The following is a question submitted by a Federal Times readers about retirement and other issues facing the federal workforce. It is answered by Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and a Federal Times columnist since 1995.
Question: This is a loaded question of sorts. The order of my government or federal service goes as follows:
- ‘91-’99 Army (in this order: NG three years, Active Duty 3 years, IRR 2 years)
- NAF Army MWR employee full time 3 years
- USAG NAF Army employee full time 4 years
- USAG AF Army employee full time 5 years (WG-11)
- NAF employee full time AAFES 2010 to present
Based on the above, I have a cumulated service time of (not counting ARNG and IRR) of approx. 25 years. If I were to return to the GS (AF) sector, would all my time (Prior service, AF & NAF) be counted toward retirement? If not, how much time would? What would the minimum serve be prior to my retirement?
Reg’s Response: To be vested in the federal government’s retirement system, you would have to have a minimum of 5 years of full-time covered service, more if you worked part time.
If you did go to work for the federal government, your three years of active duty service would be creditable if you made a deposit to cover that time. As a rule, your NAF service wouldn’t be creditable.
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Reg Jones is the resident expert on retirement and the federal government at Federal Times. From 1979 until 1995, he served as an assistant director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management handling recruiting and examining, white and blue collar pay, retirement, insurance and other issues. Opinions expressed are his own.
Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service, is our resident expert on retirement and the federal government. From 1979 to '95, he served as an assistant director of the Office of Personnel Management handling recruiting and examining, white and blue collar pay, retirement, insurance and other issues. Opinions expressed are his own.
