Posted on Apr 10, 2018
Is the IRR, for purposes of retirement, a reality (NG)? Are the last 3 years in that status really calculated for pay?
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I have 26 good years and am going into the IRR for the above reasons. The state's RPAM NCOIC told me that i'll receive 15 membership points for 15 years, to include the last 3 years of pay, until i'm able to request retirement. This all seems to good to be true as reads like a serious loop hole. I was told- "Soldiers who transfer to the Retired Reserve and remain until age 60 will have their highest 36 months of basic pay determined at age 60 – generally, the pay scales in effect when they were ages 57, 58, and 59."
So basically i'd receive an additional 225 pts (15yrs) and have O-3E for 2031-2033's pay scale calculated into my final computation for retirement annuity. Any thoughts or insights into this would be greatly appreciated.
So basically i'd receive an additional 225 pts (15yrs) and have O-3E for 2031-2033's pay scale calculated into my final computation for retirement annuity. Any thoughts or insights into this would be greatly appreciated.
Posted in these groups: 
IRR
Retirement
IRR Retirement
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 2
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That is partially correct. You can either be IRR or Retired Reserve. You don't earn any points while in Retired Reserve status, but it does count towards longevity for pay. If you transfer to IRR you will earn the 15 points per year and if you chose, you could drill without pay or complete correspondence courses to earn enough points to have "Good" years for retirement.
Please see below (Taken from the NG/Reserve Retirement Guide):
POINTS
Every reservist earns points toward retirement. All points earned while on active duty, up to 365 per year (366 in a leap year), count toward retirement.
By law, members may receive credit for up to 60 inactive points for retirement years that ended before Sept. 23, 1996; up to 75 inactive points for retirement years ending on or after Sept. 23, 1996, and before Oct. 30, 2000; and up to 90 points for retirement years ending on or after Oct. 30, 2000, and before Oct. 27, 2007.
A provision of the 2008 Defense Authorization Act increased to 130 the number of inactive-duty points that reservists can apply to their retirement pay for the year of service that includes Oct. 30, 2007, and any subsequent year.
Points from these sources may be added to points earned from active duty and active duty for training in any given year to increase the total points applied toward retirement.
Leave-and-earnings statements, correspondence course information and other documents can prove service or work that counts for retirement points. Orders are not proof of points earned.
Each service notifies members annually of their total points. If your Reserve Personnel Center does not have your current address, you will not receive the statement.
Discrepancies can be resolved by providing documentation of your service record or personnel files. Individual service members have primary responsibility for their personnel records.
Accrual. Points can be accrued in the following ways:
♦ One point for each day served on active duty up to a maximum of 365 per year (366 in a leap year).
♦ Fifteen points for each year of membership in a reserve component.
♦ One point for each unit training assembly or drill. Reservists normally get four or five points for a reserve weekend, depending on when it starts (i.e., Friday night or Saturday morning). Two points are the maximum for any one calendar day.
♦ One point for each day in which a member is in a funeral honors duty status.
♦ One point for every three hours of nonresident instruction or correspondence courses documented as successfully completed.
Qualifying year. The day you enter reserve status is considered your anniversary date and retirement year. From that point, you must accrue a minimum of 50 retirement points in a retirement year to make that a “qualifying year” toward retirement.
As long as you do not have a break in service, this anniversary date will remain the same even if you go from active to inactive status and back. Once a break occurs, your anniversary date is the day you sign up again.
Once reservists reach 20 or more qualifying years, they have three options:
♦ Remain in the Ready Reserve. If qualified and able to stay in an active drill status, a reservist can continue to drill for pay and points. Accumulating more points will raise total retirement pay, increase the possibility for promotion and boost time in service for the purpose of longevity pay raises.
♦ Transfer to the Retired Reserve. By requesting transfer to the Retired Reserve, a member enters a status in which retirement points no longer can be accumulated. Time in the Retired Reserve counts toward longevity service for retired pay.
In the event of full mobilization, retired reservists can be recalled to active duty. Such a recall would allow reservists to accumulate more points for retirement. While in the Retired Reserve, members have the same rights and entitlements that they had as drilling reservists.
♦ Request discharge from the reserve components. By doing this, retired reservists are no longer subject to any kind of recall or mobilization. From time of discharge until they start collecting benefits at age 60, however, they cannot increase their benefits. At age 60, they will have access to base/post exchanges and unlimited commissary visits.
Nonqualifying year. A nonqualifying year (one in which a reservist does not earn at least 50 points) counts toward total time in service but not retirement. Points earned in a nonqualifying year also count toward the final total. Points cannot be carried from year to year to claim a qualifying year.
Status. You do not have to be in an active, drilling or paid status with a Reserve unit to earn points. Reservists in many categories can earn points and gain qualifying years toward retirement. These include: Participating Individual Ready Reserve, Individual Mobilization Augmentees, Navy Volunteer Training Units and Standby Reserve-Active Status List.
Please see below (Taken from the NG/Reserve Retirement Guide):
POINTS
Every reservist earns points toward retirement. All points earned while on active duty, up to 365 per year (366 in a leap year), count toward retirement.
By law, members may receive credit for up to 60 inactive points for retirement years that ended before Sept. 23, 1996; up to 75 inactive points for retirement years ending on or after Sept. 23, 1996, and before Oct. 30, 2000; and up to 90 points for retirement years ending on or after Oct. 30, 2000, and before Oct. 27, 2007.
A provision of the 2008 Defense Authorization Act increased to 130 the number of inactive-duty points that reservists can apply to their retirement pay for the year of service that includes Oct. 30, 2007, and any subsequent year.
Points from these sources may be added to points earned from active duty and active duty for training in any given year to increase the total points applied toward retirement.
Leave-and-earnings statements, correspondence course information and other documents can prove service or work that counts for retirement points. Orders are not proof of points earned.
Each service notifies members annually of their total points. If your Reserve Personnel Center does not have your current address, you will not receive the statement.
Discrepancies can be resolved by providing documentation of your service record or personnel files. Individual service members have primary responsibility for their personnel records.
Accrual. Points can be accrued in the following ways:
♦ One point for each day served on active duty up to a maximum of 365 per year (366 in a leap year).
♦ Fifteen points for each year of membership in a reserve component.
♦ One point for each unit training assembly or drill. Reservists normally get four or five points for a reserve weekend, depending on when it starts (i.e., Friday night or Saturday morning). Two points are the maximum for any one calendar day.
♦ One point for each day in which a member is in a funeral honors duty status.
♦ One point for every three hours of nonresident instruction or correspondence courses documented as successfully completed.
Qualifying year. The day you enter reserve status is considered your anniversary date and retirement year. From that point, you must accrue a minimum of 50 retirement points in a retirement year to make that a “qualifying year” toward retirement.
As long as you do not have a break in service, this anniversary date will remain the same even if you go from active to inactive status and back. Once a break occurs, your anniversary date is the day you sign up again.
Once reservists reach 20 or more qualifying years, they have three options:
♦ Remain in the Ready Reserve. If qualified and able to stay in an active drill status, a reservist can continue to drill for pay and points. Accumulating more points will raise total retirement pay, increase the possibility for promotion and boost time in service for the purpose of longevity pay raises.
♦ Transfer to the Retired Reserve. By requesting transfer to the Retired Reserve, a member enters a status in which retirement points no longer can be accumulated. Time in the Retired Reserve counts toward longevity service for retired pay.
In the event of full mobilization, retired reservists can be recalled to active duty. Such a recall would allow reservists to accumulate more points for retirement. While in the Retired Reserve, members have the same rights and entitlements that they had as drilling reservists.
♦ Request discharge from the reserve components. By doing this, retired reservists are no longer subject to any kind of recall or mobilization. From time of discharge until they start collecting benefits at age 60, however, they cannot increase their benefits. At age 60, they will have access to base/post exchanges and unlimited commissary visits.
Nonqualifying year. A nonqualifying year (one in which a reservist does not earn at least 50 points) counts toward total time in service but not retirement. Points earned in a nonqualifying year also count toward the final total. Points cannot be carried from year to year to claim a qualifying year.
Status. You do not have to be in an active, drilling or paid status with a Reserve unit to earn points. Reservists in many categories can earn points and gain qualifying years toward retirement. These include: Participating Individual Ready Reserve, Individual Mobilization Augmentees, Navy Volunteer Training Units and Standby Reserve-Active Status List.
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CPT (Join to see)
OK- It reads like the 15 points a year are a reality for the IRR for retirement purposes.
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SFC (Join to see)
I wonder would you have to extend your contract to remain IRR that long if you were enlisted? I am thinking of doing similar deal as that sounds most appealing way to build some additional points before I would actually draw benefits.
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CPT (Join to see)
It seems that this subject (15 points a year for membership) is up to debate currently. Sussing it out with other now.
In my situation i's have 14 yrs until requesting retirement and it would amount to 210 pts and that's a solid bump. Is it truly that simple?
In my situation i's have 14 yrs until requesting retirement and it would amount to 210 pts and that's a solid bump. Is it truly that simple?
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CPT (Join to see)
Danger, Will Robinson!!! Like everything Army, the devil is in the details...
As others have already noted, there is a significant difference between IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) and Retired Reserve.
First, the GOOD News, your High 36 base pay and YOS are calculated exactly as you stated. (though, as pointed out, no retirement points while in Retired Reserve).
Here's the tricky bit (and it may matter to you, and it may not, depending how long you've been a CPT and if you care about the possibility of retiring as a MAJ. If you do NOT acquire a "good year" in the IRR, you will be FORCED into the Retired Reserve. If this happens before you have achieved 3 years TIG, you will be retired at the next lower rank (You only need to hold the rank for 6 months if the retirement is max length of service, but otherwise it needs to be 36 months prior to transfer to the Retired Reserve to be considered permanent).
Yes, I know, everyone has been told that after you get your 20 year letter, "good years" no longer matter. I counter as follows:
AR 140-10 Para 6-1.d "Involuntary reassignment to the Retired Reserve is authorized for Soldiers who have received the NOE/Twenty Year Letter, failed thereafter to attain 50 retirement points in their anniversary year, and failed to respond to the options of discharge, retirement, or one-time waiver provided in the non-participation letter."
As for the lower rank, note:
DoD FMR 7000.14-R, Volume 7B, Paragraph 030401.A2.
(also, I forget the CURRENT rule [I think 8 years?] but the source above states that if you have less than 10 years commissioned service, you retire at your highest enlisted rank).
Be careful out there!!!
Danger, Will Robinson!!! Like everything Army, the devil is in the details...
As others have already noted, there is a significant difference between IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) and Retired Reserve.
First, the GOOD News, your High 36 base pay and YOS are calculated exactly as you stated. (though, as pointed out, no retirement points while in Retired Reserve).
Here's the tricky bit (and it may matter to you, and it may not, depending how long you've been a CPT and if you care about the possibility of retiring as a MAJ. If you do NOT acquire a "good year" in the IRR, you will be FORCED into the Retired Reserve. If this happens before you have achieved 3 years TIG, you will be retired at the next lower rank (You only need to hold the rank for 6 months if the retirement is max length of service, but otherwise it needs to be 36 months prior to transfer to the Retired Reserve to be considered permanent).
Yes, I know, everyone has been told that after you get your 20 year letter, "good years" no longer matter. I counter as follows:
AR 140-10 Para 6-1.d "Involuntary reassignment to the Retired Reserve is authorized for Soldiers who have received the NOE/Twenty Year Letter, failed thereafter to attain 50 retirement points in their anniversary year, and failed to respond to the options of discharge, retirement, or one-time waiver provided in the non-participation letter."
As for the lower rank, note:
DoD FMR 7000.14-R, Volume 7B, Paragraph 030401.A2.
(also, I forget the CURRENT rule [I think 8 years?] but the source above states that if you have less than 10 years commissioned service, you retire at your highest enlisted rank).
Be careful out there!!!
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CPT (Join to see)
Thank you COL Vincent! Could you please elaborate on (You only need to hold the rank for 6 months if the retirement is max length of service), specifically the "retirement is max length of service" I'm unclear about what that really means and how it would matter.
I'll also delve through you response more later.
Thank you!
I'll also delve through you response more later.
Thank you!
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COL Vincent Stoneking
CPT (Join to see) - Exactly what it says - if you retire (enter the retired reserve) AT YOUR MRD, then you only need to hold the rank for 6 months. So, let's look at 2 scenarios:
1. You were promoted to CPT on 1 JAN 2019 and will enter the retired reserve on 31 DEC 2020, just under 2 years later, DUE TO hitting your MRD of 31 DEC 2020. You retire as a CPT, as you held the rank for over 6 months.
2. You were promoted to CPT on 1 JAN 2019 and will enter the retired reserve on 31 DEC 2021, not due to hitting your MRD. This could be because you made the choice to, or were involuntarily moved to the Retired Reserve due to not making 50 points. This is JUST shy of 3 years, literally 1 day. You retire as a 1LT.
In my case, if I enter the Retired Reserve on 1 JUN 2020, I am a retired COL when I finally get my pay. If I enter the Retired Reserve on or before 31 MAY 2020, I am a retired LTC.
The calculator at https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/benefit-calculators/retirement is great for figuring out these "what if" scenarios. You do have to force it to actually calculate RESERVE retirement, as it defaults to calculating "was reserve, but went active duty" for some reason....
1. You were promoted to CPT on 1 JAN 2019 and will enter the retired reserve on 31 DEC 2020, just under 2 years later, DUE TO hitting your MRD of 31 DEC 2020. You retire as a CPT, as you held the rank for over 6 months.
2. You were promoted to CPT on 1 JAN 2019 and will enter the retired reserve on 31 DEC 2021, not due to hitting your MRD. This could be because you made the choice to, or were involuntarily moved to the Retired Reserve due to not making 50 points. This is JUST shy of 3 years, literally 1 day. You retire as a 1LT.
In my case, if I enter the Retired Reserve on 1 JUN 2020, I am a retired COL when I finally get my pay. If I enter the Retired Reserve on or before 31 MAY 2020, I am a retired LTC.
The calculator at https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/benefit-calculators/retirement is great for figuring out these "what if" scenarios. You do have to force it to actually calculate RESERVE retirement, as it defaults to calculating "was reserve, but went active duty" for some reason....
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CPT (Join to see)
COL Stoneking- I'd likely not enter the Retire Reserves , so said my state's retirement coordinator (RPAM). While in the IRR I'd be earning 15 points a year until I submit for retirement. From the current situation i'm in the IRR for "purposes of retirement" and am far from my MRD.
I'm interested in what you're mentioning as my state's retirement coordinator (RPAM) didn't mention anything like what your bringing up. So as you mentioned previously, I'm reviewing the PPWK /Briefings that were provided to me prior to going into the IRR.
Interested in what I and others can learn from this situation as i'm 45 now and can elect to retire at 59 (deployments). So I have to act quickly if what you're mentioning is indeed fact (none of this was mentioned at any retirement briefing I attended). My current concern is "involuntarily moved to the Retired Reserve due to not making 50 points".
let's keep this going....
I'm interested in what you're mentioning as my state's retirement coordinator (RPAM) didn't mention anything like what your bringing up. So as you mentioned previously, I'm reviewing the PPWK /Briefings that were provided to me prior to going into the IRR.
Interested in what I and others can learn from this situation as i'm 45 now and can elect to retire at 59 (deployments). So I have to act quickly if what you're mentioning is indeed fact (none of this was mentioned at any retirement briefing I attended). My current concern is "involuntarily moved to the Retired Reserve due to not making 50 points".
let's keep this going....
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COL Vincent Stoneking
CPT (Join to see) - That's why I mention it. Likewise, I'd never heard such a thing in just over 30 total years of service, including several retirement briefings. Until I got the HRC letter last month and had to figure out how to do the "one time waiver." (I successfully did so, and have taken the steps necessary to make sure I earn enough points to get to MRD.)
It can be a significant emotional event, to say the least!
AR 140-10 is gospel. Never let people's statements get in the way of what the regs say. Especially if they haven't PERSONALLY navigated the scenario that you're looking at. It might work out in your favor, but bet on the reg getting enforced as written.
It can be a significant emotional event, to say the least!
AR 140-10 is gospel. Never let people's statements get in the way of what the regs say. Especially if they haven't PERSONALLY navigated the scenario that you're looking at. It might work out in your favor, but bet on the reg getting enforced as written.
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