Table of Contents
- When can you retire from the National Guard/Reserve?
- How many points do you need to retire from the Guard/Reserve?
- How many points do you need to retire from the Guard/Reserve?
- You Can Retire Awaiting Pay or Resign
- What is the average reserve retirement pay?
- Is a National Guard/Reserve retirement worth it?
Members of the Reserve Component (RC), which includes the Reserves and National Guard, have different eligibility standards for retirement compared to active-duty servicemembers. The difference exists because Reserve and Guard members usually serve part-time and may have civilian careers alongside their military service, thus, the way they earn time toward their pension is different.
We’ve created this guide to showcase the differences between active-duty retirement and RC retirement, including eligibility requirements, how pay is calculated, healthcare options, and more.
Note: Some sources refer to National Guard and Reserves retirement as “reserve retirement” regardless of whether you served in the Guard or Reserves. It is also often referred to as “non-regular retirement.”
When can you retire from the National Guard/Reserve?
In general, there are two qualifications you must meet to be eligible for Reserve Component retirement benefits:
- Reach age 60
- Serve at least 20 years of qualifying service
While it is possible to qualify to retire early from the Guard or Reserves by earning qualifying active duty time, in general, turning 60 is an important birthday for Guard and Reserve retirees.
Reaching Age 60
The biggest difference between active duty retirement and Reserve Component retirement is when you can file. Active duty service members can file when their military career ends and they have accumulated 20 years of service.
Technically, this means if someone enlists at age 18, they could start drawing retirement as early as age 38. By contrast, a reservist can only file for retirement when they turn 60, with a few exceptions, such as qualifying for early retirement.
Prior to age 60, retired Guard and Reserve members are only eligible for certain retirement benefits, including base access as well as shopping at the Commissary and Exchanges. If an RC member has served for 20 qualifying years but retires before 60, they are often referred to as a “gray area” retiree. We’ll touch on this more later in the article.
20 Years of Qualifying Service
For RC members, 20 years of qualifying service is usually a combination of your time on active duty and Good Years in the Guard or Reserves.
A Good Year is a satisfactory year in the Guard or Reserves that qualifies toward military retirement. Currently, RC members need to earn 50 or more points within two consecutive fiscal years in order to complete a Good Year, although the rules vary based on when you served.
How many points do you need to retire from the Guard/Reserve?
While there is technically no set number of points you need to achieve to retire from the Guard or Reserves, there are some benchmarks you can keep in mind to track your progress.
As previously mentioned, RC members need 50 Points in a year to earn a Good Year toward retirement.
In any given year, an RC member can expect to earn around 75 points or more, depending on participation in Drills and annual training, whether you were activated, and other factors. While there is no such thing as a “normal year” in the Guard or Reserves, a “base” year might look something like this:
- 15 Points – Annual Participation
- 48 Points – 12 Monthly Drills (4 Drill Periods per month)
- 15 Points – Annual Training (varies based on your unit)
- Additional Points such as training, correspondence courses, Honor Guard, mobilizations, etc.
All your points are maintained by your parent service and work toward calculating your pension.
Point Tracking
You can request a copy of your points statement any time for free online. However, where you retrieve your point statement differs by branch.
| Where to Get Point Statements by Branch | |
| Reserve Component Branch | Instructions |
| Army National Guard | Go to IPPS-A Landing Page (army.mil). Select “HR Professional’, then select “View Retirement Points.” |
| Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard | Go to https://www.my.af.mil. Navigate to the Virtual Military Personnel Flight (vMPF), select “Self-Service Actions,” select “Personal Data,” and click “ANG/USAFR Point Credit Summary Inquiry (PCFARS).” |
| Army Reserve | Review your “Chronicle Retirement Point Statement DA 5016” at www.hrc.army.mil. Select the “My Record” tab to review. Note: CAC card required. |
| Marine Corps Reserve | Review your “Career Retirement Credit Report” at https://mol.tfs.usmc.mil/mol. |
| Navy Reserve | Review your “Annual Retirement Point Record” (ARPR) at https://www.bol.navy.mil/ARPR/. |
| Coast Guard Reserve | Go to https://portal.direct-access.us. Click on “My Reserve Points Statement” under the “Employee View” menu. |
Let’s look at the types of military pension plans and other factors used in your retirement calculations.
How many points do you need to retire from the Guard/Reserve?
Like active duty retirement, a Reserve Component retirement includes a monthly pension payment, access to a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), affordable healthcare, and more.
Pension and Thrift Savings Plan
Outside of medical military retirement, the retirement plan you qualify for depends on when you entered service. The most common plans are the Blended Retirement System (BRS), the High 3 (also called High 36), and the REDUX/CSB.
- Medical Military Retirement (Chapter 61) – For members with 20 qualifying years who have a service-connected disability that prevents them from performing their military duties.
- Blended Retirement System (BRS) – For all current servicemembers and members who opted in before December 31, 2017.
- High 3 – For servicemembers who entered the military after Sep. 8, 1980. Not available for servicemembers who didn’t opt-in before December 31, 2017.
- REDUX/CSB – For servicemembers who entered the military after August 1, 1986 but before January 1, 2003 AND who elected to receive the Career Status Bonus (CSB). Not available for servicemembers who didn’t opt-in before December 31, 2017.
Servicemembers also have the ability to contribute to a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is similar to a 401(k). Servicemembers who opted into the High 3 and REDUX plans can contribute to their TSPs, but there are no government matching contributions. However, under the Blended Retirement System, the TSP has government matching contributions. Eligible servicemembers will have up to 5% of their contributions matched, presenting an amazing opportunity to build a post-retirement nest egg.
How to Calculate a Reserve Pension
While active duty retirement is based on years of service, reservist retirement is based on an accumulation of points, which are then converted to years of service. To convert points to the active service equivalent, you divide your total points by 360.
Calculating an RC retirement can be complex and depends on the number of points you have, what retirement plan you’re enrolled in, and your rank at retirement. To get a general idea, you can use this equation:
Monthly Retirement Pay = (Total Retirement Points / 360) × Applicable Multiplier × (12 Retired Pay Base)
Your retired pay base and multiplier differ depending on what military retirement plan you qualify for. For example, an RC member under the High 3 plan uses the highest 36 months of pay as the retired pay base and uses a multiplier of 2.5%.
If you have more questions, this guide covers all military retirement plan requirements and their pay equations.
Like active duty retirement, Reserve Component retirement does not differ by branch, however, commissioned officers may have time in grade requirements that vary by branch.
Healthcare
While still serving in the National Guard and Reserves, members are eligible for TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS), a premium-based health insurance program. However, you lose TRS eligibility when you retire or otherwise leave the Guard or Reserves.
| Guard and Reserve Retiree Health Care Options | |
| Age | Healthcare Plans |
| Under 60 | TRICARE Retired Reserve |
| 60 to 64 | TRICARE PrimeTRICARE Select |
| 65+ | TRICARE For Life |
When you retire, your military healthcare options depend on your age, where you live, among other factors.
Until age 60, retired Guard and Reserve members must provide their own dental coverage. They can do this through their civilian employer, by purchasing a private insurance plan, or by self-insuring. At age 60, members become eligible for military retiree dental coverage through the FEDVIP.
Other Retirement Benefits
In addition to retaining access to base facilities, RC retirees also have access to:
- Commissary
- Base Exchanges
- Gyms
- Hobby activities where available, such as the Auto Hobby Shop, Woodworking Shop, MWR facilities, movie theater, etc.
- Space-A Travel
These base activities can be a great way to save money, participate in hobbies, and continue to be a part of the military community.
Benefits for your dependents, including your spouse and children, are similar to when you were on active duty. Spouses and Dependents maintain base access and access to the Commissary, Exchanges, MWR facilities, and other base activities.
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You Can Retire Awaiting Pay or Resign
There are two ways an RC member can retire, and each requires a certain amount of risk. The first option is to “retire awaiting pay.” Over 99.99% of Guard/Reserve retirees choose this option. When you retire awaiting pay, you’re not required to perform any duties or maintain any readiness in the “gray area” between the time you retire and the start of your retired pay, but you risk still being recalled to duty in the case of full mobilization.
A full mobilization requires the President and Congress to declare a war that’s bad enough to require the entire armed forces, and it’s more severe than the Presidential mobilization that was declared after 9/11.
Most Guard/Reserve retirees are willing to take this risk because the Department of Defense pays for it. If you retire awaiting pay, your seniority within your rank continues to accumulate, and when you reach your pension start date (generally age 60), your retirement pay is drawn at the active-duty pay table in effect that year. In other words, DoD covers you on both seniority and inflation.
If you’re not willing to accept the risk of a full mobilization, then the only way to avoid it is to resign. You still receive your pension at your pension start date, but it is at the seniority you had in that rank when you resigned and in the pay scale in effect when you resigned.
This may not be much of a difference if you resign at age 59, but if you resign at age 37, then you’ll be facing over two decades of inflation erosion before your pension starts.
What is the average reserve retirement pay?
As stated above, retirement is impacted by many factors, particularly under the Blended Retirement System. The Thrift Savings Plan plays a large role, and it’s quite difficult to estimate the average contribution. That being said, we’ll walk you through some examples using the average RC member rank at retirement.
According to a 2021 Department of Defense study, the overwhelming majority of veterans retired at E-7.
Enlisted
Using 2024 pay charts under the Blended Retirement System, we can find an average monthly pension for an E-7 RC member with 7,200 points or 20 years of service:
| (Points / 360) converts points to years | x BRS multiplier | x 2024 E-7 base pay | = Average monthly pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| (7,200 / 360) | x 2.0% | x $5,758 | = $2,303.20 |
Therefore, the estimated monthly retirement pay for a Guard/Reserve member with 7,200 points under the BRS would be approximately $2,303.20. Of course, this doesn’t take into account the TSP, which at the point of retirement – hopefully – would have decades worth of accumlated investment funds.
Officer
Using the same method, we can calculate an average estimate of RC retirement for officers. According to the 2021 study, the most popular military rank at retirement was O-5.
Using 2024 pay charts, here’s an average monthly pension for an O-5 RC member with 7,200 points or 20 years of service:
(Points / 360) converts points to years | x BRS multiplier | x 2024 O-5 base pay | = Average monthly pension |
|---|---|---|---|
| (7,200 / 360) | x 2.0% | x $11,093 | = $4,437.20 |
So, not taking the TSP amount into consideration, an estimated monthly retirement pay for an O-5 Guard/Reserve under the Blended Retirement System would be approximately $4,437.20.
Is a National Guard/Reserve retirement worth it?
Considering all of its benefits, a Guard/Reserve retirement is extremely valuable and could easily be valued at over a million dollars. Serving as a reservist or guardsman allows you to earn retirement benefits while potentially maintaining a civilian career. There’s even the possibility to earn dual credit, which is the ability to count active duty time toward a military and civilian pension.
Furthermore, your commitment allows you to serve your country, receive training, and gain invaluable experiences.
At the end of the day, the decision to pursue a reserve or guard retirement should be based on a careful consideration of your personal relationships as well as your current and future personal and professional goals. For those who find value in service and can manage the dual demands of military and civilian life, a Reserve or National Guard retirement can be a profoundly rewarding and worthwhile pursuit.
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Spencer says
It’s a 2% multiplier joining after 2018, right?
Ryan Guina says
Spencer, yes, the Blended Retirement System (BRS) features a 2% multiplier and offers a Career Status Bonus and matching TSP contributions. It started on January 1, 2018, though military members who were serving prior to that date had the option to opt-into the BRS. So some members who joined before 2018 may also have a 2% multiplier.
Joel Chapman says
Hey Ryan, what is going on with age 60 retirement pay processing at Fort Knox. The have had my packet for a year now and I turned 60 one month ago.
Ryan Guina says
Joel, I don’t have a good answer for you other than to contact the Army Human Resources Center directly to inquire about your retirement package. Best wishes!
Anthony Long says
I was looking for current information on combat deployments impact if any would have on my eligibility for retirement pay. It has always been at age 60, however when I was deployed to Iraq there was lots of conversation about a program that would deduct the years served in combat zones from the age 60 requirement and in my case possibly begin drawing retirement pay at age 58. Do you have any information you could share with respect to this ????
Ryan Guina says
Anthony, Yes there is legislation that allows Guard and Reserve members to claim earlier retirement when they are activated under certain types of orders. You can learn more in this article about early Guard and reserve retirement age.
From the article, early retirement “only applies to members of the Guard or Reserves who participated in a qualifying active-duty mobilization after Jan. 28, 2008, which is the date the Act was signed into law. Service on or before this date does not count toward early retirement.”
Best wishes!
Alan Berens says
Hi, great information but my situation was I was Medically retired will I still earn credit from the time of discharge until I collect retirement? Thanks!
Brian Berte says
I retired from the Air Force with 8 years AD and another 12+ with the Guard/Reserve component as a Captain. During that time, I was both enlisted (13 years) and officer (last 9 years). Will my retirement pay be based on middle pay band “Commissioned Officers with 4 Years Active Duty Service as Enlisted Member” or on the “Commissioned Officer” pay band?
Alfredo c Muñoz says
Ryan I just went to file for my TxARNG retirement at age 62 but i should have filed at 60 my question is will I receive back pay that’s my question
Randy Fish says
While I am way better educated on calculating retirement, my options, etc., I am still wondering why Reserve and Guard retirees have to wait until age 60 (except under the post 2008 exception) to start collecting? Shouldn’t those who have put in 20+ years of service be allowed to collect their retirement pay and/or benefits at the time of retirement just as the Active duty retirees do? Please let me know why the double standard exists. Thank you.
Ryan Guina says
Hello Randy, I don’t know the reason, other than that is the way the law was written. There have been several attempts to change the law through the years, but they have come up short. This is a topic that can be better addressed by those who are better versed in the law, whether that be a Congressional representative or a military lobbying organization such as the MOAA.
James Davis says
Hi, I’m a former Marine but am speaking on behalf of my mother in law.
Question: Is the spouse entitled to any of her husbands retirement pay from the National Guard upon death? If so, where should she start with the process?
Ryan Guina says
Hello James, I’m sorry for your family’s loss. Your mother in law may be eligible if her husband was signed up for the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan, which allows surviving spouses to receive a portion of the retiree’s retirement pay. She should contact the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), which handles pay for military members and retirees. This page discusses the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan. This is a good list of contact numbers for the Survivor Benefit Plan.
I wish you and your family the best during this time.
John says
If i have 23 years of TAFMS through the AGR program, if I resign my AGR position, asume a traditional guard position will i still receive my retirement as soon as i retire without having to wait until im 60 y/o?
Ryan Guina says
Hello John, I would speak with your personnel or Human Resources office about this matter. I know you can retire with an immediate pension and retirement benefits if you have 20+ years under the AGR system.
However, I do not know if you can transition from AGR to Traditional and receive retirement benefits while still serving the “one weekend a month, two weeks a year.” I believe that you will need to fully retire from the Guard/Reserves to receive your retirement benefits.
It may be possible to transition from AGR to Traditional if you wish to continue serving. But I’m not sure how that would work in regard to retirement benefits. This is something you want to clarify before taking action. And if possible, make sure you see the reg or understand you have the correct answer before taking action – that way there won’t be any confusion or questions.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Sue A says
If a reserve retiree reaches age 60 in the middle of a month, does the first retirement pay include the whole month of his/her birthday and be paid on the first on the month following the birthday, or would it be a smaller check for only the days in which the retiree was over 60, or nothing at all until the first of the month following the first full month of being 60?
Sue A says
I have been paid (finally), and can answer my own question. Here’s how it works. If you turn 60 in the middle of the month, you will get paid for a partial month – the days of that month that you are 60 or over. If it’s on time, it should be on the first of the following month. Thereafter, you will get paid on the first of the month for the prior months. If there is a delay in processing, you will get a big payment covering all of the missed time when they first process it.
Renee Pemberton says
Hello, My name is Renee’. Thank you for the great information and the excellent read. I spent 13 1/2 years on active duty, 2 1/2 years in the active reserve before I went into the Individual Ready Reserve and finished up with 22 1/2 years total. I would like to know now that I am 55 years old, am I eligible for early retirement at 55? Thanks
Ryan Guina says
Hello Renee’, Did you complete at least 20 Good Years of service and receive a retirement eligibility letter from the Reserves? If so, you should be eligible to receive your retirement pay at age 60.
Did you complete the final 6 1/2 years in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) or the Regular Reserves? In other words, were you a drilling Reservist, or were you in the IRR which doesn’t drill, but is available for being recalled to duty?
This is a big distinction, as it is very difficult to earn a good year in the IRR.
You will need to have 20 Good Years to be eligible for retirement. The normal retirement age is 60. You can begin receiving retirement pay before age 60 if you have deployment days after January of 2008.
I recommend contacting your parent branch of service to determine if you are eligible to receive retirement benefits, and if so, when that would be.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Derek A. Smith says
Hello, my name is Derek. This was great information. I served in the Navy Reserve, Air Force active duty for 15 years and Army National Guard. I was called to active duty in 2002 and discharged due to a disability in 2003. I am 55 years old and have my 20 year letter, but I am wondering if I would still be earning pay credit or would it have stopped in 2003 when I was was discharged? Does that mean I figure out my retirement pay based on my 2003 pay rate? Also, is there a retired ID card that I can obtain until I am 60 (I read there may be)?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Derek, Thank you for contacting me. Yes, you should be eligible for a retiree ID card. You can contact your local Pass & ID office for information regarding how to obtain an ID card. Since you are still under age 60, you will be eligible for base access and certain base amenities, but not pay & medical care.
Your retirement pay will depend on whether you “Retired Awaiting Pay” or if you “Resigned.” Most people retire awaiting pay, which technically means they are eligible for being recalled to duty if needed. If you Retire Awaiting Pay, your retirement pay will be based on the pay charts in effect when you reach age 60 (and the preceding 3 years if you retired under the High 3 retirement plan). If that is the case, then you should still be accruing your years in service until you reach retirement age and begin drawing retirement pay.
Those who “Resign” when they reach retirement eligibility are no longer eligible to be recalled to duty, but their retirement pay is based on the pay charts in effect at the time they retired.
So most people choose to Retire Awaiting Pay.
I hope this is helpful. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Derek Smith says
Thank you again Ryan. I have a follow up question. Do I take my 20 year letter to prove retirement? Also, I was discharged due to medical so would that be the same as “resigned’?
Also, active duty retirees get a nice retirement certificate. Do Reserve and Guard get those and how can I get mine?
Ryan Guina says
My pleasure, Derek. I don’t know if you will need to bring your 20-year letter. They should have your information in DEERS. I would call the closest RAPIDS Location and ask them which information is needed.
I’m not sure about the retirement certificate. I would ask your personnel or HR office. They should be able to answer this question or point you in the right direction.
Richard Triano jr says
I had a total of 17 yrs army and air force reservist need 3 yrs for 20 had lots of points accumulated for being activated for training and man-days. Could I recoup 3 yrs at 70 yrs to draw a pension?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Richard, Members generally need to be able to earn 20 good years by age 60 in order to be eligible for a Guard or Reserve retirement. I am not aware of any way you may be eligible to earn one if you are 3 years short of the required service time, and you are already age 70. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service.
Elliot says
If a national guard servicemember transferred to active duty army mid contract, how would this affect his retirement plans?
I heard it’s particularly hard for national guard to switch to active duty mid-contract because the state, not the federal government, pays for the service member’s training. Whereas army reservists are under federal orders only so they are a part of big army.
Ryan Guina says
Guard members who transition into the active duty side of the Regular Army will still be eligible for military retirement. It takes 20 years of active duty service to qualify for active duty retirement benefits. The member’s basic training and AIT should count toward that active duty service to reach 20 years. However, the drill days or other inactive training wouldn’t count toward active duty service. The member would need 20 good years to qualify for retirement from the Guard or Reserves, so they could actually qualify for Reserve retirement while still serving on active duty. Keep in mind qualifying for the Reserve retirement doesn’t mean they receive benefits right away – pay and insurance start at age 60 for the Reserve Component. So the member could continue serving until they reach 20 years of active duty time and retire from the active duty military, or they could decide to separate at the end of their contract or service commitment and choose to retire under the Reserve Component at that time.
Transitioning from either the Guard or Reserves to active duty is handled on a case by case basis and is at the needs of the parent branch of the military. There are times when active duty actively advertises openings for certain career fields and ranks due to shortfalls on the active duty side. members can speak with their recruiters or unit career advisors for more information.
Cole Daum says
Hello Ryan,
I left the active Georgia Army National Guard and entered the IRR several years ago after serving 28 years, some of which was active duty. While attempting to find an IRR unit I was notified by mail that my status was changed to retired. I never attended any retirement briefings so I have a couple questions.
Can I get an ID card while in the gray area? I turn 60 in 2025.
I have a post 2008 deployment so how do I know if and when I can receive retired pay benefits before age 60?
How do I know if my status is “resigned” or “awaiting retirement”?
Should I schedule a retirement interview now and who should I call?
Thank you for your help.
Cole Daum
Ryan Guina says
Hello Cole,
I would visit the Human Resources or personnel office of your closest Guard unit. You can call ahead to schedule an appointment. They can answer your specific questions.
Regarding an ID Card – yes, you should be able to obtain a retiree ID card for your Gray area status. The HR office can help you determine if your post-2008 deployment will qualify for early retirement pay. Or you can review your orders to see if they qualify.
I don’t know if your status is “resigned” or “awaiting retirement”. The HR department can help you determine this. I would assume you are “awaiting retirement” since you didn’t actively resign.
I hope this points you in the right direction. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Reda says
Hi Ryan ,
I have almost 3100 retirement points, currently serving for the National Guard with 15 years of service- 8 active duty and 5 years in the National Guard. I am going through Medical Evaluation Board now. Will I be eligible to draw military retirement right away or do I have to wait till I reach 60? Also. I am 100 percent VA disabled, will I become eligible for CRDP? If so, will I draw my military pension right away along with VA disability or until age 60? Please, advise. Thank you.
Ryan Guina says
Hello Reda, I recommend contacting your personnel office for a full benefits review. They will be able to give you a personalized overview of your specific benefits and can answer questions that require access to your records.
In general, retirees from the Guard/Reserves who receive a medical retirement still receive their retirement benefits at age 60. However, if the underlying condition happened while they were on active duty, it may be possible to receive an active duty medical retirement (immediate benefits). As you can see, this is going to be specific to the individual and not something I can give you a definitive answer to.
CRDP – yes, I believe you will be eligible for CRDP when your retirement pay begins. Your personnel office can answer all your question regarding when you will be eligible to receive retirement pay.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Donald ONeal says
My name is Donald O’Neal I serve 3 years active duty in the marine and service 3 years reserved and 10 years in the National Guard and 6 months active duty in Desert Storm I had to get out due to a back injury from Desert Storm that give me a total of 16 and 1/2 years a service am I eligible to draw a retirement from the Tennessee National Guard under those status and should I have gotten a 15-year letter from the National Guard I am 100% disabled veteran due to the Gulf War
Ryan Guina says
Hello Donald, The military generally requires 20 years of service to earn military retirement benefits. There are only a few exceptions, including when early retirement is authorized under the secretary of your branch of service, or for medical retirement. You would be required to sign paperwork under each situation and you would be aware of the retirement benefits you had. If you did not receive retirement paperwork, then it is likely that you did not earn military retirement benefits.
You can always contact your state National Guard Bureau for more information about your profile or records. They may be able to provide additional information.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Terrie says
Just wondering if your dependent gets your pension benefit if you die or does it just stop.
Ryan Guina says
Hello Terrie, I recommend earning more about the Survivor Benefit Plan, which can provide a portion of the retirement pay to your qualified dependent if you opt into the plan. The answer is more detailed than we can go into in a comment, so I recommend reading this article for more information, Military Survivor Benefit Plan. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
DEREK says
Hi Ryan…
I am 100% total and permanent VA disabled. I am currently in the Army Reserve and I got promoted to LTC in June 2017. I went to my nearest military installation (Ft Polk) and spoke to someone who is very knowledgeable as he spent 12 years on the MEB and has been with the VA for the last 10 years. He told me some very interesting things…1. he said that the Army as a whole, is about to medically retire or medically discharge any Army person who has 70% disabled with VA and 2. He said that I’m looking at about a 60-70% medical retirement from the Army. But he said I’d still have to wait until age 60 (or 55 in my case) to begin receiving my military retirement pay. He advised me to stay in another year (until June 2020) in order to receive the High-36. My question is do I receive the COLA increase during the gray area? Or would I be receiving the retirement pay from June 2017-2020?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Derek, Thank you for your question. Yes, you should still receive COLA increase during the Gray area, provided you Retire Awaiting Pay, and do not Resign.
When you Retire Awaiting Pay, your retirement pay will be based on the pay charts in effect when you reach age 60. So for your High 3, it would be the average of the pay charts when you are ages 58, 59, and 60.
If you Resign, you would receive the High 3 from the 3 years preceding your retirement date.
I hope this answers your question. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Jim Zeames says
Hello, I turned 60 in 11/18. So far I have had to spoon feed ARPC through a series of certified letters to finally get my retirement order for 25 years of ANG service. After not hearing from DFAS for a month I called and was told they had not received my high three numbers from ARPC. I was able to speak to an ARPC rep today and was told that there is a glitch between ARPC & DFAS and those eligible for retirement since 9/18 are all waiting. A google search reveals nothing about this. Am I getting the run around?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Jim, I would take ARPC at their word when they say there is a glitch with the system. I sincerely doubt they would intentionally give someone the run around “just because.” It’s more likely there is an issue with the systems and they are working on getting that system updated. I understand this is frustrating and is preventing you from receiving your retirement pay. But they should provide back pay when the system is back up and running.
For now, I would maintain frequent contact with both organizations and open a support ticket if they have a system to track these things. You may also be able to get them to manually run your numbers. However, I don’t know if there is a process for this, or if this is something you would need to run up the chain.
In short, stay engaged and maintain frequent contact. If necessary, run this up the chain of command by asking to speak with a supervisor, then their supervisor, etc.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Keith Starling says
I’m waiting on approving letter on my retirement pay. I am 62 1/2 and applied 7 mos ago. How long does it take to receive confirmation of your retirement pay.
James Toy says
Can you receive both guard retirement and VA disability over 50%
Shane Rogers says
Great podcast! I found it incredibly informative and have sent the link to a couple of friend already. I am 48 years old and Navy Reserve retired (E-6) after 10 years active and 10 reserve. I do have a question about the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP). I’m having a very difficult time deciphering this program. As everyone who retires from the reserves is apparently automatically enrolled (you have to opt out), I would have expected it to be more clear. I’ve found a couple of sites about it, DFAS was good, but I can’t seem to find anything about the costs associated with being a participate in the program. I personally opted for Option B, but I’m not sure what that will actually cost me. Any help you can provide would be appreciated.
Rob Farris says
I’m currently in the “grey area” retired reserve status. I filed the NG retirement package months ago and will turn 60 in April 2019. What should I expect? Basically, will I receive a retirement order, DD214, when should I expect to receive my first payment?
There is all manner of information about calculating points, and other benefits, but nothing that I can find on what to expect upon turning 60. Thanks
Ryan Guina says
Hello Rob, This is a great question. I would contact your closest NG base/post and ask the personnel or human resources office if there is anything you need to do, and if so, when.
I believe you will need to get a new retired military ID card, as well as register for TRICARE once you turn age 60. I’m not sure if there is anything else you need to do regarding registering for benefits. They should be able to provide an answer.
I would also contact DFAS regarding your retirement pay. You will want to ensure your profile is set up correctly and you have registered your bank account information for direct deposit.
I hope this points you in the right direction. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Frank Schlosser says
i have my 20 year honorable discharge letter and i received a medical discharge and a lump sum of money. does this effect my Army National Guard retirement when i turn 60? I have 9 years in USMC and the other years in the Army. but finished my last 3 years in the Army National Guard. I have been told that it would not effect my Army National Guard retirement.
Ryan Guina says
Hello Frank, Thank you for your question. Medical Separation payments may impact either retirement pay or disability compensation. The only way to be certain about your situation is to review your records, which is something that can only be done by your branch of the military, DFAS, or the VA.
So this is a situation you want to verify with the VA and/or DFAS for clarification. They will be able to review your personal situation and provide an individualized response.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Francis E. Yates says
Never marries but engaged @ 68 years of age. Does my wife to be get benefits after I die? Did combined total of 22 years active and USNR.
Ryan Guina says
Hello Francis, you can enroll a spouse in the Survivor Benefit Plan as long as you do it within one year of marriage. However, I would do so as soon as possible. Contact DFAS for more information on how to do this.
Your spouse may also be eligible for other benefits, such as medical care, base access, and more. Your base personnel or human resources department should be able to provide additional information on other benefits your spouse may be eligible to receive.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Kimberly G Hatcher says
I am about to turn 60 and need to know how I can obtain a Retirement Package and where do I submit it?
Ronald L. Blake says
Hi Kimberly
I am not affiliated with this site but I am retired from the Tennessee Army National Guard and in my case have been told by friends that have started there retirement that they had (or it was recommended) to go to the State Army National Guard Headquarters 6 months prior to their 60th birthday to get a briefing and start filling out the retired documentation. I am only 55 so I have a few years before I have to start mine.
That said if you were Air National Guard or Army National Guard your state should have a Headquarters Building/Site and that is likely where you may have to go.
I would recommend calling or going to your closest local unit and ask them to verify this info though and where and when you should go.
Likewise, if you were a reserve component of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy or Coast Guard I would locate your closest unit and ask them where you should go to start the briefings and fill out the documentation.
I know this info is very generic but I hope it helps!
Thank you for your service and I hope all goes smoothly for you.
Sincerely,
Ronald L. Blake
SFC USARR /Disabled
Ronald L. Blake says
Hi Ryan
Here is the verbage I found on Militarypay.defense.gov about the High-36 Plan:
——————————————————————————-
High-36 Plan
The retired pay base for a qualified reserve retirement under the High-36 retirement plan is the total amount of monthly basic pay to which the member was entitled during the member’s high-36 months divided by 36. This includes months to which the member would have been entitled if the member had served on active duty during the entire period. Usually this will be the average of the 36 months for the member’s pay grade and years of service taken from the pay tables in effect for the 36 months immediately preceding the date that retired pay begins, regardless of when the member stopped participation (i.e. went into the gray area).
The High-36 retirement plan uses a multiplier % that is the same as the final pay plan.
——————————————————————————–
If I interpret this correctly the High-36 Plan would utilize the pay tables in effect for the 3 years immediately prior to my turning 60 and also the time in service I have accrued for the E7 while in the Gray Area Status (USARR) in the tables as well which would have my E7 category column and row maxed out at 26 years for all three years prior to turning 60 and starting to receive Retired Pay.
Is this correct?
If so and if retiring in Dec 2019 this would be the formula and all calculations itemized in that case:
12ea Jan 2019 thru Dec 2019 $5430.00 (Rounded) x 12 = $65160.00
12ea Jan 2018 thru Dec 2018 $5292.00 (Rounded) x 12 = $63504.00
12ea Jan 2017 thru Dec 2017 $5167.00 (Rounded) x 12 = $62004.00
65160.00 + 63504.00 + 62004.00 = $190668.00
$190668.00 / 36 = $5296.333333333333
Rounded = $5296.33 (High-3 Average)
So 4419 Points / 360 = 12.275
12.275 x 2.5% = 0.306875
0.306875 x $5296.33 = $1625.31126875
Rounded = $1625.31 Pre Tax Monthly Ret Pay
Sincerely,
Ronald L. Blake
SFC USARR / Disabled
Ryan Guina says
Ronald, this appears correct to me.
Debi George says
Ronald – thank you so much for making this plain for understand. I am in a similar situation and appreciate this calculation. I first joined the reserves (2 years), then active duty for more than 11 years, then reserves again, then deployment, then USARR. Roughly 21.5 years total. With more than 5000 points under my belt, I was having difficulty figuring out the math.
Thank you for your service, Comrade.
Debi George
SFC, USARR
Ronald L. Blake says
Hello Ryan
I have 4419 Reserve Retirement Points and fall under High 3. I am an E7 on USARR “Retired Awaiting Pay” status.
I left AGR status on Feb 14 2006, re-entered Part-time status and Retired from the National Guard on that same day electing the option to enter the Retired Reserve on Retired Awaiting Pay status so all my calculations would be based on the amounts in effect at the time I turn 60 in 2023.
I am trying to estimate what my retirement would be if I turned 60 today just to get that estimate. I am currently 55 and will not turn 60 until Sep 0f 2023. I would just like to get an estimate if it was in Dec 2019.
(((4419 / 360) = 12.275) * 2.5%) * (Whatever the High 3 would be today) = monthly retirement pay!
Is this correct?
If I was turning 60 in Dec 2019 would those be the 3 years factored to get High 3?
I have found a base pay scale approved by the President showing the 2019 Pay scale for E-7 with 26 years to be $5430.00, and in 2018 for E7 is $5291, and in 2017 is $5061.
How do I calculate it? If it would be the last 3 years before I turn 60 awaiting retirement assuming that would be 2019 just for this estimate (12 x 5430 = 65160) + (12 x 5291 = 63492) + (12 x 5061 = 60732) = 189384.
Then 189384 / 36 = 5260.666. If calculated on the last 3 before 60 assuming the for this estimate that it would be 2019, 2018 and 2017 if I was turning 60 in 2019.
Can you help me figure that out, please?
Thanks in advance for any clarity you could provide!
Sincerely,
Ronald L. Blake
SFC USARR /Disabled
Ryan Guina says
Ronald, the process looks correct. As you said, the numbers will change when you reach age 60 and calculate the High 36 based on the actual pay charts in place at the time you turn age 60.
Timothy W. says
I am in a unique situation. I returned to regular reserve duty TPU from the Retired Reseve. I am being paid for longevity rate for the time spent in the Retired Reserves toward pay. I thought that time is only calculated once turning 60. The higer command’s interpretation of the pay law is that it pertains to any period of time in the Retired Reserve is creditable time. My concern involves retention and promotion time regarding service eligibility requirements. All other, measurements of service time do not include the time in Retired Reserve time as credible service time but pay is.
Tyrone Jordan says
I have submitted my application for retired pay. I spent 22 years in the Illinois Army National Guard. When do I apply for my retired ID. I will turn 60 January 12, 2019.
Ryan Guina says
Hello Tyrone, Thank you for your question. You should be able to apply for a retiree ID card as a Gray Area Retiree – meaning you are retired military and have base access and certain other benefits, but you don’t yet have access to other benefits, such as retirement pay or retiree health care. You may have to obtain a new military ID card upon reaching age 60.
The best thing to do is contact your local RAPIDS location. They can give you the up to date information and schedule an appointment for you to come in a get your new ID card.
MatthismM. Guttierrez says
I started working for the VA and I need to obtain military retirement points spreadsheet to calculate my entire points. I serve 8 years active duty and the remaining time was reserve. 12/14/1989 to Dec 2000 then I was discharged 06/16/2011. Can some one provide guidance.
Joseph Motley says
I am not sure what status I have. I accumulated 20 good years and was re-assigned to the “THE RETIRED RESERVE, AR-PERSCOM, 1 RESERVE WAY, ST. LOUIS, MO 63132-5200” according to my orders. This doesn’t indicate if this is a “awaiting pay” status. I have listened to the podcast and I still cannot ascertain if I am awaiting pay or if I was resigned from the Reserves. How would I know as I didn’t get a choice?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Joseph, I honestly don’t know. I recommend contacting your parent service Human Resources Command or Personnel Office to verify. They should be able to give you more information and verify your status. I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Matthew Adams says
I have to laugh at 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks AT per year. I had 3 years active duty and joined the Idaho Army National Guard. When I retired from the Guard I had over 3700 retirement points (22 years total service).
Ryan Guina says
Hi Matthew The “1 weekend a month, two weeks a year” should always go in parenthesis. That is the standard minimum commitment. But as you and many others well know, the actual amount of time served will vary on an case by case basis. I know people who have done the bare minimum for years on end, and I know people who take orders every chance they get. At the end of the day, I recommend everyone view serving in the Guard or Reserves as a minimum commitment of “1 weekend a month, two weeks a year” with the potential for it to be up to a full-time job if they are activated, deployed, or otherwise placed on military orders.
David Hackathorn says
How do I check to see how many total points I have and if I qualify for retirement? Web site?
Ryan Guina says
Hello David, Thank you for your question. You can check with your online personnel file (I’m not sure what each site is called in each branch of the military – the Air Force is the Virtual MPF). You can also contact your personnel or human resources office and they can do a point analysis for you. They should be able to inform you how many good years you have (qualifying years for retirement service), as well as your total number of points.
If you are no longer in the service, you would most likely need to contact your service level personnel or human resources command (AFPC, Army HRC, BUPERS, etc.).
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
Carson Walter says
Hello everyone,
Looking for some help here. My predicament, I’m a TSgt who is approaching 18 years of Active Duty service. I have decided to leave Active Duty at 18 years and finish my career in the Reserves. If in the next 5 years or so I’ve accumulated 720 days of Active Duty days or “points” I would have 20 total years of service, right? Then if I understand correctly I could start collecting a retirement check and benefits? How would that check be calculated?
Thanks
Corwin Lemon says
I’d like to bump this question for anyone knowledgeable in the topic to chime in. Too many half answers out there, and I’d be interested in confirming the whole truth.
I have been told that having 7200 points is not “enough” to begin drawing retirement, and that the only way a reservist can draw an active duty retirement (ie: start drawing immediately and not wait til 60) is to retire on AGR status. Furthermore, I was told you must have a command previously agree that you will be allowed to retire on a specific set of orders. Thoughts on all this?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Corwin, No, simply having earned 7,200 points is not enough to qualify for active duty retirement. One must have 20 years of active duty service to qualify for active duty retirement. Points earned from inactive service do not count toward an active duty retirement.
“Furthermore, I was told you must have a command previously agree that you will be allowed to retire on a specific set of orders.”
— I don’t have an answer on this. But if you have 20 years of active duty service, or you are on AGR orders when you reach retirement eligibility, then it won’t matter.
John says
Great website! Lots of questions answered, we need to tip our hat to Ryan! My question is (and I am an old guy), does a reservist, receiving retired pay with 22 years of service, receive COLA increases in his/her retired pay? Thanks.
Ryan Guina says
Hello John, Thank you for contacting me. Yes, COLA increases apply to all military retired pay, including active duty, and those in the Reserve Component.
Your pay base may have continued to increase through the years as well, depending on whether you retired awaiting pay, or resigned from the Reserves. If you Retired Awaiting Pay, your retirement pay will be based on the pay scales in place at the time you reach age 60. So it’s possible your pay base will be higher than you anticipated. You will also receive annual COLA increases each year there is an increase.
Kerry Cutting says
Ryan,
My wife and I are stationed overseas in Japan. She is the sponsor and I am the dependent. We both work for DoDEA. I’m Retired Reserve (Served 30 years).
One of the postal clerks is always giving me crap that I’m not authorized to use the base post office to mail packages home when I show him my Reserve Retired ID Card. ( I have a dependent and a CAC card, the reserve ID is just easier to get out of my wallet)
Is he correct or just being a dork?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Kerry, Thank you for contacting me. The postal clerk may be correct, at least depending on which ID card you show. Each Military Post Office (MPO, APO, FPO, etc.) has certain rules governing who can use the Post Office. I’m not sure if it is doe to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between each country, or due to a different regulation. I would inquire with the clerk – they should be able to give you the details. You have an ID that supports using the post office – so asking will give you the knowledge without jeopardizing your access.
Ed says
Ryan,
I am a National Guard AGR and will be retiring with just over 24 years of active service. I served prior years in an inactive status (by that I mean regular reserve duty-monthly drill and AT) for a total of 30 years of military service. I have heard that one can recalculate retired pay at age 60 to compare/choose the active retirement with the reserve retirement; which may be beneficial in my case. Can you provide any informaiton on this topic?
Ryan Guina says
Hello Ed, Thank you for contacting me. I am not familiar with this. This is my understanding: an AGR member (Active Guard / Reserve) is equivalent to full time active duty – same pay, benefits, and retirement benefits. The Points you earned from the Regular Reserve will still count toward your retirement. Each Point will count for one day of service.
So you will take the Points you earned from the Regular Reserves and add those to your 24 years of active duty service. For example, if you earned 360 Points during your 6 years of Regular Reserve duty, you would add one year to the 24 years of active duty service for a total of 25 years.
The Department of Defense standardizes each month at 30 days. So every 360 days worth of Points equals 1 year for retirement purposes.
I’m not aware of a process that allows for recalculating your retirement pay at age 60, or if it would even change anything.
The best recommendation I have is to speak with your human resources or personnel section. They should be able to give you more specific information on how to calculate your retirement pay, and whether or not there is a process for recalculating your retirement pay when you reach age 60. Please let me know if there is a process, as this isn’t something I am aware of and would like to share it with others if that is the case. Thank you for your comment, and thank you for your service!
steven says
I retired as a USNR TAR , I am now a federal employee and I am making a military deposit for my 20 years, do I still have to give up my military retirement, when I chose to combine, I was in the reserves but a TAR
Ryan Guina says
Hello Steven, Thank you for contacting me. Did you serve all 20 years as an active duty equivalent? In other words, are you receiving military retirement after your 20 years of service? If so, I recommend speaking with your HR representative and running the numbers to make sure you want to give up your active duty pension to buy back your military time. It rarely works out in your favor to give up your current military retirement pay. However, you can submit your DD Form 214 and you may still get credit for some of your military service as it pertains to your leave dates, vacation accrual, etc.
If you are not currently receiving active duty retirement pay, then you should be eligible to buy back your military time and still receive your Reserve retirement at age 60, along with any civil service pension you may earn. You just can’t buy back your military time when you are receiving active duty retirement pay and later receive both pensions.
Again, I recommend speaking with an expert for further information. In the meant time, I recommend reading the following article or listening to the accompanying podcast: Military Service Credit Deposit – Buy Back Military Time. I also recommend contacting Eddie Wills (who I interviewed for the podcast). He should be able to help you better understand your options. Here is his website</a>.
I wish you the best, and thank you for your service!
BG Goddard says
@ Richard – Many states are now issuing Veterans ID cards. Typically they are issued by the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent) just like getting a Drivers License. Some states even combine the two I believe. You’ll need your DD214 to prove service.
Richard S says
I will be 65 in May of this year. I served in the National Guard and received an honorable discharge. I have been turned down for benefits and even an I.D. card which would indicate my time in the service. Is there any way I can receive an I.D card from the government so I can distinguish myself as a prior service member? I would appreciate any advise you can supply.
Best Regards, Richard S
Barry T. Cox says
Ryan,
Great service you provide for all of us retirees! I am a gray area retiree (USN Reserve) and I find your Website, Newsletters and Podcast an awesome tool to refer to and back on from time to time.
Thank you again
Barry T. Cox
National Legislative Committee Member
American Military Retirees Association
Ryan Guina says
My pleasure, Barry. Thanks for the kind words!
Mark Johnson says
I joined the Marine Corps on June 29, 1979, and after my commitment ended I stayed in the Air Force Reserves. I pinned on 0-5 a year and a half ago. Can I retire today and draw 0-5 pay when it comes time to receive retirement pay?
Not many people are in this category. The AF gurus don’t seem to know about it.
Thanks for your help.
Ryan Guina says
Mark, This is a great question, and one I had to look up. I’m going to assume you have the requisite 20 Good Years, and 10 years as an officer. With that in mind, we need to look at the Title 10 of the US Code, which covers military pay and benefits. Here is the applicable section: 10 U.S. Code § 1370 – Commissioned officers: general rule; exceptions.
Look under the following section: 10 USC 1370(d)(3)(A), which states, “In order to be credited with satisfactory service in an officer grade above major or lieutenant commander, a person covered by paragraph (1) must have served satisfactorily in that grade (as determined by the Secretary of the military department concerned) as a reserve commissioned officer in an active status, or in a retired status on active duty, for not less than three years.”
However, Section 10 USC 1370(d)(5)(A) states, “The Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department to reduce the 3-year period required by paragraph (3)(A) to a period not less than two years.”
I’m not sure if the 2-year time period is applicable at the present time. I suggest contacting your personnel department for further information, or possibly even contacting AFPC at Randolph. The officer career advisors probably have a better feel for what is going on right now and should be able to answer that question.
So, to answer your question: assuming you have the requisite 20 Good Years and at least 10 years as an officer, you should be eligible for retirement. However, you would only be eligible for O-5 retirement pay after you have completed 3 years as an O-5 (unless the Secretary of the Air Force has authorized 2 years as the minimum requirement). I hope this helps, and thank you for your service!
Terrance Pulliam says
Ryan, I have a question that I’m sure is asked a thousand times. Why can’t Guard and Reserve veterans draw their retirement directly after 20 years, regardless of age? Could this be something that can be discussed with a government entity?
Lupe Hernandez says
I am reaching my 60 birthday and wanting to know how much my pay is going to be, would I take my points and divide by 360 and X 2,5 but what pay scale do I use for my last 3 year, I retired as E-8 USMC. Do I use the active duty pay or reserve pay. Is there any seminar on Retiring close by in San Antonio or Corpus area. Thanks.
Ryan Guina says
Lupe, Thank you for contacting me. Retirement pay is based on the active duty pay charts. The answers to your other questions depend on when you entered the service and whether or not you “Retired Awaiting Pay” or if you “Resigned” from the Reserves.
The first question is whether you Retired Awaiting Pay or Resigned. If you Retired Awaiting Pay, you will use the active duty pay charts in effect the year you turn age 60. If you Resigned, you would use the active duty pay charts in effect the year you resigned.
If you entered before September 8, 1980, your pay would be calculated using your highest pay grade. If you entered military service after that date, you would take the average of your three highest years of pay.
You should be able to contact the closest military installation and see if they have any retirement seminars planned. However, you may find it more helpful to sit down for a one on one meeting. Contact the finance or personnel office to the closest military installation and see if they can help you. I hope this points you in the right direction. Thank you for your service!