How does military service impact federal job retirement?

I've heard that military service can count towards federal job retirement. Could someone explain how this works? Does all military time contribute equally, and what should I know about the process?

Your understanding is correct. Military service can count towards federal job retirement, impacting both eligibility and annuity calculation. This applies to individuals in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).

For eligibility, years of military service can be counted for minimum length-of-service requirements to qualify for federal retirement benefits. This generally includes active duty service and, in some cases, reserve service.

Now comes the part that is somewhat complex. In terms of annuity calculation, the military service years are typically credited. However, the exact calculation – whether under FERS or CSRS – often depends on several factors:

1. What kind of discharge you received.

2. Whether you are receiving military retired pay and for what.

3. The period of military service and whether it was active or reserve.

4. Whether military deposits were completed for those periods of service.

To obtain this credit, you'll need to make a deposit to the retirement system. The amount of the deposit depends on the retirement system:

- For FERS, it's 3% of military base pay.

- For CSRS, it's 7% of military base pay.

Though these general rules apply, the specifics can be complex and may require personal advice. Also, there are specific steps to follow in order to ensure your military service is properly credited towards your federal retirement, so I would recommend reaching out to your human resources or benefits office and requesting guidance.

Lastly, any military service must be honorable (not dishonorable, bad conduct, or other than honorable) to be creditable for federal retirement purposes. This is an important detail to keep in mind.