Posted on Mar 17, 2022
Can I serve fifteen years in the Reserves after my active duty contract expires, and still retire at twenty years with a pension?
36.9K
345
132
80
80
0
I am serving a five year active duty contract, and want to know if I can do fifteen years reserves after my contract expires, and still retire at twenty years with a pension?
Pension
Retirement
Reserves
ETS/EAS
Career Counselor
Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 68
70
70
0
The short answer is yes. The long answer is the pension won't be as much as you hope for, and you can't get Tricare prime until you turn 60 years old.
The way the reserves and Active duty determine pay for pension is different (but similar)
In the active Army, you work 20 years to qualify for a pension. This works out to 365 days a year for 20 years (365 x 20=7300 points). An E-7 with 20 years' service makes $5232.78 a month. at 20 years (7300 points), a retiree gets 50% of that salary or $2616.39 a month.
In the reserves, it is a little more complicated. Reserves and National Guard typically work 1 weekend of drill a month and complete (1) 14-day annual training.
For each half day of drill completed, it counts as a full day for points. If you work both days, you are credited as working 4 days. The active duty, even though each day is 24 hours, only counts as 1 day.
This works out as 48 days for drills (12 months x 4 drill day points=48) + (15 annual training points) + (15 participation points a year) = 78 points per year.
For a 20-year career, (78 points per year x 20 years = 1560), a Reserve SFC with 20 years, and no other active-duty time, would make $559.11 (based on current pay scale).
If you do 5 years active duty, and then 15 years reserve (78 pts x 15 yrs) + (365 pts x 5 yrs) = 2995 pts, as an E-7 with 20 years' service, you will make $1073.43 for a retirement check.
As a Reserve retiree, you would not be able to draw your retirement pay until you turned 60 years old (if you are mobilized in excess of 6 months for certain operations, they may count toward reducing the age to draw retirement pay)
The way the reserves and Active duty determine pay for pension is different (but similar)
In the active Army, you work 20 years to qualify for a pension. This works out to 365 days a year for 20 years (365 x 20=7300 points). An E-7 with 20 years' service makes $5232.78 a month. at 20 years (7300 points), a retiree gets 50% of that salary or $2616.39 a month.
In the reserves, it is a little more complicated. Reserves and National Guard typically work 1 weekend of drill a month and complete (1) 14-day annual training.
For each half day of drill completed, it counts as a full day for points. If you work both days, you are credited as working 4 days. The active duty, even though each day is 24 hours, only counts as 1 day.
This works out as 48 days for drills (12 months x 4 drill day points=48) + (15 annual training points) + (15 participation points a year) = 78 points per year.
For a 20-year career, (78 points per year x 20 years = 1560), a Reserve SFC with 20 years, and no other active-duty time, would make $559.11 (based on current pay scale).
If you do 5 years active duty, and then 15 years reserve (78 pts x 15 yrs) + (365 pts x 5 yrs) = 2995 pts, as an E-7 with 20 years' service, you will make $1073.43 for a retirement check.
As a Reserve retiree, you would not be able to draw your retirement pay until you turned 60 years old (if you are mobilized in excess of 6 months for certain operations, they may count toward reducing the age to draw retirement pay)
(70)
(0)
Lt Col Jeffrey Leising
The calculations presented are very close, but not quite fully accurate. With a high-three pension, the base pay calculation is the average of the last three years of base pay starting with the year that you become eligible for the pension. I became eligible this year, 2023, so the base pay is 2023 + 2022 + 2021 divided by three. To make matters more complex, I became eligible in February, so only two months of 2023 are included in the calculation, and 10 months of 2020. I don't think that DFAS could make it more complex if they tried.
(2)
(0)
MSgt Bobby Gene
For my retirement 18 years ago, from active duty, as an E7, it was also high three. I walked away with about 45% of then current BASE pay, after all was said and done.
(1)
(0)
CPT (Join to see)
Well, that’s all true, but you can also get an active duty retirement if you work for the Active Guard or Reserve. Another way you can get an active pension is if you get medically retired. I was unaware of this when I was medically retired for combat connected issues. I had 29.5 years in with 17 enlisted and 12 as an Officer. I had enough points to have a total of 11 years active time. I was medically retired as an
O-3E with 11 years active. I was 100% disabled per DOD so I am getting 75% of that base pay. Not bad, but I’d rather have my health back, honestly.
O-3E with 11 years active. I was 100% disabled per DOD so I am getting 75% of that base pay. Not bad, but I’d rather have my health back, honestly.
(3)
(0)
SSG Juan Garza
If you’re in it for a decent retirement after 20 years or more. Active duty is the way to go, there’s no real money in the reserve or national guard. Plus you have to wait till your 60s to start collecting your retirement with benefits.
(0)
(0)
26
26
0
If you retire in the reserves all you need is 20 years total but you can't pull you pension or get your health insurance until age 60. Now if you do any active time while on reserves they will use a formula and cut your time off age 60 but health insurance doesn't start until age 60. I pulled my retirement at 58 and 7 months. Not sure how they calculate because I had more time on active but it is what it is.
(26)
(0)
SGT Robert Reid
Yep I did total of 24 with a deployment for OIF 2003-04 and 12 active years another almost two years for schooling as well. HRC let me know I would be eligible at 55.
(0)
(0)
SFC (Join to see)
You can retire after 15 years of service. I believe that was passed during the Obama area. I have Soldiers who retired after 15 years of military service, but they can not collect till after they reach age 60 years of age.
(0)
(0)
LTC Curtis Madsen
So the active time needed to be a specific order, doesn’t necessarily equate to time served overseas. I’ve got a friend that was credited for time supporting a mobilization station in addition to his deployment time. He began drawing his retirement at 56 vs 60.
(0)
(0)
SSG (Join to see)
LTC Curtis Madsen - They have some sort of formula that calculates, time served in like 3 month increments or something like that. I know I had a total of 20 months mobilize active duty time but only got 1 year 3 months, so I started pulling my retired pay at 58 years and 9 months. Now this time has to be after jan 2008, because I had another 23 months before that but it did not count. There are sites you can call and then send copies of your DD214 etc and they will tell you have much time you can take off. I worked with the SFC at Ft. Knox.
(0)
(0)
24
24
0
Ignoring the details it call comes down to your points. You get points for all sorts of duties. You get points for going to medical appointments, you get points for non duty on-line training (in 4 hour increments) you get points for funeral details ,you get points for coming in hand helping around the unit (change of command inventory).
GET THOSE POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Turn in your DA1380's for payment.
GET THOSE POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Turn in your DA1380's for payment.
(24)
(0)
MSG David Densmore
Check with your unit, and watch your records, some units aren’t good at adding points to your record when it’s not for pay.
(1)
(0)
CW2 (Join to see)
...and if there isn't money available for pay (we've had issues this year), still submit the DA 1380 for points only.
(2)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google