Regarding a 20-year retirement, is there a combination of Reserve and AD time in service, or does it just go off active duty time?

2017-12-31T11:01:06-05:00

I have 4 years reserve and 4 years active so far, is there a combination of TIS or does it just go off of active duty in other words would I have 12 years remaining, 16 or something in between regarding to 20 year retirement?
Thanks

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2017 11:02 AM

2017-12-31T11:02:58-05:00

Are you talking about an active or a reserve retirement? They are different.

Response by Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 31 at 2017 11:16 AM

2017-12-31T11:16:11-05:00

@SGT brooks porter SSG Private RallyPoint Member it depends on the status that you were in during your Reserve service. If you were activated (on full time orders) the entire time, the full four years count towards an ‘active’ retirement. If not, and you have four ‘good years’ (attended all required drills), the time would count towards a ‘Reserve’ retirement that can be claimed at age 60. There are also other factors to consider, like ‘Reduced Age Retirement’ where certain types of orders (ADOS, ADSW, MPA, RPA, etc.) may count towards a reduced age ‘Reserve Retirement’ as low as age 50. There is also the new active retirement system as a point to consider, recommend that you glean as much information from RP as you can and discuss with your mentor(s) about a plan. If you don’t currently have a Reserve mentor, I challenge you to seek out at least one worthy mentor this year.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Dec 31 at 2017 11:17 AM

2017-12-31T11:17:17-05:00

OK, as a reservist you will get credit for both active reserve and active duty years. The Active duty years will give you 365 retirement points a year, then as a reservist you will get 15 points for membership and one point per UTA, ADT, or Title 32/10 day you serve. You need to have a minimum of 50 points in a year to make a good retirement year in the reserves. So the short answer is you need an additional 12 years to get a letter of eligibility to retire at age 60. After that point, if you are done with service, you request transfer to the retired reserve. That will allow you all your gray area benefits until you reach age 60.
Just as a point of information, the National Guard Bureau and HRC's system don't communicate with each other, or didn't while I was still active. You will need to keep track of the paperwork for any points that you acquire in the Guard. I personally would make sure I could document 20 good years from all sources before I requested transfer.One final comment that doesn't apply to you right now, but HRC doesn't mail out the retirement packets anymore in the 9 month time frame before you turn 60, so you need to go online to initiate or stop at one of the local units to have them help with the paperwork.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Dec 31 at 2017 11:34 AM

2017-12-31T11:34:22-05:00

The shorts answer is that all your time counts and rolls together. So you should have 8 years credit towards a Reserve retirement. Unless of course if you have any “bad” years while you were a Reserve. A bad year would mean you incurred less than 50 points for that year.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Dec 31 at 2017 12:06 PM

2017-12-31T12:06:18-05:00

RESERVE: Assuming good reserve years, you are probably 12 years away from a 20 year letter (with full, paid retirement around age 60, give or take some reserve mobilization time). The AC years count as "good years", of which you need 20. They also really bump up your retirement points, which will help determine you pay, once you get the 20 year mark.

ACTIVE: You are probably 14-15.75 years away from a 20 year regular retirement, depending on how your current service is sequenced. Take all of your earned reserve retirement points and divide by 360 (no, not 365/6). That is your number of equivalent days of AD service. Add it to your AC time to get your effective active time.

Response by SSG Linda Kelly made Jul 25 at 2022 2:40 PM

2022-07-25T14:40:40-04:00

This is so confusing , I did 17 years in the Reserves, then Went AGR which is really Active duty. When I retired Only my AGR active duty time was counted for paid. None of my Reserved time was counted. I got my 20 year letter on the Reserved side. So am I missing something here. Should my Reserve years been counted into my retirement as well?