Can you retire with active duty retirement while being a reservist?

2021-02-27T10:39:57-05:00

If I switch over to Reserve after doing 14 years of active duty and accumulate 6 more years of active duty years with mobilization, AGR...etc, would I be able to retire with the active duty pension?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2021 10:58 AM

2021-02-27T10:58:05-05:00

No you cannot. You must be brought onto AD to receive an AD retirement. You can continue to accumulate the remainder of the six years while in the RC, but unless you're in the AGR that will be difficult. If you're in AGR you can retire with an AD retirement because you are actually on AD. You may not retire while on ADOS or a mobilization. You may request to be brought onto AD for the purpose of retirement under a program called Sanctuary. I'm not sure how Sanctuary works for Officers, you usually only see it referred to with enlisted

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Feb 27 at 2021 12:11 PM

2021-02-27T12:11:36-05:00

The active duty pension requires a minimum of 20 years unless there is a medical retirement. If you are reassigned to the AGR it is possible. There are specifics on time and transition.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2021 1:32 PM

2021-02-27T13:32:32-05:00

It's a dangerous game to try that. I went from the Guard to the Regular Army. Remember, you need ten years to retire as an officer. Also, if you get 20 years in the reserves you can't draw your retirement until your 60.

Response by CH (CPT)(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2021 1:49 PM

2021-02-27T13:49:41-05:00

Not unless you get full 20 years active time. AGR counts as active time. Otherwise, you need 20 yrs worth of time/points. Reserves count ot basically as days.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2021 3:56 PM

2021-02-27T15:56:34-05:00

The answer to your question is "Yes" though it may not be likely, the only correct answer is Yes, if youget 20 years of federal active service you can retire with an active retirement.

Response by SFC Ralph E Kelley made Feb 27 at 2021 6:58 PM

2021-02-27T18:58:48-05:00

Interesting Concept - No.

Response by LTC Ken Connolly made Feb 28 at 2021 8:58 AM

2021-02-28T08:58:55-05:00

No.

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Mar 1 at 2021 7:37 AM

2021-03-01T07:37:10-05:00

As already stated, no Sir. When I finally retired I had 15 years AD and over 20 as a Reservist, a total of over 7,000 retirement points. I make roughly 50% of an AD SNCO pay, just shy around $100. All your AD will just run up your retirement points and get you closer to an AD retirement with all the usual retirement steps for Reservist, Gray area, turning 60 (Blue Card), 65 etc. My best advice is to make sure all your points are there and be ready to submit your packet when the time comes. Go to a few retirement brief to see the latest info out there. There is an early bump for deployment after 2008 but there have also been a few changes as well, I drew retirement pay at 58.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2021 11:23 AM

2021-03-01T11:23:49-05:00

Yes, if you can get an AGR job. They are hard to get though.

Response by TSgt Matthew Covey made Mar 1 at 2021 11:26 AM

2021-03-01T11:26:03-05:00

This has come up on Presidential Recalls in the early 2000s in the Global War on Terror. What came up was yes you can if you are on active duty at the time. However, administrators are looking at time in service and active duty service when calling people up now to try and stop it from happening. If you do 20 years active, go back to your reserve unit and then retire, you will still get the retirement pension for an active duty retiree but you will have to wait until you reach the age for eligibility, which is also determined by how much time you did activated to fight the Global War on Terror.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 1 at 2021 5:37 PM

2021-03-01T17:37:04-05:00

14 years of full time makes it hard to go fulltime AGR. Most positions will state NMT 12 years of service. At least from what I recall. If you are trying to pick that time up in just deployments read the fine print, some of them will say something about that as well.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 1 at 2021 10:01 PM

2021-03-01T22:01:12-05:00

The fact that you have completed 14 active duty years means it is possible, but would require a mobilization or switch to AGR at some point.
Army Regulations state if you are in the Reserves and complete 18 active duty years, you are eligible to be retained on active duty until you reach your 20th active duty year necessary for retirement.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2021 3:37 PM

2021-03-29T15:37:16-04:00

This happens frequently on the ANG side but reading the comments it sounds less likely on the ARNG side. It also happens with the ARNG ADA units I work with but they’re already activated 2 out of 3 years on average. Career field may have some effect here.
Here’s an example of someone who did it on the blue side. Search for Loach. http://www.flyingsquadron.com/forums/topic/22057-active-retirement-in-arc/
It’s a big gamble considering how close you are that great AD retirement to risk postponing it until you’re 60. That said, AD have a wealth of experience and compare favorably on AGR openings. I usually play it safe and would not leave AD except for an AGR position. Once you’re about to hit or over 20 there may be some additional reserve jobs you could take for growth once your AD retirement is secure while potentially imporoving your quality of life.
There’s a lot of confusion on points. Retirement points count for retirement pay, but to get an AD retirement you need 7300 active duty points (days). It has to be some form of AD, AGR, STAT tour etc to could. Drill weekends and other forms of inactive duty count for retirement points but not AD points.

Active retirement in ARC

Trying to make sure I understand the finer points of ANG/AFRC retirement policies. If this has already been asked/answered, please vector me onto this. I know that someone who has 20+ years of service qualifies for a retirement at age 60 (minus activated time in the ARC in 3-month blocks). My und...

Response by Lt Col Warren Domke made May 1 at 2021 1:45 AM

2021-05-01T01:45:39-04:00

I am a retired Reserve officer receiving pay but it is not the same or equivalent to the pay received by an officer of comparable rank who retired with the full 20 years of active duty. However, since Reserve and Guard personnel accumulate points for duty performed, one point the equivalent of one day service, it is possible to retire if one has earned points equivalent to 20 years service. I would calculate that as 7,305 (including extra days for leap years). I don't know anyone who has actually done this, but have been told it is technically possible. In my years of service most of my points were accumulated during my ten years of active service. A typical Reserve or Guard member would normally accumulate 48 points for inactive duty training, 14-15 points for active duty training, plus 15 gratuitous points just for being in. That adds up to 77-78 points a year, nowhere near enough a full year active duty equivalent. So the best answer is that it's possible but not all that easy.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Nov 22 at 2022 11:33 AM

2022-11-22T11:33:29-05:00

The Army decided to make it rough on those with a Reserve Commission in the AUS. Used to be a matter of calling your branch and say I want to go on AD. Some provisos, were no more than 20 years, no higher than LTC, etc. One perk is you could retire and go straight to a guvment job without the two-year wait that a USA officer goes through. I not sure why this was done. USMC has plenty of USMCR Os on AD.

Response by CPT David McDonald made Nov 25 at 2022 4:13 PM

2022-11-25T16:13:46-05:00

I would say yes. Only because I did.