I keep hearing different things over the last few years, but what benefit, if any, exists for retiring at 20 years as a graduate from a service academy? Specifically, the four years spent on "active duty" but doesn't count as time in service for pay purposes. Some things I've heard: It counts as 2 years of active reserve time to be tacked on at retirement, there is no benefit, it counts as 4 years towards retirement pension for government retirement. Any of these true, or what is the deal?
Retirement Question – Service Academy Years
byu/MeekyMouse73 inMilitaryFinance
Posted by MeekyMouse73
2 Comments
Your four years at the academy are credited towards any government civilian service tenure and retirement.
Service academy time is explicitly excluded from military (either active or reserve) retirement eligibility for officers. See this article for relevant US Code references and additional information: [https://www.gao.gov/products/b-195448](https://www.gao.gov/products/b-195448)
Service academy time CAN be “bought back” towards a civilian federal retirement, but doesn’t count towards annual leave accrual apparently. See this article: [https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/claim-decisions/compensation-leave/claims/2021/20-0030/](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/claim-decisions/compensation-leave/claims/2021/20-0030/)