Posted on Oct 28, 2013
Should the retirement in lieu of PCS option be set at 17 years instead of 19.5 years?
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The current policy for the retirement in lieu of PCS is 19.5 years time in service (IAW AR 635-200). Why is it not at 17 or 18 years for the careerist who has a plan to retire at his/her present location at 20 years? Should there be some sort of Declination of Continued Service Statement option for those who wish to retire at 20 years in lieu of a PCS move, and if so, what would be an exeptable time frame from submission of this action to the retirement date?
Posted in these groups: 
Retirement
PCS
Retirement PCS
Edited 8 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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It's the law.
The 20-year minimum accumulation for voluntary active duty retirement is law.
The law was recently amended allowing voluntary retirements in lieu of involuntary separations during the current military draw-down.
As for NCOs who are serving under the indefinite reenlistment program, they can request voluntary separation through AR 635-200, paragraph 4-4.
The 20-year minimum accumulation for voluntary active duty retirement is law.
The law was recently amended allowing voluntary retirements in lieu of involuntary separations during the current military draw-down.
As for NCOs who are serving under the indefinite reenlistment program, they can request voluntary separation through AR 635-200, paragraph 4-4.
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SFC Josh Watson
I feel like it would give a better forecast of sepparations (known losses), this could help with budgeting and promotions; it would save the government money in PCS expense, like movement of HHG, dislocation allowance, DIY move costs, plane fare and other costs to the government.
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SFC (Join to see)
I don't believe the option should be changed. It's implied that you should be planning for your retirement at 18 years anyways.
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SSG Stephanie Mitchell
At 18 years you should be planning. You should be planning prior to. As mentioned, it is a law. If you receive assignment instructions and have 19.5 years you must submit retirement immediately upon notification or move to the next assignment. Submit when you get there for 1 year out. Retirement move is to anywhere stateside not Home of Record. Plus you get up to 5 extensions for that last move of household goods. Unfortunately, we counsel Soldiers and Seniors on this all the time and explain the importance of proper planning, ACAP Services, regardless of retirement plans (especially if you do not know what you plan to do) and other programs such as QSP and QMP that if you appeal will effect what retirement date you can request. 18 years is enough time because most regulation and messages are written to benefit Soldiers with 18 years of service.
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I know this is an old post, but hopefully I can get some feedback. I believe it should be changed to 18 years. I say this cause I am in a situation where I hit my 19 year mark in 2 months and plan on dropping my retirement packet. My wife and I have been making plans for a year now and I recently came down on PCS orders to Germany. I am currently trying to find a way that I can retire instead of PCSing. If the time was 17 or 18 years, I would not be in the extremely frustrating situation that I am in.
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I would have stayed at Fort Belvior had that been an option but instead had to PCS with one child in HS (just missed being able to request HS stabilization). I opted to retire instead of another PCS move so my daughter ended up attending three high schools instead of one.
The big disadvantage, at least as I see it, would be that a Soldier could be in an assignment for 2-3 years, come down on PCS orders, opt out (at 17 years TIS) and spend another three years in that assignment. That seems to me to be a slippery slope that HRC doesn't want to walk up.
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