible for normal military retiree TRICARE coverage. Full TRICARE entitlement for those who retire under RC rules does not happen until age 60, regardless of retired pay status. So even if you qualify for early receipt retired pay, you’ll need to plan on obtaining healthcare from other than TRICARE until you hit the big six-zero.
Second: if you’re a serving reservist, have recently been promoted, and are getting close to or are eligible for early retired pay – you might want to check time-in-grade requirements for your current grade before you apply for that early receipt of retired pay. The ABCMR recently ruled that such a retirement is voluntary vice involuntary. Thus, TIG requirements to retire at that grade are not waived; if you don’t have enough TIG to retire at that grade, you won’t.
While the linked case is Army-specific, I’m also reasonably sure that that’s the case for all services. Applying for retired pay – early or otherwise – under RC rules is a voluntary action.
Everyone’s situation is different. In some cases the grade reduction might be worth it to receive retired pay earlier; in others, it won’t. Everyone has to make that decision on their own.
Just be forewarned if you’re in that situation.
Category: Military issues, Reserve Issues
My understanding is that if we retire before age 60 we can still purchase Tricare Retired Reserve, though at a significantly higher rate than Tricare Reserve Select (though probably cheaper than other plans with similar coverage).
http://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TRR.aspx
Yes, I think that is the gray area. Between the time you begin receiving retired pay at 60 and your true full retirement date at 65. At 65 all benefits including full medical kick in and one is normally not eligible for recall to active duty.
I may be a wee bit off on this!
Tricare Retired Reserve costs about as much as COBRA. You can do better on the open market.Full retirement benefits including Retired tricare start at 60. Even though I draw my full retired pay at 59, I have to wait that one year for the rest. “Tricare For Life” starts for everyone at 65.
Yeah, I’m paying less than half of what Tricare Retired Reserve would cost through my employer. There is a significant difference between Retired Reserve and Reserve Select premiums LOL.
Correct. For a reservist, “retirement age” means different things with respect to military retirement, Social Security, and Medicare. The age for the first is 60; the age for the second is birth-year dependent, but generally ranges from 65 to 67; and the age for the third is 65.
If you have Tricare, are you also eligible for Medicare? You can get Social Security at retirement age, right?
I may be in a more unique situation then others in that I ended up getting SSD at an Early age. They took away my Tricare and put me on Medicare. They also Dock my SS Benefits over a hundred a month.
Yes to both questions. TRICARE beneficiaries that qualify for Medicare Parts A and B at 65 qualify for TRICARE for life (wrap around).
Also, if you have “40 credits,” in addition to qualifying for military retirement, you’ll be eligible for Social Security at retirement, in addition to military retirement pay. If you also receive VA compensation (disability), you’d continue to receive that as well.
Hmmm…this is the first I’m hearing of this but now I see why: It only applies to those who were mobilized to active duty from 2008 onward.
So basically the vast majority of those who were mobilized for the wars (IIRC the major RC mobilizations were during the early part of the Iraq war and the 2007 Surge) are screwed. Nice.
Tell me about it. I have nearly 3 years of contingency-support active duty since 9/11 that doesn’t count. (I do have some I can count, but not nearly that much.)
Problem is that the FY2008 NDAA which authorized early receipt of RC retired pay for contingency service was not retroactive. Under the original rules, only service occurring on/after date of signature of the 2008 NDAA (28 Jan 2008, as I recall) counts. Plus, the original rules were, bluntly, squirrely as hell.
Under the original rules (they changed very recently – this year, I think), service had to be (a) all within the same FY, and (b) in increments of 90 days in a single calendar quarter. Each 90 days qualifying contingency support service got you 3 mo early receipt of retired pay.
Service split between FYs would only count if there were 90+ days in each FY. Service split between calendar quarters, same story. Service of <90 days in a calendar quarter also got you nada - so a 175 day tour could, under worst conditions, get you absolutely nothing in the way or retirement pay acceleration (88 + 87).
Policy is a bit more sane now. Believe the current requirement is increments of 90 days per FY, but they no longer have to be in a single calendar quarter or continuous.
A grand total of five (5) days off my last two deployments have cost me 270 days toward retirement.
I believe a recent change allows you to aggregate shorter periods of active duty, as long as they’re in the same FY. So if I do a 60-day tour, and later in the same FY I do a 30-day tour, I’ll have a qualifying 90-day increment.
OK-so here’s my deal: in 2009-10 I was deployed for 369 days, 102 in FY 1009 and 267 in FY 2010. I then deployed again in 2011-12 for 448 days, 269 days in FY 2011 and 179 in FY 2012. So, I have more than enough time to knock 810 days off my retirement age, but I’m only getting credit for 540. Can I combine those leftover days across four fiscal years or am I just out of luck?
I think you’re out of luck. As far as I know, you still can’t cross fiscal years.
Yep. The 2015 NDAA apparently removed the “in a single FY” restriction, but only for service occurring on/after 1 October 2014. 90-day periods of service prior to that date had to be in the same FY to qualify.
http://themilitarywallet.com/national-guard-and-reserve-early-retirement-age/
T10 12301d tours count towards reducing retirement eligibility. Except for tours at NGB. Nice way to work Guardsmen and skirt the rules/regulations.
Personally I’m trying to scrape together ADOS and Mobilizations so that the day I decide to retire I’ll start receiving retired pay immediately.
Yep. Two full years for me that don’t count either. Big Green Wienie strikes again.
‘Screwed’? Aren’t you getting exactly what was promised when you signed up? Others that came later may have been given more bennies but that hardly means everyone else was ‘screwed’.
And now all the added bennies over the past decade and a half have made the personnel budget unaffordable (within the narrow rules also created by those same politicians) which is driving the current ‘comprehensive fix’.
Perceived inequity, AZtoVA. And perception can be as bad as reality when it comes to its effect on attitudes and morale. Here’s an only partially hypothetical case in point: three RC troops do a CO-ADOS or mob for OEF/OIF; each is sent to theater. Each gets a 365 day tour. First gets dates 8 Jan 07 to 7 Jan 08. Second gets dates of 28 Apr 07 to 26 Apr 08. Third gets dates of 2 Apr 08 to 1 Apr 09. All 3 serve at same physical location in-theater supporting either OEF or OIF and serve honorably, doing essentially the same job. First guy gets nada, as all time active is before effective date of the FY 2008 NDA. Second guy was already in-theater at time act was signed, but also gets nada – no grandfathering, and although time on/after 28 Jan counts and totals 90 days, he doesn’t have 90 days in any single calendar quarter after that effective date. The third guy gets 1 year early receipt of reserve retired pay – dates line up correctly, and all 4 quarters have 90 days of qualifying service. Yeah, in each case the “letter of the law” was followed; in each case, people got what they were initially promised, even if later changes gave later arrivals a better deal. But the treatment of each of the three for doing the same duty at the same place was decidedly not equal. Here’s a second example: two troops get sent to Bagram AB for 180 days each on a short CO-TTAD. As before, same duties. First individual has duty dates are 2 Apr 08 to 27 Sep 08; second individual’s tour starts and ends precisely 1 week later, respectively. First guy gets 6 months early receipt of retired pay – whole tour qualifies. Second guy, only gets 3 months early receipt – his first 83 days and his last 7 don’t count for early retired pay, because of the “90 days in one calendar quarter” requirement then in effect. I’ll guarantee stuff like that causes discontent among those that got the… Read more »
Please, my tour in Iraq in 2004-5 was significantly more dangerous that the one I did in 2009-10. Congress restricted the dates for eligibility strictly on a financial/administrative basis – at the same time billions were being wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost of added years of eligibility are minuscule in comparison. Anyone that did a OIF tour between 2003-2007 can be forgiven for feeling slightly miffed that Congress administratively didn’t count their service. I am quite sure that the 1 extra year of retired pay I would receive would break the Fed, in light of how frugal and diligent the GAO is.
Meant for AZtoVA
I’m glad that you changed your stance on this. 😀 Nobody was arguing that they got all the bennies related to a full military retirement.
You should’ve referenced this link instead, I was going to post it on the other thread.
If I were to officially transfer to the retired reserve today, I’d still be eligible for TRICARE benefits, despite being in my mid 40s. From TRICARE itself:
http://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans/TRR.aspx
TRICARE Retired Reserve
TRICARE Retired Reserve is a premium-based plan available worldwide for retired Reserve members, their families and survivors who qualify.
If purchased, TRICARE Retired Reserve meets or exceeds the requirements for minimum essential coverage The Affordable Care Act requires you to maintain basic health care coverage–called minimum essential coverage. If you don’t have minimum essential coverage, you may have to pay a fee for each month you aren’t covered. under the Affordable Care Act.
Who Can Participate?
Retired Reserve members who are:
Members of the retired Reserve of a Reserve Component who are qualified for non-regular retirement under 10 U.S.C., Chapter 1223
Under age 60
Not eligible for, or enrolled in, the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program
Family members of qualified Retired Reserve members
Survivors of retired Reserve members if:
The sponsor was covered by TRICARE Retired Reserve when he or she died.
They are immediate family members of the deceased sponsor (spouses cannot have remarried).
TRICARE Retired Reserve coverage would begin before the date the deceased sponsor would have turned 60 years old.
Survivor coverage is not affected by FEHB eligibility.
The intent here was to warn people of two possible financial “gotchas”. Healthcare – to include Tricare Retired Reserve – is one such financial “gotcha”. You are correct in that Tricare Retired Reserve is available to “grey area” retirees, including those in receipt of early retired pay. However, it’s IMO such a p!ss-poor deal that I’d frankly forgotten it even existed. If you have no better choice AND you are eligible (not everyone is – if you’re a Federal civilian employee you’re not eligible; I think that’s true if your spouse is a Federal civilian as well) AND you can spare roughly $11,536 annually for premiums (for family coverage – retiree-only coverage costs just short of $4,700 per year). That cost is before counting copayments and deductables. I guess it’s better than nothing at all until you turn 60. Maybe. But I’m not even sure about that. http://www.tricare.mil/Costs/HealthPlanCosts/TRR.aspx Bluntly: Tricare Retired Reserve is IMO only worthwhile if you’re self-employed and make a good enough living that you can afford almost $1000/month in health insurance premiums for family coverage (or almost $400/month for member-only). Even then, I’d guess you can do better elsewhere. I can and do get a better deal elsewhere, thanks. Regarding the article above: I thought what I’m about to say was obvious, but I guess not – so I’ll explain more fully. I’ve also modified the language in the article for clarity. The TRICARE coverage I was referencing above is normal Tricare military retiree coverage as a military retiree – e.g., the exact thing that an Active-component retiree receives. That’s provided at no cost (standard, extra) or much lower cost (a bit over $550/year for family coverage per year, rising to a bit over $565 per year next year) than Tricare Retired Reserve. You’re eligible for that at age 60 – when you become a full military retiree vice a “grey area” retiree. If you qualify for reserve retired pay earlier than age 60, you still have to wait to age 60 for normal retiree medical coverage under Tricare. http://www.tricare.mil/Costs/HealthPlanCosts/PrimeOptions/EnrollmentFees.aspx I haven’t double checked lately, but as… Read more »
I know, that was deliberate, I was doing to you here what you did to me in the other thread.
We really had no argument there, nor do we have one over here. 
As for affordability of TRICARE Retired Reserve, I was aware of how high it was, I mentioned that in the other thread.
My family definitely could afford those premiums.
But, as a member of the TPU, my family is using TRICARE Reserve Select. It has better rates, and with MYOS temporarily suspended, I could theoretically go from TRICARE Reserve Select (age 59) to TRICARE prime (retired with pay at 60).
Since I’m priority group I with the VA, I use the VA hospital and CBOC in my area for my health care needs instead. The majority of their doctors, and nurses, are pretty good at what they do.
According to the Army Reserve Reserve Retirement Guide, there are three categories of retirees:
* Retired Reserve not eligible for retired pay until age 60, often called, “Gray area retiree;”
* Retiree between age 60 and 65 receiving retirement pay; or
* Retiree age 65+ receiving retirement pay and social security benefits. (Full Retiree status)
Retired Reserve would be eligible for TRICARE Retired Reserve.
Retiree between 60 to 65 would get the benefit that you talked about.
Retiree 65+ would get the TRICARE for Life (Wrap around) plus Social Security Benefits. (Not withstanding those that retire for Social Security purposes before or after 65.)
A member of the “retired reserve not eligible for retired pay” is commonly referred to as a “grey area” retiree. I’m reasonably certain you’ve heard the term before once or twice. (smile) If you’re a TPU member, you are not a grey area retiree. You’re still serving in the SELRES, and are thus eligible for highly subsidized Tricare coverage with appropriate copayments. Grey area retirees are not. Bluntly: grey area retirees are not yet considered to be fully retired from the military. They continue to accrue TIS for pay purposes; retirees do not. They are also considered to receive annual pay raises (though they’re in a no pay status) – this is the primary reason it’s a good idea to request placement on the reserve retired list vice requesting discharge. However, grey areas retirees are not yet “full military retirees” in a legal sense. They are not yet eligible for medical care, and can be excluded from local MWR facility usage by local commanders (full retirees generally cannot be so excluded). That distinction goes away when a RC “grey area” retiree reaches age 60. Bottom line: as you note above, military RETIREES get TRICARE between full retirement (AC – typically after 20 years active service; RC – at age 60) and age 65. That is true regardless of any entitlement for early receipt of retired pay (and that’s also why it’s referred to a “early receipt of retired pay” vice “early retirement” – they’re different things). On turning 65, retirees then receive Tricare for Life, which effectively uses Tricare in coordination with Medicare. Big bennies there are typically pharmacy coverage under Tricare and access to mil med facilities. As a member on the reserve retired list, I can assure you a grey area retiree gets neither. Should you desire, you can either pay $11,000+ annually for medical insurance or you can go without until you hit 60. That’s true whether or not you are drawing retired pay – because until age 60, a retired reservist is not considered a “full” military retiree and is not issued a full (blue) retiree… Read more »
Correct about holding the rank. Since I was maxed out on TIR for retired pay and well within three years of 60, unless I got deployed, staying in wasn’t getting me much more on the retirement front since promotion was off the table. Not to mention I’m combat arms and there are no slots in the Reserves for my MOS in the top tier. My advice for anyone in the Army Reserves is to look very closely at your MOS as you progress and reclass into something that can do you some good in the future. Also get your SSD done ASAP!
One thing I was told long ago regarding reserve retirement was: transfer to the Retired Reserve. It’s similar to IRR but the big difference is that you can continue to collect points and retirement pay is calculated of the pay charts in effect on the date you start collecting retired pay. Could be that they were just blowing smoke to get me to hang around longer. But after 30 years and still going, I’m just building up ‘points’.
True for the pay charts, not true for the points. You can earn retirement points while in the IRR, but not in the Retired Reserve. That’s why, although I could have retired last year when I finished my last TPU assignment, I decided to hang around in the IRR until I hit my MRD next year.
Now, there is a big monetary advantage in transferring to the Retired Reserve, versus electing to be discharged after you make your 20. The difference can be considerable.
Correct. That’s due to the fact that time in the Retired Reserve counts towards longevity, and delays precisely when retired pay is calculated. Both tend to raise the amount of retired pay – pay scales for the grade “max out” and future annual pay raises occurring during time on the retired list end up factored into the calculation. Elect discharge, and if I recall correctly that calculation is performed at time of discharge with pay scales in effect on that date.
I’m prior infantry, had to re-class into PSYOP in order to drill with the unit I’m drilling with right now. Even with the winding down of Afghanistan, there are other areas in the world where they have PSYOP deployed.
As for SSD, I’ve gone beyond the level that I need for my current rank. Unfortunately, people cannot register themselves for those courses. Otherwise, I’d knock out the remainder for retirement point purposes.
I know you could earn retirement points as a TPU, IMA, IRR, and Standby Reserve — Active Status List. Retired Reserve is a different story though.
I’m with you though when it comes to sticking around to accumulate retirement points. I already surpassed the 7200 retirement points threshold, and am continuing to rake them in.
although I’m already in receipt of my 20 year letter, I plan on remaining in the ready reserve to keep maxing out on inactive retirement points each retirement year. 
On the flipside, since I have my 20 year letter, I’m subject to a TPU QRB. Should that happen, I would select “transfer to the IRR,” on the paperwork I’d receive prior to the board, should they decide to remove me from the TPU. This way, I could continue to accumulate points.
Transferring to the retired reserve is definitely a much better option than simply getting out.
This may appear to be off subject, but still close enough to warrant the attention of those in control of their faculties.
Will someone PLEASE tell us the medical bennies available to one who has served two terms, a piddley eight years in such a dangerous occupation, as a member of Congress or the U. S. Senate?????
BTW, for the PTSD interested crowd, it has been only a couple of years since those returning from Afghanistan or Iraq, and diagnosed with PTSD were offered a one time settlement of a check in the amount if $50,000. Sounds like a FORTUNE to someone who came from an average family. Many jumped at it not knowing strings attached included forfeiture of all later medical claims for life. At least that had been discussed at a group meeting….and I presume it to be true. Really would appreciate it if someone more informed presented this site the facts relating to this point.
Presuming they qualified for retirement, a retired Member of Congress would be eligible for coverage, at their expense, as a retired Federal employee under the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. They would be required to pay all premiums associated with that coverage.
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43194.pdf
That’s it.
While serving, Serving Members of Congress (but not their families) are eligible for healthcare at military medical facilities. Outpatient care is at no cost (DC area only); they pay DoD-established rates for any inpatient care, as well as for any outpatient care at military medical facilities outside the DC area. If they elect to pay a separate fee, they can also receive limited (e.g., office visit type) medical care from an in-house doctor that serves Congress IVO the Capitol and/or Congressional office facilities. Those two bennies go away if/when they leave Congress.
The myth that Members of Congress receives “free health care for life” is just that – a myth.
One really important item is to review your points BEFORE you retire. IDT points are best updated through your unit. Those of us with multiple service and reserve components need to get everything combined into a single record with whatever component you will be retiring from.
If any active duty points are missing or wrong, you HAVE to submit DFAS pay records to HRC to get the points added. DD-214’s are not accepted as proof of service.
As with all records, it’s always best to do it when you find the error rather than wait. If you do have a reduced retirement age, there are specific instructions on how to file, so make sure you read the reserve retirement packet on how to do that.
Also, look at SBP and VGLI costs and compare with a civilian life insurance policy. There could be some significant cost savings.
Be proactive and plan ahead. You will save a lot of time and potential frustration.