How can I correct having been transferred into the Retired Reserve without a 20-year letter?

CPT Jac Higgins — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 14:30:55 -0500

In 1999 I received orders transferring me to the Retired Reserve. I have a (red) DD Form 2 with an indef. expiration. I never received my 20 year letter and according to my Chronological Statement of Retired Points (AHRC Form 249-E) I do not have enough points to be transferred to full Retired status. I've just signed-up for Medicare and am listed in DEERS but am told I'm not eligible for TriCare For Life.
The Reserve Center which provided my DD Form 2 gave me a number of documents to file (DD Form 2656, DD form 149 and SF 180). I think the Dept of the Army is missing some of my time, but 45 years after I first enlisted I've lost some things as well. Any advice?

Response by SFC Stephen P. made Jan 28 at 2020 4:40 PM

SFC Stephen P. — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 16:40:38 -0500

Your record in the archives might be able to add points, but I wouldn't count on it. Drill and RST records generally aren't permed, but they should have 214, orders (mobilization, school, ADSW or AT), and maybe correspondence courses.

If you are in touch with your former commanders, their statements might be considered as evidence of duty performed (check with HRC first to see if this is even worth your time).

I know HRC will not revoke a 20 year letter even if they later find out the points were miscalculated. I don't ever recall anything specific to your scenario in my training. Never hearts to call them.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jan 29 at 2020 1:15 AM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 01:15:07 -0500

Did you request transfer? If so, your CSRP is one of the enclosures to the request. Presuming a good 20 or more was there, then the transfer was legit. If they transferred you without 20, then that's an administrative bust and your request should have been denied. Only thing I can think of given the lack of records is filing a Board of Corrections request to grant you the full 20. Premise would be the paperwork back then was either correct or an administrative mistake was made which prevented you from achieving a good 20. Bottom line, an administrative bust that you had no ability to respond to. BTW, the Good 20 Letter usually shows up around year 21, so if you really punched out at 20, I wouldn't expect you to have received one. Do you have the CSRP from 1999, or is it something you pulled online sometime later? Sometimes in conversion of paper to electrons, stuff gets left in the ditch.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 29 at 2020 4:50 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 04:50:27 -0500

You can request LES records from DFAS to audit your points.
http://www.dfas.mil/customerservice/lesrequest.html

lesrequest.html

Response by MSG Eileen Houghtlin made Jan 29 at 2020 12:06 PM

MSG Eileen Houghtlin — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 12:06:04 -0500

Request your records from the national archives. https://www.archives.gov/veterans
If you have a 20 year letter, they will have it. You may have had a "bad year" (under 50 points) and the year would not count towards your 20.

veterans

Response by MSgt George Fillgrove made Jan 29 at 2020 4:27 PM

MSgt George Fillgrove — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 16:27:50 -0500

Well, join the club, captain. I am one of those, too -- transferred to the Retired Reserve in 1994 without a pension. I didn't know I was entitled to an ID Card. I had come off a seven-year Title 10 Tour and then was retired by ARPC about two weeks later. I have meet one other "retired" Army Reserve SFC with the same status. At that time, there were no assignments for my grade anyway because we were well into the post-Desert Storm draw down where people were being offered early retirements and bonus to separate.

Regrettably, you won't see a 20-year letter because the DoD ended this type of retirement about a decade ago and everyone's records were shifted from the various Reserve Personnel Centers to NPRC. People in our status are largely forgotten even though our orders all have statements saying that our enlistments are extended indefinitely. You are formally retired but without the traditional retired status. Nobody keeps track of you. Other people that face similar conundrums are those officers who never signed their resignation letters and may have been discharged but never received their orders.

My consolation is that I have a now permanent VA disability rating, receiving an income similar to what I would have received as a retired reservist. Now, with the recent changes, I can even shop at a BX or commissary.

I, too, would recommend completing a Standard Form 180 to obtain copies of your military records so you can audit your points summary or replace your medals. However, if my case is similar, those point summaries ended with the retirement order. Even if the point summaries had continued, you still wouldn't have accumulated enough points to justify a good year for retirement.

When I did the SF-180 process, I discovered that a ARPC-issued DD Form 215 that reflected a change of the devices on one of my medals and added a NCO Professional Military Education Ribbon was not in my permanent file. I also discovered that numerous documents had been removed from my permanent record, probably because the Air Force had begun to rely more on computer records and what we used to call records rips. Fortunately, I kept everything with my name and SSAN, and had the DD Form 215 member copy. I have been waiting now almost a year for a correction or at least a new DD Form 214 to be issued.

Response by LTC Gary Earls made Jan 29 at 2020 4:53 PM

LTC Gary Earls — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 16:53:37 -0500

I kept every annual statement, and all of the documents where I received points. I contacted RCPAC in St. Louis and had a contact where I sent my documents. They checked my points and added some that my unit had missed. It made a difference in my retirement pay. Check your documents including orders, etc. Good luck.